Phoenix's local eatery, Origami Ramen, found itself embroiled in a financial dilemma when its owner, Yusuke Kuroda, realized he had not received $50,000 owed by Uber Eats. Kuroda, whose restaurant offers a taste of his Japanese heritage, found an ally in the Let ABC15 Know team who intervened on his behalf. According to ABC15, Kuroda's venue is a mix of "It’s food culture and anime culture."
The discovery of the missing funds occurred after two years of undeposited earnings, during which Kuroda took it upon himself to call and email Uber Eats daily. "When I woke up, I called them and said, ‘How's my status?’ and I just follow up on my case," Kuroda told ABC15.
Nevertheless, these efforts yielded little fruition as Kuroda struggled to connect with someone at Uber Eats who could clarify the issue or propose a resolution. Reaching a point of desperation, Kuroda famously sought guidance from an AI chatbot -- Chat GPT. Kuroda chuckled in his interview with ABC15, saying, "Actually, I asked Chat GPT," a move that led him to the consumer team at ABC15.
Only after Let ABC15 Know followed up on the case did Uber Eats reconnect with Kuroda, informing him that fraud had been detected on his account. In a statement provided to ABC15, the company said it regretted the inconvenience and explained that temporary holds may be placed on accounts when security-related changes are made to protect against potential fraud. Uber Eats added that it is committed to resolving such issues as quickly as possible.
Following the company's intervention, Kuroda confirmed the receipt of the overdue $50,000 payment from Uber Eats, expressing gratitude for the help received. Emboldened by the resolution, Kuroda now plans to focus on his passion for sharing Japanese culture and is looking to open a new venture, a matcha café. Underscoring the power of collective voice and assistance, Kuroda encourages other small business owners in similar straits to reach out for help, as reported in his interview with Yahoo News. The tale of Origami Ramen stands as a testament to the importance of advocacy and resilience in the face of corporate indifference.
