Top 5 Must-Try Fast-Food Chains in Japan

① Diverse Gyudon Menu at Sukiya

In Japan, there are famous fast-food chains that specialize in Gyudon. Sukiya, Yoshinoya, and Matsuya are Japan’s top three Gyudon chains. You can find them everywhere in Japan, offering affordable meals.

Most people visit these places for a quick meal, making them an excellent option for breakfast. While all three chains offer Gyudon as their main menu item, they also provide a variety of other dishes.

Sukiya started in 1982 and is a well-known Gyudon chain. Among the three, Sukiya leads in sales and number of branches. Spacious stores make them a good place for families to dine. Sukiya is undoubtedly known for frequently collaborating with various characters.

At Sukiya, you can try Gyudon, curry rice, beef set meals, salmon set meals, natto set meals, and more. Sukiya offers a variety of Gyudon menus with various toppings. They have a total of eight types of Gyudon menus. Additionally, meticulously divided food sizes allow an array of choices.

Sukiya’s basic Gyudon is very affordable. It is priced at 350 yen (approximately $3.16) for small, 400 yen (approximately $3.61) for medium and 580 yen (approximately $5.23) for large.

There is a wide variety of Gyudon. You can get Gyudon with chives kimchi, gyudon with grated radish, Gyudon with sesame, and more.

Sukiya’s Gyudon with Green Onions and Raw Egg is also a popular menu item. The price is 530 yen (approx. $4.78) for small, 580 yen (approx. $5.23) for medium, and 760 yen (approx. $6.85) for large, the same as the cheese Gyudon.

On top of the regular Gyudon, they add a generous amount of green onions and a special gochujang seasoning. The egg is served raw, allowing you to enjoy a more savory taste.

Gyudon with Three Cheeses is also one of the beloved menu items at Sukiya. The price is 530 yen (approx. $4.78) for small, 580 yen (approx. $5.23) for medium, and 760 yen (approx. $6.85) for large, making it affordable. It’s a Gyudon topped with mozzarella, cheddar, and Edam cheese. With three kinds of cheese, you can taste the cheese in every bite.

When you order Gyudon, you can add miso soup and raw egg for an additional 140 yen (approximately $1.26) or miso soup and salad for an additional 190 yen (approximately $1.71).

② The Oldest History Yoshinoya

Yoshinoya is a Gyudon chain that opened its doors in 1898. It’s a restaurant with a long history of being loved by the Japanese, making it a nostalgic place for many. It’s often located near train stations or in busy areas, making it a convenient spot for time-poor office workers to grab breakfast.

The food at Yoshinoya is also reasonably priced. The basic Gyudon is 380 yen (approx. $3.43) for small, 480 yen (approx. $4.33) for medium, 550 yen (approx. $4.97) for large, and 680 yen (approx. $6.14) for extra large. At Yoshinoya, you can enjoy a good value eel bowl. You can eat an eel bowl from 750 yen (approx. $6.77) to 1,650 yen (approx. $14.89) at an affordable price. You can also add beef as a topping.

While the taste may not be as good as an eel specialty restaurant, many reviews say it’s excellent for the price. If you want to enjoy a light eel dish, visiting Yoshinoya might be a good idea. In addition, they have beef rib set meals, pork salmon set meals, pork grilled marinated set meals, curry, and more.

③ The Most Affordable Matsuya

Matsuya is the most affordable among the three major Gyudon chains. When people dine in, they provide miso soup with all meals that include rice. While Gyudon is the main menu item at Matsuya, their curry is exceptionally known to be delicious.

Matsuya’s curry includes beef curry, cheese beef curry, plain beef curry, hamburger beef curry, and Matsuya’s special roast beef curry. The plain curry price is 460 yen (approximately $4.15) for small, 640 yen (approximately $5.77) for medium and 580 yen (approximately $5.23) for large.

The curry at Matsuya is known for its great taste compared to its price. The richly flavored curry is a favorite among locals. You can choose toppings from cheese, beef, hamburger, and roast beef.

Matsuya’s hamburger set meal is also a popular menu item. The basic hamburger set meal costs 690 yen (approx. $6.23). They provide miso soup as a service for in-store dining. You can enjoy steak with demi-glace sauce. Hamburger sets include egg charlotte sauce, cheese charlotte sauce, brown sauce, and more.

At Matsuya, they also offer dishes that suit Korean tastes, such as beef barbecue bibimbap, kimchi beef rib rice bowl, green onion salt beef barbecue rice bowl, and more. They also feature popular limited-time menus depending on the season. They always offer something new and exciting, creating anticipation among customers.

In the summer, they sell tomato hamburgers and tuna sashimi rice bowls. In the winter, you can taste Korea’s kimchi stew.