Bringing you yesterday's news from Japan and Asia, today.
fast food (Page 45)
Word has been swirling in the weeks leading up to the release of Burger King’s “anime viewing hamburger” which, as its name suggests, is a burger designed to be enjoyed while watching anime. Watching anime certainly would be an ideal snacking time, so the concept seems solid, but how is it really?
Our fast food specialist Kuzo went to investigate. Here is his report.
Cup Ramen, known to Westerners as “Grade A college student feed,” is perfectly formulated with enough sodium and other preservatives to both fuel late-night study sessions and cure massive hangovers, but nobody’s ever accused it of being a gourmet food.
The January long promotional even Enjoy! 60 Second Service at Japanese McDonald’s franchises has been making waves all over the nation’s fast food consciousness. Although a lot of negative stories have emerged over possibly being too fast or pushing the workers too much, it’s still tempting to get into the idea of ultra-fast food.
Rival Japanese burger chain Mos Burger might be feeling the heat this month as well. One outlet in particular released a statement written on a chalkboard in front of their store explaining the virtues their considerably slower service.
Domino’s Pizza, one of the world’s most well-known home delivery pizza services, has recently released a new luxury pizza in Japan– an exclusive to the pizza fast food market.
Priced at 5,800 yen (about US$66), however, you’d be right to think twice before parting with your cash; after all, this is essentially just a circle of baked dough with fancy toppings. Sure, after piling all of your favourite toppings onto a pizza pie, one might hit the 5,000 yen mark, but a large-sized pizza starting at 5,800 yen?!
This had better be something very special…
From January 4 to January 31, McDonald’s Japan will run a marketing campaign they’re calling “Enjoy! 60 Second Service”, where customers who are made to wait any more than a minute for their order during the hours of 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM will receive a coupon for a free McDonald’s burger of their choice.
Even if staff are able to prepare the order within a minute, all customers who visit during the 4-hour time frame will receive a coupon for a free small-size ‘Premium Roast Coffee’.
To prove that the campaign isn’t all talk and no substance, staff at each of the 3,300 participating McDonald’s restaurants will be required to flip over an hourglass measuring one minute each time an order is placed.
Major Japanese fast food burger chain Lotteria is celebrating its 40th Anniversary this year. In commemoration, they have brought back the infamous Tower Cheese Burger, five beef patties with five cheese slices, and introduced a five layered shrimp patty burger— each for only 500 yen (about $6.25 US) !
Sounds like great value for anyone with a carnivorous appetite, and, in case five patties sounds too overwhelming, you can also knock the tower down to three or four. Either way, they stack ’em high! …or they try, at least…
As you can probably tell from the picture above, we recently found out that reality isn’t always what the advertisements make it out to be. Is this supposed to be a lesson in facing up to the truth? Read More
While hamburger chains like McDonald’s Japan may be forever shaving yen off their prices and launching campaigns like free hamburgers and coffee, stores like Yoshinoya and Sukiya, home of the original Japanese fast food, gyūdon, are about to become a little more expensive.
The stores, which have been locked in fierce price wars for years, have, until recently, hoped to attract customers by offering rock-bottom prices and seasonal offers, but are beginning to feel the strain.
Is the businessman’s staple dish about to get a dash of sophistication? Or will the same-old beef bowl simply receive a bigger price tag?
Japanese fast food chain Lotteria is celebrating its 40th anniversary by bringing back the Tower Cheeseburger! Yes, the Tower Cheeseburger is nothing new: RocketNews24 has reported on it before and, of course, made an ungodly sized burger out of it (pictured above).
Worry not though, as Lotteria has a lot more in store for its big 4-0. For starters, the price of their 5-storey (five beef patties and five cheese slices) Tower Cheeseburger this year will cost a measly 500 yen! (US$6)
Burger King is currently celebrating their 5th year in Japan. But in an already saturated fast food market the famous American chain is a little late to the game.
