# A Paradox of Efficiency: A Metamodern Restaurant Experience By:: [[Brian Heath]] 2024-05-28 A restaurant in a small city in Japan overlooks a river, is only open from 11 am to 3 pm, serves three dishes, takes orders and payment from customers via a computer upon entry, and has minimal wait staff. Additionally, it seats about 20 people, has beautifully hand-constructed wooden chairs and tables, and has a perfectly curated set of low-key electronic Japanese music playing in the background. Finally, it has some of the best food and service one could hope for. In short, this restaurant is a paradox and a total departure from most restaurants in the modern world. It is uber-efficient by all capitalistic and industrial measures. It has very few staff to pay as the order-taking machine handles all of the transactions, and its limited menu translates to less inventory and process variability that minimizes costs. This level of efficiency is rare across the board and takes significant effort. However, some may argue that it comes at the expense of scale and market size. For example, having three menu items may reduce the number of people interested in eating there. Additionally, one might critique the restaurant's policy of only being open four hours a day - indeed, one could make even more money if they were open for dinner. So, why does a clearly uber-efficient restaurant also not choose to maximize its revenue by being open later and providing a few more menu options? Thus, one sees the paradox of this restaurant. They have these other policies not to make more money at all costs but to make enough money to thrive, enjoy their life, and delight their customers with a carefully crafted experience with great food and service. Without knowing it, this restaurant was the clearest example of metamodernity that I've come across. It blended hand-crafted arts with capital efficiency, intentional mindfulness, and a balanced life in a small mountain town. As a result, everyone in my party wouldn't think twice about going again and recommending it to everyone they know. This restaurant shows the potential of what metamodern businesses have to offer. We just need to make it happen. If you are interested in the restaurant: https://maps.app.goo.gl/ubN9UA6UMWqEXnru5 #### Related Items [[Metamodernism]] [[Efficiency]] [[Capitalism]] [[Paradox]] [[Paradigms]]