Yoshinoya, Nakau, Gyoza no Ousho, and others face off in a dream match-up! This is the No. 1 restaurant chain’s menu in terms of cosmopolitanism and satisfaction!
The Best Restaurant Chains - Part 1
The “Four Wise Men” who know the industry inside and out thoroughly discussed and decided!
It is no exaggeration to say that the wave of inflation has swept over restaurant chains, and menus that can be satisfied with a one-coin price are almost extinct. So, what are the supreme cospa gourmet dishes that can be eaten for less than 1,000 yen?
The “Four Wise Men”-food industry producer Mitsuhiko Suda, B-class gourmet explorer Kyubei Yagyu, food journalist Junnosuke Nagahama, and food analyst Takao Shigemori, all well-known for their FRIDAY Business Report projects-discussed them all.
–I think the first thing that comes to mind as a cosy gourmet food on the side of salarymen is gyudon (beef bowl). What do you recommend among beef bowl chains?
Yagyu: “Noya” has a “morning beef set” (519 yen) available only from 4 to 11 am. In addition to the beef bowl and miso soup, you can add an egg, oshinko (pickles), salad, or one other item of your choice. In addition, for an extra 33 yen, you can also increase the size of a small bowl of gyudon to a medium-sized bowl. This is probably the strongest menu item among beef bowl chains. Incidentally, the most expensive unit price among the small bowls you can choose from is oshinko.
–Suda: What other chain chains, other than gyudon, do you recommend?
Suda: Nakau’s oyakodon. Until then, the main places to get oyakodon were soba noodle restaurants in town. Nakau” has turned oyako-don into a fast-food dish. The oyako donburi made with eggs is as tasty as those at the best restaurants, and it is priced at 450 yen.
Yagyu: Udon noodles are also a must at Nakau. The “Tantan-yaki Udon” (ordinary 550 yen) is also available, but I prefer the simple “Hai-kara Udon” (330 yen). The “oyakodon” and the “oyakodon” together cost 780 yen.
Suda: Both have a gentle flavor. Elderly people and children can also eat them with peace of mind.
Yagyu: In these days of continuing inflation, they even dared to lower the price, and now oyakodon is cheaper than gyudon.
Nagahama: Noya also tried to sell oyakodon because the price of imported beef had risen, but they were not able to successfully market it. The taste itself was comparable, but the inappropriate comments made by the former managing director became a headwind.
Shigemori: As far as oyakodon is concerned, “Nakau” is the sole winner.
Yagyu: Although not a bowl of rice, I most recommend the “Roasted pork cutlet set meal” (630 yen) at Matsunoya. You can enjoy tonkatsu just like a beef bowl.
Suda: At “Matsunoya”, you can order another bowl of rice and miso soup for free at some restaurants when you order a set meal!
Shigemori A metal net is placed under the cutlet so that the texture is not lost. That kind of presentation at such a reasonable price is heartbreaking.
Suda: The “loin cutlet set meal” at Matsunoya is the best in terms of cost performance. And after you eat it, you get a coupon. After the next time, you can add a croquette or potato salad to the “loin cutlet set meal” for free, which makes the meal even more filling.
Shigemori: Even if you order the “Double Loose Katsu Set Meal” (980 yen), which contains twice the amount of loin cutlets, you still get 20 yen change for the 1000 yen you paid.
Suda: Considering the cost, it is probably just under the limit. The satisfaction level is quite high, so there is no need to add more. Considering this, even if it attracts customers, it is a strange product, where they are making a profit. Considering the price, “Matsunoya’s” “Roast Katsu Set Meal” is probably the strongest tonkatsu menu item.
Yagyu, Shigemori, and Nagahama No objections!
Burger King’s backstage
— “McDonald’s” and other hamburger chains are also representative of gourmet foods under 1,000 yen. Do you have any recommendations?
Suda: I recommend the “Whopper Cheese Set” at Burger King, which includes the signature “Whopper Cheese” menu item, fries, and a drink for 990 yen. When ordering, please add the phrase, “All Heavy. This is a back-up plan to get 1.5 times as many vegetables and sauces for free. Lettuce, pickles, onions, and sauces are 50% more for free! There is no other way to do it.
Yagyu: Surprisingly, this is not well known. Recently, many restaurants have a touch-panel style of ordering, but there is no problem if you verbally tell the waiter after ordering.
–Chinese food is also a genre that cannot be missed for businessmen.
Nagahama: I would say that “Gyoza no Ousho” is the strongest. Even if they raise their prices, their brand power is strong enough to keep customers coming back. Fried rice with fried rice (770 yen) and garlic-enhanced gyoza (3 pieces, 198 yen) are priced at 968 yen. This is the only way to go when you want to eat with gusto.
Yagyu: “Osaka Ousho” features original menus. One-plate dishes with a variety of items on a single plate vary in content and price, but they are well worth the effort.
Suda: Both of these restaurants leave discretion to the manager, so if the manager is Myanmar, there is Myanmar stir-fry, and if the manager is Vietnamese, there is pho. However, 60% of “Osaka Ohsho’s” sales are from the food business. The restaurant division is only a little over 30%.
The heated debate between the four men lasted for two hours. The rush to raise prices is expected to continue into 2025, but if one looks at the details, there are still some great deals to be found.
In the second part, the four men will have a heated discussion about the most cost-effective menu combination at Sushiro, Kappa Sushi, Kura Sushi, and other conveyor-belt sushi chains and Saizeriya, the most powerful family restaurant in Japan.
From the January 3, 10, and 17, 2025 issue of FRIDAY