So, in an effort to truly stand out from the crowd, Burger King Japan has designed fast food’s first black hamburger. Dubbed the Kuro Burger (lit. Black Burger), it will go on sale for a limited time starting 28 September.
The fast food experience in Japan is much different that it is in America.
In Japan, step into any fast food restaurant and you are treated with the kind of service you see in commercials. Polite and attentive staff work in seemingly perfect unison to get customers their meal as quickly as possible, all while maintaining a smile on their face.
In America, the reality isn’t so golden. Fast food staff are often uninspired and lack enthusiasm and, perhaps as one reason for that, the customers can be loud, obtrusive and sometimes even violent.
At least, this is the image people are getting from two YouTube videos that have been making the rounds in the Japanese net since this weekend.
French fries, or “furaido potato”, as they are called here in Japan, are the standard side order to all kinds of fast food. Which fast food shop has the best tasting fries in Japan? My Navi News decided to find out by canvassing 1000 working men and women from the ages of 22 to 32 on Japanese social networking service Mixi.
The results show the top fast food shops ranked by their french fries along with a few select comments from those polled. Their occupations and genders are also shown and although there may not be any direct correlation in occupation to french fry tastes, their education does suggest a discerning taste in french fry eating. The gender of the people taking the survey appears to have absolutely no significance except that ‘gender role-happy’ Japan cares about such information.
The survey was conducted by simply asking, “Which fast food restaurant makes the best french fries?”
And the winners are… Read More
They don’t mess around in Italy. Next to the regular french fries on the McDonald’s menu, you’ll find Miami Fries. Customers regularly substitute these fries with the combo sets. Read More
Okay, it’s a fact that the Japanese love “gyu-don“— braised beef and onions on rice, sometimes topped with a raw egg. All over Japan, you can find a gyudon shop on almost every street. But what if you’re in a mood for something other than a beef rice bowl? Well, we’ve found a shop that offers an excellent alternative, “buta-don“, or pork on rice. And we’re not talking about just any regular buta-don. At this shop, you can order an extra-large buta-don that really piles the pork on – so much, in fact, that you can barely see the bowl beneath all the pork! Read More
There’s this new potsticker (aka gyza, aka dumpling) restaurant that opened in Paris, that people are actually lining up to get into. We wondered what all the fuss was about, so we went there to check it out ourselves. Read More
If you haven’t had it happen to you yet, statistically speaking, at some point in your life you will fall victim to someone eating your ice cream. Your. Ice. Cream! Avoid such a tragedy with Ben & Jerry’s Euphori-Lock, a combination lock that fits on to pint cartons of ice cream, available for under $7 (US). Basically, it’s a two-part plastic security ring that slips around the upper lid.
You will stop thinking in minutes and hours, and start seeing time in terms of cheeseburgers and milkshakes, if the McDonald’s new ad campaign’s persuasive power works its charms.
Summer is a competitive time for beverage companies, who duke it out to get those thirsty, hot customers. Actually, manufacturers (as well as regular people) are still contending this year with a lean, electricity-short summer, a season when the demand for power understandably goes up. Amid all these circumstances, those of you who yearn for an unsweet soft drink should have a crack at ‘Pepsi Black’, coming mid-June.
