ASSESSMENT
TITLE Case Study 1
TOPIC UNIT 1
GROUP NUMBER Group 1
NAME OF #2 Caido, Zyrel Noah V
MEMBERS W/ #6 Saitou, Shota B.
CLASS NUMBER #8 Valdez, Keith Andrei L.
AND SIGNATURE # 27 Secwaten, Loraine D.
CASE STUDY RUBRICS:
Total: 60 points
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INTRODUCTION
The Filipino casual dining restaurant Kuya J is boosting its growth and enhancing
brand loyalty by emphasizing its origins as a simple eatery from Cebu. This means
offering a more inclusive menu from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao across all 81
branches and 16 franchises nationwide, enhancing the brand’s unique identity as a
Filipino restaurant that genuinely reflects the country’s diverse regions (Philstar, 2025).
Kuya J has many loyal customers who enjoy dining at their restaurants, but they face
issues with customer feedback that affects their public image, especially on social
media. Customers rely on ratings and reviews to choose restaurants, making this
feedback essential for the business. The customer rate according to our sources from
google site like Tripadvisor and some other platforms like Food Panda and Grab from
their locations in Baguio City, Rosales, Pangasinan, Makati City, and Manila City shows
a consistent rate of 40 to 60 percent which indicates a problem with food and service
consistency that management needs to address.
Kuya J Restaurant faces significant challenges due to consistently:
Poor and unwelcoming customer service, even during non-peak hours
Slow food preparation time and inconsistency in taste and temperature
Errors in order-taking and billing, including unserved items being charged
Presence of unsanitary conditions such as cockroaches and noisy kitchens
Lack of proper staff training and attentiveness to customer needs
Negative customer feedback and low online ratings damaging the brand’s image
Kuya J’s Baguio branch is facing significant issues in customer service, food quality,
hygiene, and staff training, resulting in poor online ratings and customer dissatisfaction,
which damage the brand’s public image and risk long-term customer loyalty.
DISCUSSION
This report highlights major challenges currently affecting Kuya J restaurant's
performance and overall customer satisfaction. These include poor employee
performance and service neglect, negative online reputation and customer feedback,
persistent customer complaints, an inefficient order management system, and
inconsistent food quality influenced by cultural complacency.
Image 1 Ref: Tripadvisor.com.ph Image 2 Ref: Reddit.com
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Image 3 Ref: Yelp.com Image 4 Ref: Indeed.com
In addressing the operational challenges faced by the restaurant, several
alternative solutions were considered but ultimately set aside due to their impracticality,
cost, or failure to address root causes. The discussion below outlines the key problems,
presents a more sustainable, long-term approach centered on comprehensive training
programs and why these solutions might get rejected.
Key Problems Alternative Solution Reason For Being Rejected
1. Poor Employee Replacing the This alternative was rejected
Performance and current employees because it fails to resolve the
Service Neglect with new staff to root problem and only
eliminate those who creates a cycle of hiring
underperform or without addressing the lack
neglect customer of proper training. It also
needs. increases costs and disrupts
operations due to constant
on boarding.
2. Negative Focus on public This may help regain
Online relations through attention and reach new
Reputation social media to customers, it does not offer a
and Customer improve the lasting solution if the in-store
Feedback restaurant's image service remains poor.
and respond to Customers will still
negative reviews. experience dissatisfaction,
and word-of-mouth feedback
will continue to hurt the
business.
3. Customer Offering customer This can temporarily ease
Dissatisfaction discounts or complaints, it is not a
and Service compensation for practical long-term
Complaints bad experiences. strategy and may
encourage more criticism
if not paired with genuine
service improvements.
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4. Inefficient Investing in Rejected due to the high
Order Technology for Order upfront cost and the
Management Management. potential resistance from
System both staff and customers
to adopt a new system
that might feel unfamiliar
and complex.
5. Inconsistent Involvement of all Because of Filipino
Food Quality employees for culture, mostly adapted
and Cultural testing taste before the “Pwede na yan” that
Complacency delivering orders is why this alternative
approach is rejected.
Table 1 Analysis of Key Issues, Alternative Solutions, and Justifications for Rejection
Filipino restaurant chains like Kuya J face major operational challenges, with
many proposed solutions falling short because they don’t address core problems. A key
issue is high employee turnover, reported at 60% to 70% annually by the Philippine
Restaurant Owners Association (2023), mainly due to poor training. Replacing a single
employee costs ₱50,000 to ₱100,000, and with compensation already making up 15% of
operating expenses, this adds significant financial pressure. Despite having over two
million Facebook followers, Kuya J continues to receive negative reviews—particularly
for slow service, wrong orders, and unsanitary conditions—with a viral 2023 incident
involving under cooked chicken further damaging its reputation. Although the brand
responds to online feedback, repeated complaints suggest deeper operational flaws. A
2024 study by the EON Group and Ateneo de Manila University found that 76% of
Filipinos trust word-of-mouth more than advertising, meaning customer dissatisfaction
spreads quickly. Offering discounts or freebies as compensation doesn’t ensure loyalty—
68% of such customers don’t return if issues persist (Nielsen Philippines, 2023), and
heavy discounting can reduce profitability by 15% (QSR Magazine, 2022). While
technology upgrades like new POS systems are often suggested, 60% of local food
chains abandon them within a year due to poor staff training and customer resistance
(PROA, 2023), with each implementation costing over ₱500,000 per branch. These
challenges show that without resolving foundational issues like staff training and service
consistency, short-term fixes won’t deliver lasting improvement. Sustainable success
requires strong internal development and a consistent culture of service excellence.
