Sukiya’s advantage is targeting a wide range of customers Sukiya has been experiencing a series of troubles, but its performance has been excellent. Zensho Holdings, which operates Sukiya, reported an operating income of approximately 9.2 billion yen in the fiscal year ended March 2010, and expects to increase this figure by 2.7 times to 25 billion yen in the fiscal year ending March 2011. What is the reason for this rapid growth? Economic journalist Takashi Matsuzaki answers.  First of all, it is the location. Rivals such as Yoshinoya and Matsuya have many stores in downtown areas, catering to the needs of office workers in the city center. On the other hand, Sukiya tends to develop in the suburbs for families. One of the reasons for its strong performance is probably the growing demand in the suburbs as more people work from home due to the spread of the new type of coronavirus. More and more people are thinking about eating with their families near their homes instead of going out of their way to go to the city center.   The wide variety of menu items is also helping to support this trend. Mr. Matsuzaki continues.  Most of the customers of Yoshinoya and Matsuya are men in their 30s and 40s, and most of them order beef bowls. We are making efforts to attract young female customers, but they have not been very effective.  Sukiya’s main target is families of various ages. Because it caters to a wide range of customers, Sukiya offers a wide variety of dishes. In addition to beef bowls, Sukiya offers many choices such as Horohoro Chicken Curry and Unadon (eel bowl), as well as a wide range of menu items for children such as the Children’s Tori-Soboro-Don Sukiyaki Set. Women will also appreciate the desserts available, such as the Smooth Caramel Pudding. Sukiya is maintaining its strong performance despite many problems. Sukiya must not only improve its services to customers but also invest its profits in improving the working environment for its employees.