5 Ways to Use AI to Solve Staff Shortages
Staff shortages are becoming critical. Learn how to use AI to improve efficiency and run your restaurant with fewer people.
"I can't do this anymore."
Sato, the manager of "Mendojo" ramen shop in Takadanobaba, Tokyo, had reached his limit. Running a 50-seat restaurant with 5 staff members. Reservation calls, LINE inquiries, review responses—drowning in tasks beyond customer service, unable to focus on making ramen.
Part-time workers wouldn't come even when advertised. Even higher wages couldn't keep them.
That's when Sato made a decision.
Choosing "Not to Answer the Phone"
The first thing he let go of was reservation calls.
When the phone rang during lunch rush, someone had to stop serving customers to answer it. Meanwhile, other staff shouldered the extra burden. Sometimes customers had to wait.
After letting AI handle reservation calls, this problem vanished. Staff could focus solely on the customers in front of them. Missed calls dropped to zero.
The 2 AM Inquiry
"Can I reserve for 4 people tomorrow at noon?"
This LINE message arrived at 2 AM. Before, they couldn't respond until morning, and the customer might have already found another restaurant.
Now, AI responds instantly: "Yes, we can prepare seats for 4 starting at 12:00. Would you like to confirm the reservation?"
The next morning, Sato's phone only showed a reservation confirmation notification.
Reviews—No Time Even to Read Them
Every time a new Google Maps review came in, staff had to stop what they were doing to check it. Trying to write a thoughtful response took 15, 20 minutes.
Now, AI prepares the draft. Sato confirms in 1 minute and adds a word if needed.
Review response rate went from 30% to 95%.
3 People for 50 Seats
Six months after implementation. Sato's restaurant can now handle 50 seats with just 3 staff members.
They didn't lay anyone off. Two staff members can now focus on other work—new menu development and improving service quality.
"AI isn't a replacement for people. It's a partner that lets people do the work only humans can do," Sato says.
Let AI handle what AI can handle. Humans focus on what only humans can do. That's what we consider the form of "AI division of labor."