Proposed Solutions
1. Comprehensive Structured training covering technical skills
Training Programs (food preparation, POS Systems), customer
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service hygiene, and problem-solving.
2. Implement Employee Offering better pay and adaptable working
Incentives and a Fair hours to attract better customers, retain
Compensation System staff, and boost morale.
3. Enhance Management Senior management actively providing
Support and guidance, support and mentorship,
Mentorship especially for younger or inexperienced staff.
Table 2 Proposed Solutions
The most viable and effective solution is to implement a structured employee
training program centered on customer service, efficiency, and food quality standards.
Investing in staff development is not just a corrective measure, but a strategic foundation
for long-term growth and brand consistency. For example, a 2023 case study at The
Laguna, a Luxury Collection Resort and Spa, found that job training had a strong
influence on employee performance, accounting for 83% of the variance, with a
significance value of 0.000 < 0.05 and a t-value of 15.636. This demonstrated a
statistically significant improvement in staff effectiveness after the training was
introduced. Employees who received ongoing training also reported greater confidence
and competence, resulting in better customer interactions and fewer service-related
errors. In addition, organizations with a strong learning culture are 52% more productive
and 92% more likely to innovate, according to a 2025 industry analysis (Gupta, 2025).
Despite this, 59% of employees stated they received no formal workplace training and
had to self-teach essential skills, highlighting the gap and opportunity for structured
learning programs. This solution directly addresses the recurring issues raised by
customers, such as slow food service, unprofessional staff behavior, billing errors, and
inattentiveness during off-peak hours. By equipping crew members with the right
knowledge and service techniques, they become better prepared to handle orders
efficiently, attend to guests promptly, and uphold cleanliness and professionalism.
Studies consistently emphasize that continuous training, not just one-time sessions, is
vital in upholding high standards and adapting to the evolving demands of the food
service industry.
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
We therefore conclude that while Kuya J has attempted various solutions such as
discounts, technology upgrades, and employee taste-testing, these measures only
provide temporary relief and do not resolve the underlying problems of poor training,
inconsistent service, and operational inefficiencies. For sustainable improvement, the
company must shift its focus toward long-term, structured strategies that directly
enhance employee performance and customer experience. Practical, cost-effective, and
culturally aligned solutions—especially those centered on training and service
consistency—are essential to restoring customer trust, improving operations, and
securing the brand’s continued growth in the competitive food service industry.
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To address the operational challenges faced by Kuya J and enhance customer
satisfaction, several actionable and culturally appropriate recommendations are
proposed. First, structured staff training, including weekly modules on customer service,
food safety, POS systems, and a "Train the Trainer" program, should be implemented,
supported by mystery shopper audits to ensure service consistency and reduce turnover.
Second, employee incentives like personalized rewards, flexible scheduling, and tenure-
based recognition can boost morale, lower rehiring costs, and attract Filipino workers
who value stability. Third, dedicated quality control squads using digital checklists and
tablet-based apps can ensure food consistency and shift away from the "Pwede na 'yan"
mindset, fostering a culture of excellence in kitchen operations. Fourth, low-cost
technology upgrades like tablet-based ordering and affordable apps such as Moka POS
can enhance efficiency without financial strain, with staff involvement helping ease the
transition. Lastly, transparent customer engagement through honest responses to
negative feedback on social media and open communication channels will rebuild trust
and strengthen the brand’s reputation. These strategies, when consistently applied, offer
a sustainable solution for Kuya J’s growth and customer satisfaction.
REFERENCES
Philstar. (2025, May 27). Kuya J expansion hinges on regional representation
https://www.philstar.com/business/2025/05/27/2445978/kuya-j expansion-hinges-
regional-representation
Kuya J Resto. (2024) About US
https://kuyaj.ph/about-us/
Profile of the Philippine Food Service Industry. (2023, December). National Tax
Research Center
https://www.ntrc.gov.ph/images/journal/2023/j20231112b.pdf
Vardan, N. V. (2024). Impact of employee training programs on service performance
in restaurants. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism, 4(3), 10–20.
https://doi.org/10.47672/jht.2381
Muniz, T. (2024). From Grill to Greatness: How training transforms restaurant teams.
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/from-grill-greatness-how-training-transforms-
restaurant-tony-muniz-dgkqc
Flores, D. N. (2024, November 7). Filipinos prefer to “trust” competent, consistent
leaders — study. Philstar.com.
https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2024/11/06/2398101/filipinos-prefer-trust-
competent-consistent-leaders-study
Tripadvisor. (2023). KUYA J RESTAURANT, Paranaque - Dr.A.Santos Ave -
Restaurant Reviews, photos & phone number - Tripadvisor.
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g312693-d7651806-Reviews-
Kuya_J_Restaurant-Paranaque_Metro_Manila_Luzon.html
Draft
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