Swedish furniture store Ikea has made a name for itself worldwide, not only for the size of its stores and decently priced, assemble-it-yourself furnishings, but also for the extremely cheap fare found in their food courts.
Now, they’re really putting the icing on the cake: For a limited time, Ikeas across Japan are having an hour-long all-you-can-eat “Oriental Buffet” for the insane price of only 500 yen (US$4)! But what will only 500 yen get you, you ask? Actually quite the spread, it seems!
Hearing the news of this unbelievable deal, RocketNews24’s very own Mr. Sato decided to head over to the Tokyo-Tachikawa Ikea to indulge in this once in a lifetime luxury.
If you plan to head to an Ikea yourself for some ultra-cheap face-stuffage, Mr. Sato strongly suggests checking the time of service for your nearest location, as the times differ from store to store. He arrived shortly before 4pm, thinking that was when the buffet opened, only to find that the buffet had already been open for two hours!
As is to be expected, a deal like this brings with it tons of people, so don’t expect to be able to just waltz on in. You actually need to purchase a “ticket” beforehand for a specified time, and each hour-long time slot only allows for a maximum of 120 guests.
Our man paid his 500 yen, and got a ticket telling him what time he could enter the buffet. He was allowed in the 4:40-4:59pm entry slot, just a little under a one-hour wait from the time he purchased his ticket. Then finally, once his long wait was over, he got his entry sticker and was set loose in curry heaven.
In line with its name, the buffet featured many Near and Middle Eastern-inspired dishes, including five different types of curry, tandoori chicken, naan, couscous, and more. With so many people competing for so much food in a limited time, it’s no surprise that the food was disappearing quickly. But the kitchen staff was apparently on their toes, as each dish was replaced as quickly as it was devoured.
▼Couscous salad
▼ Hummus
▼ All the naan!
▼ Kebab-spiced meatballs
▼ Curries
Mr. Sato went to work filling his plates, and finally got seated to sample his feast. The taste? Much as you would expect 500 yen buffet food to taste. Nothing slap-your-face spectacular, but still satisfying enough to enjoy. And Mr. Sato’s favorite? The plump, juicy sausage.
While the cuisine may not be anything to write home about, if you’re looking for a way to bust your gut on a budget, this is definitely the way to go! Check it out if there’s an Ikea near you!
Photos © RocketNews24
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