Japanese dining chains navigate rising costs with value menus

Japanese dining chains are navigating a shifting economic landscape as rising labor and ingredient costs erode the traditional ‘1,000 yen barrier’ for affordable meals. While some value-driven menus, such as Gusto’s budget options, have been discontinued due to thin profit margins, certain chains are finding ways to maintain competitiveness.

Matsuya has transitioned to 100% domestic rice while maintaining prices for its beef bowl sets, and Yoshinoya continues to offer its standard beef bowl at 498 yen. In the sushi sector, experts highlight Hama Sushi for its low-price strategy and Sugidama for its lunch sets.

Additionally, the tempura specialist Tenya is running a ‘Tenya Week!!’ promotion, offering its premium shrimp tempura bento for a discounted price of 600 yen through August 23, drawing significant attention on social media for its high cost-performance ratio.