Collection of short message cards posted online

Q:

Would it be possible to consider switching from regular Chinese noodles to low-carb noodles?
I've been a customer for about 20 years, but
I was advised to reduce my carbohydrate intake during a health checkup. I
've recently started using the tanmen (vegetable noodle soup) again, but I'm wondering if there's any way to make this change.
While students are the main customers, faculty and staff members continue to use the restaurant even in their 60s.
Please consider this request.

A:

Regarding your request for "low-carb noodles," we do not currently carry any ingredients that the co-op can use, so we would need to select the ingredients ourselves. Furthermore, offering them as an option alongside regular noodles presents challenges, such as difficulty in distinguishing them at the register. Therefore, we are unable to fulfill your request immediately, and we apologize in advance for the time it will take.
We will inform our members once we have a clear timeframe for providing them.

Q:

Why does Komaba close at 7 PM? Hongo is open until 9 PM. Closing at 7 PM means you have to eat dinner by 7 PM, which means you have to eat lunch around 12 or 1 PM, and you have to go during crowded times. If they were open until 9 PM,
you could stagger your dinner and lunch and aim for less crowded times.
Given that Hongo is open until 9 PM, there seems to be no reason for Komaba to close at 7 PM for the sake of preventing the spread of infection.

A:

Until last year, Komaba Cafeteria was operating on a reduced schedule from 11am to 2pm, but with the resumption of in-person classes, we are gradually returning to our normal operating hours, and for now, we have extended our hours to 10am to 7pm. The reason for extending to 7pm is not to prevent the spread of infection, but rather it is the longest time currently possible considering the gradual return to normal operations, the current usage situation, and our staffing situation.
We sincerely apologize that we are unable to meet your desired operating hours this time, Mr. Arita.
We are open from 10am, so if possible, we would appreciate it if you could consider having your meal earlier. We will continue to consider your requests, usage situation, income and expenses, and the feasibility of our staffing situation as we go along.

Q:

I wish they'd add more individual fish dishes.
While the fish in the set meals is delicious, the side dishes are honestly a bit disappointing...

A:

We have received many comments regarding our "fish" menu. When we reopened the "Set Meal Corner" on April 1st, 2022, we created the menu based on three concepts: "brown rice," "fish," and "affordability."
Furthermore, to differentiate the corners and to significantly reduce queues during peak hours, we have decided to create a menu that is only available at the "Set Meal Corner." Therefore, we are not currently considering offering the main ingredients from the "Set Meal Corner" as individual items. However
, approximately one month has passed since the corner reopened, and we are currently conducting a survey to gather feedback and opinions from our members to inform future menu creation. We would appreciate it if you could provide specific suggestions for alternative side dishes, especially if you felt the side dishes were unsatisfactory. (Survey forms and collection boxes are located at the comment card writing desk.)

Q:

I bring my lunch to school. My friend eats at the school cafeteria, but I'd like to eat with him. Can I eat my lunch in the cafeteria?

A:

There will be no problem if you use the cafeteria outside of peak hours (12:00-12:30).
With the start of the new school year, we are seeing a significant increase in users compared to last year. The period from 12:00 to 12:30 is particularly crowded, and despite reducing seating capacity (currently around 270 seats) as a preventative measure against infection, the number of users (500-550 people) is roughly the same as during the same time period in 2019, before the pandemic. Therefore, this time slot will be reserved for customers purchasing items from the central cafeteria only.
If your visit falls between 12:00 and 12:30, we would appreciate it if you would purchase even just miso soup or a small side dish.

Q:

I have high levels of bad cholesterol, so I try to eat fish, but I get bored of the only fish dishes available, which are mackerel. I think there are plenty of fried dishes, but as I'm health-conscious, I'd like to see more grilled fish, such as salmon

A:

We reopened our set meal corner on April 1st (11:00 AM - 2:00 PM, limited to 70 servings), and are currently offering the "Sprouted Brown Rice Set Meal." The main dish is a set meal featuring "fish," with daily specials such as "Mackerel Simmered in Miso," "Red Snapper Simmered in Broccoli," and "Deep-Fried Flounder." Please try this first.
We will continue to develop new ingredients to increase the variety of "fish" we offer, so we appreciate your patience.

Q:

I would like the school to open at 10:30 so that people can eat after the first period. I think this would ease the crowds at lunchtime a little

A:

The co-op cafeteria is currently open from 11:00 to 21:00, but the specialty shop corner "BriocheDoree" is open for breakfast from 8:00 to 11:00.
There are two types of breakfast sets, and regular items are also available for purchase as soon as they are ready. We hope you will take advantage of the specialty shop corner "BriocheDoree".

Q:

This is regarding the online book inventory search and ordering system.
While I generally find it very convenient and useful, it seems that the contents of my shopping cart disappear when I log out. I think it would be even more user-friendly if there were features such as a "wish list" or a "save cart" function. I would
appreciate it if you would consider adding these features.

A:

As you pointed out, if you log out, the contents of your cart that have not yet been ordered will not be saved. We will consider implementing features such as wish lists and saving cart contents in the future. If we are able to implement the features, we will announce the results of our consideration as new features on the system, and if we are unable to implement them, we will announce this in the usage notes

Q:

The wall on the left side of the hallway leading into the Central Cafeteria from the Co-op store side is extremely dirty, which raises concerns about hygiene. I think it's mold or mud. I strongly request that it be cleaned

A:

Thank you for pointing this out. We are very sorry for any inconvenience caused

The stains on the wall you mentioned are mainly mold. We have tried cleaning it with mold remover many times, but it has had little effect because it is a concrete wall. Mold remover for concrete is too strong and there is a risk of discoloring the wall itself, so we have not been able to carry out the cleaning and the situation has remained as it is. We have shared this issue with the university facilities and will continue to work towards improving the situation

I love the brown rice omelet rice on the second floor, and before COVID-19, I ate it all the time. I was so happy to see it back around the New Year holidays

I am currently a fourth-year student and will soon be graduating, so if possible, I would like to eat it again before I graduate. Could you please consider bringing it back within the school year? Thank you very much

A:

Thank you for posting this

Also, thank you for using our brown rice omelet rice, which was back for about a month and a half from the end of November to January 7th

During January, we will be temporarily closed to serve omelet rice for the Toro-ri Fair and to bring back brown rice katsudon

We will make arrangements so that it can be revived for a limited time sometime between February and March. (Probably March...)

Once the date has been decided, we will announce it on Twitter etc., so please check it out

Q:

A friend of mine was in trouble because she didn't have any sanitary products on hand. I've never seen them stocked in the purchasing department like in a regular convenience store (though maybe they do)

Although some people may be reluctant to make a big deal out of this, it would be preferable for female students at least to have it available on campus when they need it. I would like you to consider installing it in the store or restrooms

A:

These are sanitary products, and are available in the general merchandise section of the store

It is located at the bottom right of the shelf where paper cups and other items are stored. We apologize for the difficult to find location

There are also vending machines in the restrooms at Komaba Library, so please check them out as well

If you have any questions while using the store, please feel free to ask our staff. We will be happy to assist you

We have received similar feedback regarding sanitary products on several occasions, so we will consider reviewing their placement to ensure that they are properly provided to those who need them. We appreciate your continued support

We apologize for any inconvenience caused

We appreciate your continued use of the Co-op