You may have heard various stories about special food items at McDonald’s eaten by the staff and not on the regular menu. One such item that is rumored to be a staple among McDonald’s staff in Japan is shio-burger, or plain salt-flavored hamburger. Apparently, this item is quite well-known among McDonald’s fans, so we decided to get to the bottom of what this mysterious hamburger is like. Read More
You may recall Mr. Sato’s brave challenge against the monster Burger King whopper with 1050 bacon strips. Not surprisingly, we had a significant quantity of bacon left over after that episode, and we were wondering what to do with it. Well, we came up with a brilliant idea – chop the bacon into small pieces and mix it in McDonald’s vanilla shake for a completely original drink! Read More
The Japanese convenience store chain Poplar has announced its newest store opening in none other than Tachikawa Detention Center. As in the clink, the joint, the hoosegow: jail. Read More
Tokyo’s Tsukiji sushi neighborhood asks tour groups to stay away for the rest of the month
More people in Japan quit sending New Year’s cards and many have started to regret it
Return of Totoro sequel short anime announced for Ghibli Park
Japanese avoiding domestic travel as foreign tourists increase, possibly creating vicious cycle
Japanese Cabinet to officially announce new romanization spelling recommendation next week
Studio Ghibli holiday wreath adds a touch of Kiki cuteness and good fortune to your home【Photos】
Tomahawk Tonkatsu at Japanese restaurant becomes a hot topic online
Panties to wear on your head as hair accessories on offer from Japanese fashion brand【Photos】
Japan has canned fried chicken, and we taste-test two types of no-cook karaage
Godzilla-shaped ice cream on sale in Tokyo near the sight his most adorable rampage
Tokyo considering law requiring more trash cans following litter increase in heavily touristed area
Tokyo event lets you travel back in time, for free, to celebrate 100 years since Showa era start
This hot springs town in Japan sets fire across a mountain every winter in a beautiful tradition
Gundam and Reebok team up for new GQuuuuuuX Pumps【Photos】
More Shinkansen trains being added to Japan’s “golden route” to meet traveler demandJapanese avoiding domestic travel as foreign tourists increase, possibly creating vicious cycle
Japanese man who didn’t know how banks work defrauded out of 21 million yen
Sanrio theme park in Japan announces plans to expand into a Sanrio resort
U.S.A. now the fastest-growing market for Japan’s high-tech toilets, now selling quicker than ever
Kyoto samurai house wants to share its history of seppuku, torture and gold coins with visitors
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan unveils new Christmas goods and a rhinestone tumbler that costs 19,500 yen
Real-world Nausicaa Ghibli anime glider completes its final flight in Japan【Video】
Japanese train company is letting fans buy its actual ticket gates for their homes
Is China’s don’t-go-to-Japan warning affecting tourist crowds in Tokyo’s Asakusa neighborhood?
The 10 best day trips from downtown Tokyo【Survey】Tokyo considering law requiring more trash cans following litter increase in heavily touristed area
Nintendo’s Kirby now delivering orders at Kura Sushi restaurants, but not in JapanTokyo event lets you travel back in time, for free, to celebrate 100 years since Showa era start
A guide to visiting Sagamiko Illumination, one of the three biggest light-ups in Kanto
Survey asks foreign tourists what bothered them in Japan, more than half gave same answerJapan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Japan’s deadliest food claims more victims, but why do people keep eating it for New Year’s?
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Studio Ghibli releases Kodama forest spirits from Princess Mononoke to light up your home
Major Japanese hotel chain says reservations via overseas booking sites may not be valid
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
The top 10 annoying foreign tourist behaviors on trains, as chosen by Japanese people【Survey】
No more using real katana for tourism activities, Japan’s National Police Agency says
Starbucks Japan reveals new sakura drinkware collection, inspired by evening cherry blossoms
Studio Ghibli holiday wreath adds a touch of Kiki cuteness and good fortune to your home【Photos】
Tomahawk Tonkatsu at Japanese restaurant becomes a hot topic online
Panties to wear on your head as hair accessories on offer from Japanese fashion brand【Photos】
Japan has canned fried chicken, and we taste-test two types of no-cook karaage
Godzilla-shaped ice cream on sale in Tokyo near the sight his most adorable rampage
Record number of foreign children in Japan need help understanding Japanese in school
Tokyo Station staff share their top 10 favorite ekiben
Exhibit featuring cutting-edge smell technology held at Tokyo Skytree
Crazy Hot Asians? Singaporean photographer-turned-actor in his 50s drops jaw after jaw in his wake
Tokyo trains add live in-car musical performances, including Ghibli anime themes
What would convince Japanese people to live in a home where there’d been a death or “accident?”
Eel vendor in Asakusa becomes a hot topic with foreigners on Reddit, but is it any good?
Japanese town suing resident for being a jerk
