Japanese restaurant chain Tokyo Tokyo expects to inoculate all its employees before the year ends following the successful roll-out of its vaccination program last July 23.
Tokyo Tokyo General Manager Natalie G. Perez said that the emergence of deadlier and more transmissible new COVID variants shows the need to hasten the multi-sector vaccination program to speed up herd immunity and economic recovery.
“Tokyo Tokyo is one with the government and the private sector in ramping up the inoculation of our people. There is no time to lose. As a responsible player in the food industry, we stand ready to grab every opportunity to safeguard the health of our employees and customers through vaccination and safety protocols,” Perez said.
The initial batch of Tokyo Tokyo’s frontline staff, elderly employees, and those with comorbidities received their COVID vaccine shots from July 23 to 27 at the company’s Restaurant Support Center with the help of certified medical teams.
The next vaccination phase is expected toward the end of August, with the country’s leading Japanese restaurant chain planning to set up inoculation hubs in different regions for its provincial team members.
“Our vaccination program covers our frontliners, particularly the store staff and managers, and our back-end personnel including restaurant support teams, the commissary, and production to ensure the safety of the whole restaurant chain. We’re targeting to inoculate 100% of our employees by the end of the year. There are more than a thousand Tokyo Tokyo employees covered by this vaccination program,” Perez said.
Tokyo Tokyo provided a series of orientation programs and regular communication to employees on the advantages of getting vaccinated months before the vaccination roll-out.
The company also ensured that its team members were trained on COVID best practices and sanitation in-store so everyone that visits the branches is safe.
The company mandated its staff to wear masks and face shields on and off duty. Physical distancing is being observed throughout the store, even in the kitchen. Proper hygiene practices, such as hand-washing and frequent sanitizing of highly used areas, are also strictly implemented.
Tokyo Tokyo also ensured that contactless payment solutions, such as GCash and PayMaya, are available in stores to lessen the risk of transmission.
In August 2020, Tokyo Tokyo launched its #STAYSAFE campaign, which featured the steps it took to ensure that every step the customers take – from ordering, paying, and enjoying their meal – is made safer.
In addition to Tokyo Tokyo’s delivery hotline, #86596, the brand also launched its own online delivery website, www.tokyotokyodelivery.ph, in November 2020. This allowed more customers to conveniently enjoy their favorite Japanese Bento meals from the safety of their homes. Aside from delivery, customers can also place orders for pick up through the new website. They can easily pay via credit card whether delivery or pick-up for a contactless experience.