Reflections of an Arcade Clerk: 'How to Put Away Arcade Chairs'

When you think of cleaning up an arcade, you think of lifting chairs or stacking them.

Why do we lift the chairs up? Well...

It stops people from playing right up until closing time

It puts pressure on customers that we are closing

It makes it easier to clean the floor

I think these were the reasons.

I'm sure every shop does it differently, but the shops I worked at basically used the method of placing them on top of the cabinets.

You might think, 'Putting something as heavy as a chair on top of a precious cabinet!'

But cabinets are quite sturdy, and compared to the weight of guys who bang on the control panels or ladies who sit on them, chairs are nothing.

Of course, we place them carefully so as not to scratch the levers, buttons, or the surface of the control panel.

However, if you think about cleaning from top to bottom... the chairs left on top get in the way when the morning shift starts cleaning. If the morning shift takes the chairs down and the top of the cabinet is still dirty, it will just dirty the floor that was cleaned so nicely.

So, experienced night shift clerks will dust off the cabinets before putting the chairs up. Well, that makes the floor dirty, so if the roles and communication aren't handled well, a war can break out between the morning and night shifts (；´Д｀)

Some might say, 'Since they're arcade chairs, why not just stack them?' but that would require extra space to store them, which is a difficult request for a cramped arcade.

Also, stacking has the drawback of taking time to store and set back up.

The best answer changes depending on the store layout, the cabinets installed, the type of chairs, and the business policy, but if you try to let customers enjoy themselves until the very last minute before closing, it ends up looking a bit messy from the outside.

The more comfortable a chair is (often due to its weight), the more effort it tends to take to put away, so it might be interesting to look at what kind of chairs your local arcade uses. They might be putting effort into parts you don't even notice?

That said, 'My local place just uses folding chairs!' even if that's the case, please don't misunderstand; it doesn't mean they lack love for their customers.

Where a store chooses to invest its money varies, after all... well, basically, for stores that focus on video games, it seems like the budget is tight in most cases (TдT)

(But I digress)

Come to think of it, there were some regulars who would go out of their way to lift their chairs after playing.

Seeing that moment, or coming back to find the customer gone but encountering that situation, makes my heart feel warm and filled with gratitude.

However, from a clerk's perspective, I can't really recommend it. The reason is that there's a trick to how you place them, and if you're not used to it, you might damage the cabinet. More than that, it would be tragic if the customer themselves got hurt.

I just want to avoid such kind customers suffering any disadvantages like getting injured or having to pay for damages.Because there are people who deserve divine retribution far more than them.

Also, if an unspoken rule of 'lifting the chair' permeates the place before you know it, even those who aren't used to it will end up desperately trying to lift the chairs so as not to disturb the atmosphere.

I've also rushed over to support a wobbling chair from the side like a knight in shining armor a few times... sorry I'm not a handsome guy (TдT)

So, basically, don't touch them, and even if you do, don't overdo it. Following the house rules is the best way to go... It's kind of like how you're supposed to handle your bowl after eating at a ramen shop, isn't it? (lol)

Wait, you just want to try stacking the chairs? (ﾟ∀ﾟ)

Oh, alright then, Nobita-kun, if that's the case, just click the play button below!

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I'm writing down fictional stories based on my real-life experiences from my time as an arcade clerk as I go (ﾟ∀ﾟ)