Musashi Japanese Cuisine - New Lynn (MINATO) — Restaurant in Whau

We've been going to Musashi for many years on average once a week. They have recently changed ownership and we have coincidentally not visited for a while. Tonight, we decided to give it a go again. The food was great as usual but we've noticed the new owners are cutting staff down to save costs. They had a full restaurant with only one server which is crazy.These cost savings strategies can backfire badly, especially in a busy restaurant. This is why:

Service Quality Drops – A single waiter for a packed restaurant means slower service, overwhelmed staff, and frustrated customers. Even if the food is great, bad service can ruin the experience.

Customer Experience Suffers – People remember how they felt. If they’re waiting too long for orders, or even the bill, they might not come back, no matter how good the food is.

Reputation Takes a Hit – Word spreads fast. If regulars start noticing the drop in service, they’ll tell others or leave bad reviews.

Overworked Staff = Burnout & Turnover – That lone waiter is likely to get exhausted and quit. High turnover means more hiring and training costs in the long run.

False Economy – Cutting labor might save money short-term, but losing customers and burning out staff will cost more over time.

A smarter approach would be balancing efficiency with good service—maybe optimising shifts, cross-training staff, or adjusting the menu to make service smoother. If the restaurant is still busy, the demand is there—so cutting staff might be the wrong move.

I'm not leaving a bad review, I'm just hoping the owners re consider the strategy. In my opinion and from experience, this will have an impact in the...

The food tasted ok.ish. For the price, I was expecting a better service. We got to the place and 2 tables were occupied. We were the third and the 4th came in just a minute after us. They were provided with water immidiately and greeted nicely. Not sure if its because we are PAcific Islanders and the rest of the customer were white? Or we were just totally forgotten? After about 20 mins, A waitress came to take our order and told her we did it online. I asked her for water. While I was talking, she turned her back on me and walked away. She came back and put the jug of water and walked away without saying anything. Upon serving my daughters food, no cutleries were given. Im not implying that there was racism happening and im not asking to be treated special because of race but with what I and my husband observed/felt ealrier i just couldnt help it. Very bad service. Wish there was an option for no star. The place doesnt deserve...

The best ever Japanese restaurant in Auckland!!!.... Well, I know it's a tall claim, but hear me out. This is a small place but very cosy. The service is simply amazing. We go there very regularly and the level of service is always great. Everyone of the staff greets you when u step in and bids u good bye when you leave :) The food is delicious and the portions are very generous. The presentation of food is beautiful. Have to mention the menu folder, which is colorful with detailed info on each dish with beautiful pictures of the dishes (and trust me the food looks exactly the same as the picture when it comes out). Dont forget to mention if you are celebrating a birthday. The birthday celebrant gets a free dessert. All the staff (and patrons) sing the birthday song, which makes it for either a very special or an embarrassing birthday :) depending upon who is celebrating. Overall, great staff, great service, great...