Aspiration is Always the Driving Force: The Work Style of Kobayashi at Denny’s Azumino

"I wanted to become a professional baseball player, so I played baseball from elementary school through high school. During my junior high school years, I was completely devoted to it and even made it to the national tournament."

Every junior baseball player dreams of reaching the national tournament. However, the experience Kobayashi had there was a bittersweet one.

"The pitcher on our team, a classmate of mine, was simply on another level. He shut out the opposing team without letting them get a single hit. It was the first time I’d ever seen anything like it. I realized that this is the kind of person who becomes a professional player."

Eventually, his dream shifted from becoming a professional baseball player to working in a job related to baseball. It was during this period, when he was searching for his future path, that he encountered Denny’s.

"I worked part-time at a Denny’s near my university, and I really loved the atmosphere there. It was so cozy that it became a hangout spot for students. While enjoying my time working there, I was also aiming to become a staff member for a professional baseball team after graduation. One of my former teammates from junior high school, our pitcher, had made it to the pros, and I dreamed of winning the championship together on the same team."

After graduating from university, he continued working at Denny’s while also gaining experience at Jingu Stadium through an introduction from his high school baseball coach. It was a bit different from his childhood dream, but he was close to reaching it.

However, as he spent more time reflecting on himself and gaining a deeper understanding of the work of a baseball team staff member, he began to realize that there were differences between his aspirations and the reality of the job. This realization led to a period of inner conflict and doubt.

"At that time, Denny’s, where I was working part-time, offered me a position as a full-time employee. My manager at the time taught me the joy of working, which sparked a sense of admiration in me. I thought, ‘I want to be this kind of person, this kind of manager, and create this kind of restaurant.’"

Torn between pursuing a career with a baseball team or staying with Denny’s, Kobayashi ultimately chose to go where he was truly needed. From an outsider’s perspective, it may have seemed like a major change in direction. However, he doesn’t see it that way.

"Whether it’s a baseball team or Denny’s, the ultimate goal is the same—to provide satisfaction to customers. The only difference is whether that happens through baseball or a restaurant. Plus, by that point, I had grown to love Denny’s just as much as baseball. Looking back, I think I chose it naturally."

After joining Seven & i Food Systems, the company that operates Denny’s, Kobayashi’s first assignment was at Denny’s Kachidoki. While working as a front staff member, engaging with customers, one particular experience left a lasting impression on him.

"A customer in a wheelchair came to the restaurant. However, Denny’s Kachidoki had stairs at the entrance. So, the restaurant manager and I lifted the wheelchair together and helped guide the customer in.
It turned out that this customer was about to be hospitalized and wanted to have a cup of coffee with her daughter at Denny’s before being admitted. As they were leaving, they said, ‘Next time, I’ll walk in on my own and come back to this restaurant.’ That moment made me truly realize the value of this job."

Later, at Denny’s Oimachi Ekimae, he advanced to the roles of kitchen leader and front leader. By taking on leadership roles, he learned the importance of management duties.
Kobayashi looked back and said, "What I learned back then is still useful to me now."

Kobayashi has continued to grow by learning from various people, including customers and restaurant managers. His next challenge took place at the Shizuoka Kusanagi restaurant, where he faced the task of opening a new restaurant for the first time.

To prepare for the opening, he was responsible for hiring and training about 30 staff members. Additionally, he worked on communicating with local customers to make them aware of the new restaurant opening by visiting various locations.

After overcoming these challenges, Kobayashi was promoted to assistant manager at another restaurant.

Although his career seemed to be going well, Kobayashi had mixed feelings at that time.
"After becoming the assistant manager, I started feeling like I wasn’t enjoying my work. Maybe because of that, my communication with others didn’t go well either, and it became a vicious cycle."

Although Kobayashi took the exam for promotion to restaurant manager, he did not pass. He was pushed to the point of considering resignation. During that tough time, what pushed him forward was the image of the restaurant manager he had once admired.

"After failing the exam, the zone general manager came to the restaurant in person and gave me some encouraging words. I had received guidance from that person before, but I never expected him to personally reach out. That moment made me remember the feeling I had during my part-time days of wanting to become a manager like him."

Returning to his original motivation,  Kobayashi retook the exam—and this time, he passed. Finally achieving his long-held goal of becoming a restaurant manager, he was assigned to Denny’s Azumino.

What Kobayashi values most as a restaurant manager is creating an environment where staff can enjoy their work.

"I make sure to communicate well with everyone and build a restaurant where we can all brighten the atmosphere together. In a way, teamwork is just as essential here as it is in baseball."

One moment that showcased Kobayashi’s unique approach to teamwork was during Denny’s 50th anniversary promotional campaign for special menu items supervised by renowned chefs. To boost team morale, Kobayashi set up a special corner in the staff room to introduce the chefs behind the dishes.

"I happened to be a big fan of one of the chefs and casually said, ‘Let’s make this the top-selling dish!’ It all began as a personal enthusiasm, but the staff got into it and had fun rallying around the goal. I’m so grateful for that. And, by the way, we did manage to take first place in sales! "

Surrounded by great staff, Kobayashi is gradually shaping his ideal restaurant. The aspirations he once had as a student—"I want to be this kind of person, this kind of manager, and create this kind of restaurant"—seem to be coming closer to reality.
Now, his vision is expanding beyond his initial dreams.

"This restaurant has a very close relationship with its customers. Hearing their voices directly often motivates me to make it even better. Every day, I feel more and more that this is a place deeply connected to the local community.
Lately, I’ve been thinking that my new goal might be to help people—especially university students—see that Denny’s is a fun place and that the restaurant industry isn’t so bad after all."

At the end of our conversation, we asked Kobayashi to express his work style in a color.

"It’s maroon. When I was little, I wanted to attend Waseda University, which had a strong baseball team, and I admired their school color, maroon. Although I didn’t have the opportunity to go to Waseda, maroon still symbolizes ‘aspiration’ for me. My career at Denny’s began with the aspiration, ‘I want to be this kind of person.’ That’s why my way of working is represented by the color maroon."

Kobayashi’s "maroon" journey is far from over.

This text has been translated using an automatic translation tool.