ITOCHU Announces Launch of Omochikaeri.com Takeout Food Support Service for Restaurants for Free

Supporting Restaurants in Collaboration with Globally Renowned Engineer Satoshi Nakajima

June 24, 2020

ITOCHU Corporation (headquartered in Minato-ku, Tokyo; Yoshihisa Suzuki, President & COO; hereinafter “ITOCHU”) announced today that it reached an agreement with Singularity Society (headquartered in Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; Satoshi Nakajima, Representative Director), a general incorporated association presided over by globally renowned software engineer Satoshi Nakajima,*1 to move forward with the introduction of the Omochikaeri.com takeout food support service for restaurants in Japan. On June 24, 2020, the service will be launched for restaurants and made available free of charge.

The COVID-19 coronavirus is having a worldwide impact, causing severe damage to restaurant businesses across the globe. Mr. Satoshi Nakajima developed OwnPlate, a takeout food support service to help shattered restaurants in the United States through technology.

The goal of the agreement signed is to launch a Japanese version of OwnPlate under the brand name Omochikaeri.com. Singularity Society, which created this service, and ITOCHU, which possesses an extensive network in the Japanese food distribution industry, will work together to provide support for the restoration of the business of Japanese restaurants.

Omochikaeri.com will not charge an initial fee, service charges for publication on the website or sales commissions.*2 This enables small restaurants run by individuals to swiftly launch webpages for the pre-ordering of takeout food and online payment. Consumers using these webpages can carry out all processes from the ordering of takeout food to payment without coming into contact with others, which helps eliminate infection risks. The website also features a tipping function that allows consumers to add a tip to the price for their purchased food, providing more support for restaurants. Ordering and payment are processed on the webpage. Users do not need to download a dedicated app or anything similar. With this highly convenient service, all they need do is scan a QR code or click a link to the webpage to place an order.

Following the philosophy of Mr. Satoshi Nakajima, ITOCHU will capitalize on its extensive network in the food distribution industry and promote Omochikaeri.com to ensure it will be widely used. With an eye towards the new normal, ITOCHU will expand its actions to support restaurant businesses.

  • *1Mr. Satoshi Nakajima was born in 1960 and currently resides in Seattle, USA. He acquired a master’s degree from Waseda University’s Graduate School of Science and Engineering and an MBA from the University of Washington Business School. He worked for Microsoft Corporation as a lead architect of Windows 95, Windows 98 and Internet Explorer 3.0/4.0 and others. After he became independent, he established UIEvolution (currently known as Xevo), neu.Pen and others.
  • *2Credit card settlement fees are charged.

Features of Omochikaeri.com

(Advantages for restaurants)
●Restaurants can instantly create and operate webpages for pre-ordering of takeout food and online payment.
●Restaurants do not need to answer phone calls and can receive orders outside their business hours.
●Restaurants are free from problems collecting money from customers who do not come to pick up their orders after ordering.
●As no dedicated device or app is required, restaurants can do business using their own smartphones, tablets and computers.
●Restaurants bear no cost other than credit card settlement fees, which are 3.6% of sales proceeds.
●Restaurants receive real-time notifications of order receipt status via LINE messages.
●Restaurants can view sales data online without document processing, which reduces paperwork.

(Advantages for consumers)
●Consumers incur no costs other than the price of the takeout food ordered.
●Consumers can place an order at any time and at any place using their smartphone or computer.
●With pre-ordering and pre-payment, there is no wait time for consumers when receiving their orders.
●Online payment frees consumers from handling cash or credit cards and helps them reduce the number of times they have close physical contact with others.
●As there is no need to download a dedicated app, consumers can easily visit restaurants’ pages by scanning QR codes.
●Consumers receive real-time notifications of the order status in forms of LINE messages and text messages.
●Consumers can give tips to support their favorite restaurants.

Omochikaeri.com Website

https://omochikaeri.com/

※Google Chrome and other browsers for computers, tablets and smartphones are supported.
(Only Internet Explorer is not supported.)

Omochikaeri.com User Interface (illustration)

Outline of Singularly Society

Name Singularity Society
Representative Satoshi Nakajima
Location Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Japan
Date of Establishment August 8, 2018
Activities Research and surveys on the singularity
Organization of lectures, workshops, presentations and competitions related to the singularly
Collection and distribution of information on the singularity
Search for business ventures related to the singularity and the development of human resources for the singularity
Presentation of opinions on matters associated with the singularity to governmental and other related organizations
Website https://www.singularitysociety.org/