The concept of "by word of mouth" has certainly evolved because of social media. And I think Omakase has really penetrated this evolved "by word of mouth" marketing. There's Facebook, Twitter, Foursqaure, blogs, and many others. Without having to promote themselves, their own customers become their marketing agents.
To put this in Twitter terms, Omakase is trending. Most of my friends are staunch believers of Omakase and will stand by their experience of eating there. It is always full and many times you will have to wait before you can get a table. I actually just ate there a while ago for lunch and figured I should write about my thoughts.
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In any competitive market, patronage goes to those who are innovative. Suppliers are always kept at their feet and forced to provide better service in fear that their competitors will outsell them. And that's what makes the market economy so democratic: the fact that consumers can voluntarily vote with their money and decide who stays and who goes. Innovators are rewarded with profit and it is this profit incentive that keeps the competition running.
So I guess we can consider Omakase as innovative. Their recipes are certainly very different from competing Japanese restaurants. They've provided something unique and the market responded well.
I'm personally not so fond of it. I mean, deep frying, adding Japanese mayo and other fancy designs and plating—these things won't impress me. I'm more of a purist, I guess. I'm the type who'd prefer the traditional and authentic Japanese cuisine. But then again that's just me and the majority of consumers, as I have said, have voted otherwise. And, of course, I must commend them for their innovations and creativity regardless of my own personal preference.
The internet and social media really gives power to consumers. I was eating there a while ago and now I am writing about them. So restaurants of the world beware—every single customer can share their experience, good or bad, to their own personal networks and to the world (in realtime!).
So I guess I'm writing here again. It's more of observations, I guess. I mean, I'm constantly training myself to see what others can't see, to look beyond what is apparent, you know. The love for eating or my "cooking" may eventually return as well, we never know. Ah, women, they are my Waterloo, yeah? Even superman had his kryptonite. Weaknesses does not define one's super-ness, okay? So leave me alone hahaha.
It seems that in spite of not writing here, it has proven to be the highest contributor in my earnings among my blogspot blogs. Gotta suck it up and blog! On that note I leave you with a beautiful song I've been listening to all day:
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