If you ever traveled to Japan, I think you remember a popular Japanese food called Gyudon, or Beef Bowl. If you walk in Tokyo, it’s easy to find Beef Bowl Stand Restaurants anywhere. Cooking way is really simple. There is rice in the bowl, over which Sukiyaki taste beef is placed.
They are really popular among standard Japanese people especially for men.
The reason for this popular food is, first of all, the price is increadibly low. It’s about 300 yen in average, so only 3 dollars and something. It comes with free tea and some places offer free miso soup too. In this economy situation, people tend to use Beef Bowl restaurants for their regular lunch to save their cost of living.
Now there is a firce competition among Beef Bowl restaurants in Japan to get customers. There are 3 main beef bowl chain restaurant brand, which are Yoshinoya, Matsuya, and Sukiya. Yoshinoya has the longest history and has the highest reputation, Matsuya is the second largest and known well next to Yoshinoya. Matsuya offers free miso soup for a beef bowl and has various menu other than beef bowl. Sukiya started the business later than 2 other brands. But their strategy is well targetted to the customers, and the menue is always renewed. So there are increasingly many customers for Sukiya, too.
Yoshinoya has the best reputation but the price is is the highest among them. Under this economy situation, people are choosing cheaper places. Consequently Matsuya and Sukiya are getting more customers than Yoshinoya recently. This tendency made Yoshinoya feel uncomfortable, and Yoshinoya decided to make 270 yen campaign from 7th of April for 10 days or so. Yoshinoya price is usually 380 yen, so it’s a big discount for Yoshinoya. BUT ! interestingly, for the same priod of time with Yoshinoya campaign, Sukiya later announced to have a campaign at 250 yen ! and Matsuya followed Sukiya at the same price, 250 yen.
So Yoshinoya’s BIG campaign seems to become just a fan service time without getting more customers back from 2 other beef bawl restaurant brands.
This is said that 2 beeef bowl brands try to beat Yoshinoya dwon completely and they want to change the beef bowl market share now.
The battle around 250 yen ( 2.5 dollars ) is really hot now in Japan.
