ronnie_suburban wrote:I do hope this discussion will continue at least until someone wins!

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ronnie_suburban wrote:I do hope this discussion will continue at least until someone wins!

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jimwdavis wrote:This discussion would be greatly enhanced by hearing the opinion of a food retailer. If anybody knows someone who is a store management professional, would you please ask them what the general consensus among managers is about this question?

Sweet Willie wrote:Mentioned below, Misuwa full Japanese food court w/many offerings, very fun and delicious to walk around and eat. NE Corner of Algonquin & Arl Hts Rd.

wdc wrote:i agree, mitsuwa is a fun place to go and eat. we have seen alot of people walk around the store with the food from the food court and i know it is not welcome. people drop there food and leave it and put there empty wrapping on the shelves. i work there and you never see japanese people eating while they shop. they know it is not the proper thing to do. so please keep your food in the food court. its not a pretty sight to see people shoveing food in there mouths in the grocery store, save that for the taste of chicago and not mitsuwa. thank you.

Cathy2 wrote:WDC,

Well, I have been there on Saturday when food samples were prepared and offered IN THE STORE itself. So do you discourage your clientelle from trying your samples? Did you know people who sample these foods usually buy more than those who don't? By the way, I saw both Japanese as well as non-Asians partaking ... hmmm were these americanized Japanese ?

If your management agrees with you, then it is their job to monitor and politely ask people to finish their meal in the food court. Though I find it hard to carry hot soups, bento boxes plus the accompanying utensils while meandering your store. Except for ice cream and pastries, there isn't much walk-around food. I somehow doubt you are for real.

Since you have such a sweet demeanor toward your non-japanese customers, perhaps you can read the attached and answer from the filter of your experience: Big turn-off at Whole Foods

Best regards,
CAthy2

WDC wrote:you have a very poor argument. samples are one bite at the sample table. which is fine, i am talking about food that you purchase from the food court. i think you missed that part.lunch should be eaten at the table that we provide in the food court. we have seen many people eating yakitori, tempura, sushi and even soup in the store area while on the phone and leaving there mess where ever they can put it. i see you don't think there's problem with that. we are trying not to be like a dominicks.

Gary wrote:WCD,

Frankly, as ill tempered as you seem to be, if you are really a representative of Mitsuwa, or should I say representative of Mitsuwa's corporate mindset, I am not anxious to shop at Mitsuwa in the future.

Frankly, unless one is with out of town guests or children, who will enjoy the circus atmosphere of the various kiosks, food or otherwise, I see no reason to go to Mitsuwa when Tensuke is but a few miles South on Arlington Heights Rd.

I, vastly, prefer the sushi and sashimi available at Tensuke to Mitsuwa.

Enjoy,
Gary

WDC wrote:why would you think i am ill tempered for wanting a clean store? we try to keep up with the mess that is left on the shelves, i think if you were shopping and seen the dirty plates that are left , you would agree that your lunch should be eaten in the food court. unless you are one of the people who does leave a mess and that is why you are upset and plan to shop at another store. i am sure tensuke will be happy to have you.

Jim Leff wrote:Gary, you're right to point out that there are alternatives for customers, but it's a little unfair to take this as an official statement from the company. This is just an employee, who's offering personal perspective (even if it's a perspective we may disagree with).

Cathy, you're right...if it were official store policy, the store would say/do something. They don't. So let's not get angry at the company for an employee's statement. I think it's pretty cool to get the employee's perspective (especially since there's no hyping or promo being done), it's an interesting facet of our forum that we can hear such views.

wdc, you're right, there's a cultural issue here. I learned quickly in Japan from all the dirty looks that eating while walking around is a faux pas. On the other hand, this is a whole other country.

Everyone, this is starting to stray beyond issues of chow and into issues of biz management, etc. Everyone's made their points, and it's only going to get angry from here on out. Let's move on, so we can keep it chowy, ok?

Gary wrote:Jim,

I was careful to say, "if you are really a representative of Mitsuwa" But you're right, we are about to stray from Chowcentric conversation.

Thanks for the reminder.

Enjoy,
Gary

Cathy2 wrote:WDC

It is your management's problem to straighten it out, if they want to. If they choose not to do something, then it is an employees job to grin and bear it. I doubt they would appreciate your post as all merchants want to encourage good will amongst all their customers. (By the way, I finish my meal in the food court and then go shopping. I buy less on a full stomach)

So what about the tofu vegetable salad? Would you grin and bear it or lecture the customer?

Regards,
CAthy2

DocQ, from May 7, 2006 wrote:Interesting thread. As a Chowhound I crave an authentic dining experience. Generally, I include conforming to the host culture's norms... whether it's using chopsticks and eating family style in a Chinese restaurant, using a fork and spoon and wai-ing in a Thai restaurant or shouting "Opa" in greek joint (actually I'm not sure how authentic that is).

Personally, I would cringe if the table of Americans next to me in a traditional Japanese tea house were loud and raucous or otherwise violating the expected norms of the room. Regardless of whether the tea house was in NY, Chicago or Tokyo. (The same way I'd be embarrassed if one of my chinese friends started picking his teeth at the table of a French restaurant. Or a Spanish friend threw his trash on the floor of a bar here.)

Why should a grocery store be any different? It's their little bit of Japan in America. It's probably very tiring to constantly be in a foreign culture, I think they're entitled to a bit of safe cultural space. And why, if we enjoy visiting their cultural territory, should we spoil it by acting like ugly Americans?

Imagine if the shoe were on the other foot and you lived in a 'difficult' country like China, with crowds, noise and pollution, constant harranging and haggling, so you occasionally shopped at Walmart for a bit of comfort, i.e., familiar brands, fixed prices, non-counterfeit goods, decent customer service, and chinese locals came there to gawk at the American stuff and oh yeah, they forgot to check that nasty spit-on-the-floor habit at the door. You'd be upset. If you worked there you might say, "I know the pollution is bad and your lungs are clogged, and spitting on the street is a common and acceptable thing, but I appreciate it if you would either stop it or take your business elsewhere because it's grossing people out."

The poster who said management should address the issue misses a central point of Japanese culture... they would never do anything as 'crass' (in their eyes) as actually approach a customer and say please don't do that, anymore than a good American restaurant would ask someone to stop farting. You just expect that people understand common courtesy. Unfortunately, this particular courtesy is not common to both cultures.

Maybe management should say something, but as a Chowhound I try to make it my business to know enough about a culture not to offend people. And if I do step in it and someone is kind enough (or annoyed enough) to let me know, I don't go on the attack, I apologize and file it away for next time.