What is the problem?
Dementia is an illness wildly misunderstood. People tend to believe those who have dementia can not do much by themselves, and the condition often leaves them in complete isolation from society. Moreover, most people suffering from this irreversible disease have to quit their jobs right after receiving a diagnosis.
To spread dementia awareness and to make society more open-minded and relaxed, a Restaurant of Mistaken Orders event was held in Shizuoka, Japan. There, the owners of the restaurant employed local dementia patients as waiters, giving them a chance to show the world they were no different from the rest of society.
Why is it cool?
The Restaurant of Mistaken Orders is a place where the servers are all people with dementia. They may, or may not, get your order right. However, the customers are assured that if their order gets mistaken, everything on the menu is delicious and one of a kind.
This concept has been created with a strive for a more caring and understanding society. A strive for a world where people are open and living in complete harmony, no matter their differences.
In the Restaurant of Mistaken Orders, if your order has been mistaken, you can shrug it off with a smile and simply enjoy what comes your way! It is a place the freedom of positive thinking and appreciation is being fostered. The restaurant’s name itself encourages customers to enter with an open mind, to expect mistakes, and to be okay with them.
Future growth potential?
The “Restaurant of Mistaken Orders” has won one of the most prestigious global awards for creative excellence, the Cannes Lion, and many more in Japan and overseas. This great initiative’s positive impact has successfully spread the message of how vital gentle communication and human kindness are.
Moreover, the concept keeps on growing and receiving more queries from local governments, private enterprises, and individuals requesting collaboration. The event is held multiple times annually in different parts of Japan to spark kindness and teach people to be more positive, patient, and open-hearted.
Restaurant of Mistaken Orders website: www.mistakenorders.com
Fenne van Mierlo
This is something I love. I think that it shows us how we can be more open and understanding towards others. I work in a restaurant and making mistakes or forgetting something does not fit with the customer’s expectations. I think that – especially people with dementia- should receive more kindness and understanding regarding “mistakes”. We are all human and everyone makes mistakes sometimes. It is a cheerful and cool concept that you write about. How do you think about what I wrote?
Rahim Ennassiri