The Ultimate Automation Strategy with "AI and QR Menus" to Save the Japanese Restaurant Industry in 2026
In Japan in 2026, the biggest challenge facing the restaurant industry is undoubtedly the "labor shortage." With the acceleration of the declining birthrate and aging population, the outflow of human resources to other industries, and the rapid recovery of inbound demand, it has become a daily occurrence that no applications come even if job openings are posted.
Voices from restaurant owners nationwide say, "Even if we raise the hourly wage, we can't gather people" and "We had to shorten our business hours because we didn't have enough staff." The only realistic solution to overcome this critical situation is the automation of store operations utilizing AI and QR code menus.
The Severe Reality of the Labor Shortage in 2026
The current working environment in the restaurant industry is tougher than at any time in the past.
Soaring Recruitment Costs and Declining Retention Rates
The unit cost of hiring part-time workers is rising year by year, and it is not uncommon for it to cost tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of yen to hire one person. Furthermore, even if they are hired, there are many cases where they leave their jobs in a short period of time, and the number of stores falling into a "negative spiral of recruitment" where the time and cost spent on training become direct losses is rapidly increasing.
The Limits of Person-Dependent Operations
The conventional operation that relies entirely on human staff for tasks such as "taking orders," "explaining the menu," and "accounting" has the vulnerability that the entire store will not run if even one staff member is missing. This person-dependent mechanism is the biggest weakness of current restaurants.
The "Ultimate Automation" Brought by AI and QR Menus
As a breakthrough for this challenge, AI-equipped QR code menu (mobile ordering) systems are rapidly spreading in 2026.
1. Complete Automation of "Order Taking" Tasks
With a system where customers scan the QR code on the table with their own smartphones and place orders directly, the time staff spend going back and forth between the table and the kitchen can be completely eliminated. This makes it possible to reduce the required number of hall staff to less than half.
2. Multilingual Support and Menu Explanation by AI
In the latest systems like MenuForma, AI automatically translates menu text and supports over 70 languages. It saves staff the trouble of explaining in a foreign language to inbound foreign tourists, completely preventing order mistakes and lost opportunities due to language barriers.
3. Smart Recommendation Function (Upselling)
Proposals (upselling/cross-selling) such as "Would you like a drink with that?" or "This wine goes well with this dish," which excellent hall staff make, are automatically made by AI on the system. You can reliably increase the average spend per customer without relying on human hands.
3 Steps to Successful Automation
True automation cannot be achieved simply by introducing a system. It is important to take the following steps.
Step 1: Complete Digitalization of the Menu
First, abolish paper menus and digitalize all menus. At this time, it is important not just to line up text, but to prepare high-quality photos that stimulate the appetite. Visual appeal becomes the greatest weapon to replace staff explanations.
Step 2: Redesigning Operations
Along with the introduction of the QR menu, redefine the roles of the staff. By shifting from "the person who takes orders" to "the person who serves food in the best condition and pays attention to the customers," high customer satisfaction can be maintained even with a small number of people.
Step 3: Introduction of Table Payment (Tabletop Accounting)
Introduce "table payment" where not only ordering but also accounting is completed on the customer's smartphone. As a result, the cash register work itself disappears, and the time required to close the cash register is also significantly reduced.
Next-Generation Store Operations Realized with MenuForma
When realizing automation utilizing AI and QR menus, the most powerful partner is MenuForma.
MenuForma is a next-generation digital menu platform that can be introduced with zero initial cost. Equipped with automatic translation by AI, an intuitive ordering interface, and an advanced recommendation function, it solves the restaurant's biggest challenge of "labor shortage" with the power of technology.
| Conventional Operation | Automation Utilizing MenuForma |
|---|---|
| Staff takes orders at the table | Customers order directly from the QR code with their smartphones |
| Explaining to foreign customers with gestures | AI automatically translates and displays in over 70 languages |
| Recommendations dependent on staff skills | The system automatically proposes optimal toppings and drinks |
| Lining up at the register and staff processing payment | Customers make cashless payments from their smartphones at the table |
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
Q: Won't elderly customers be unable to use the QR code menu? A: As of 2026, the smartphone penetration rate is very high across all generations, and many people are used to scanning QR codes. We recommend a "hybrid" operation where staff directly respond only to customers who absolutely find the operation difficult.
Q: If we proceed with automation, won't the warmth of customer service be lost? A: On the contrary. By leaving "tasks" such as ordering and accounting to the system, staff can spend time on "original services" such as conversations with customers and detailed attentiveness, and as a result, the quality of customer service improves.
Conclusion: Making Technology Your Ally
There is no prospect that the labor shortage will be resolved in the future. Accepting this reality and steering toward automation utilizing technology as quickly as possible will determine the survival of restaurants from 2026 onward.
AI and QR menus are no longer just for large companies. Utilize MenuForma to realize strong and smart store operations that can generate high profits even with a small number of people.
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