started · updated
Zensho Holdings raises Sukiya beef bowl price to 480 yen
Japan's Zensho Holdings, the operator of the Sukiya beef‑bowl chain, lifted the price of its standard "regular" beef bowl from 450 yen to 480 yen in July 2026. The increase reflects higher costs for beef, labor and utilities. It follows a March 2025 foreign‑object contamination scandal that forced all Sukiya outlets to close temporarily for safety checks. After the incident, Zensho’s store traffic fell 16 % year‑on‑year in April 2025, prompting a 30‑40 yen price cut in September 2025 as a goodwill gesture. Customer numbers gradually recovered, surpassing pre‑scandal levels by February 2026 and remaining above them after April. The July price hike is therefore presented as a return to the pre‑incident price level rather than a pure profit‑driven increase.
Entities
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Customer numbers recovered and exceeded pre‑incident levels by February 2026, staying above them after April. www.itmedia.co.jp
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Sukiya increased the price of its regular beef bowl from 450 yen to 480 yen in July 2026. www.itmedia.co.jp
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The price increase was justified by higher raw‑material, labor and utility costs. www.itmedia.co.jp
- [○ 1 SOURCE] In March 2025, Sukiya disclosed a foreign‑object contamination incident that led to a temporary closure of all its stores. www.itmedia.co.jp
- [○ 1 SOURCE] In September 2025, Sukiya cut beef‑bowl prices by 30–40 yen as an apology measure. www.itmedia.co.jp
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Following the incident, Zensho Holdings' customer numbers fell 16 % year‑on‑year in April 2025. www.itmedia.co.jp
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The July 2026 price rise restores the beef‑bowl price to its pre‑incident level. www.itmedia.co.jp