Tokyo is first…again

Tokyo was the first city in all of Asia to host the Olympics (the 1964 Tokyo Olympics).
(Tokyo will host the Olympics again in five years).

Tokyo was the first city in the world to have a Disney amusement park outside of the U.S.

And now Tokyo is the first place in the world where two independent fast-food chains have collaborated to make one unique restaurant together.

The Japanese branch of the American fast-food chain “Wendy’s” have joined with the Japanese fast-food chain ironically named “First Kitchen” to open a store in Tokyo called “Wendy’s First Kitchen“.

“Wendy’s First Kitchen” menu has unique menu items made from items from Wendy’s and First Kitchen together.

McDonalds bargains in Japan

From yesterday (2010 October 15) until next Thursday (2010 October 21), McDonalds in Japan are giving away free cups of coffee for one hour each day this week from 6:00PM – 7:00PM.

McDonalds Japan also has a number of “¥100 Menu” and “¥120 Menu” items that include such deals as a hamburger, small coffee and ice cream for ¥100 each and things like a cheeseburger for ¥120.
Well, starting last month, a new item has been added to the ¥100 Menu…a small size 「マックシェイク・バナナ」 (“Banana Milkshake”).

バナナ マックシェイク (Banana Milkshake)

I remember the Banana Milkshake was on the menu at McDonalds Japan about six years ago…and now, starting last month, it’s back on the menu.

Does McDolads in your country offer Banana Milkshakes? Have you tried one? What did you think of it?

Also, McDonalds Japan is currently offering four new chicken sandwiches…one at a time.
These sandwiches are collectively called “iCon’ Chicken”.
The current one is 「チーズフォンデュ」 (“Cheese Fondue”).

In late October, the “iCon’ Chicken” will be changed to “German Sausage”, then in early November it’ll be “Diavolo”, then in late October they’ll sell the “Carbonara”.

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edit: Please click here to read a comment I added to this post about McDonalds coupons.

KFC Japan is 40

The Kentucky Fried Chicken fast-food chain started their operation in Japan in 1970. So this year is Kentucky Fried Chicken, Japan‘s 40th anniversary.

They are offering some specials to commemorate the occasion.

When I was growing up in America, I didn’t really like Kentucky Fried Chicken.
It had an image of being greasy, inferior fast-food.

But Kentucky Fried Chicken (or simply “Kentucky“, as it’s often referred to in Japan) is popular in Japan.
For good reason…their food and service is much better in Japan than it is in America.

At Christmas-time in Japan, it is popular to eat Kentucky Fried Chicken.
(Click here to read a post I wrote about X-mas in Japan…including photos of KFC‘s X-mas set-meal.
And click here to read about a Japanese baseball team’s “Curse Of The Colonel (Sanders)“.)

In Japan, Kentucky Fried Chicken has, among other things, delivery service,

a breakfast menu,

and 「レッドホットチキン」 (“Red Hot Chicken“).

How is Kentucky Fried Chicken where you live? Do you like Kentucky Fried Chicken? Have you tried it in Japan? How does it compare to KFC in your country?

粗挽きマグマチーズバーガー

I recently wrote a post about Lotteria’s “Tower Cheeseburger“.

(Click here to read it).

I also mentioned last year that, in Japan, spicy food is popular in the summer and I showed some of the spicy menu items that were on the fast food menus in Japan last year.

(Click here to read that post).

Well, for this summer, the Japanese hamburger chain “Becker’s” (which is owned by Japan’s largest train operator, Japan Railways (JR)) is currently offering a new spicy burger on their menu.

It’s called 「粗挽きマグマチーズバーガー」 (“Magma Cheeseburger“).

It costs ¥820 for the burger, fries, salad and a drink or ¥470 for just the burger itself (単品).

Fastfood Summer Campaigns

Today was a beautiful clear day, and the sounds of 蝉 (cicadas) could be heard…but it was also very hot and humid!

Definitely summer in Japan.

Alot of people like to eat spicy food in the summer. Supposedly it helps cool you off.
Whether or not that’s true, I’m not sure…but I like spicy food (especially with beer! 🙂 ).

Many fast-food chains in Japan are offering special items on the menu for the summer only. Alot of those items are spicy.

I already mentioned Lotteria‘s new burger (and special money-back guarantee) in an earlier post (Click here to see it.)

◆ McDonalds Japan is offering a 「ヨーグルト味 McShake」 (“Yogurt flavor McShake“) for only ¥100.

「ヨーグルト味 (Yogurt Flavored) McShake」

◆ McDonalds Japan also has Spicy Juicy Chicken sandwiches. They offer two flavors 「ブラック・ペッパー」 (Black Pepper) and 「赤とうがらし」 (Red Chili).

Spicy Juicy Chicken (Black Pepper or Red Chili)

◆ MOS Burger has a campaign that says: 「夏はチキンとスパイスだ！！」 (“Summer is chicken and spice!!”).
They’re offering two spicy chicken sandwiches this summer too. 「ホットチキンバーガー」 (“Hot Chicken Burger“) with salsa, and 「カレーチキンバーガー」 (“Curry Chicken Burger“).

MOS Burger's "Hot Chicken Burger" & "Chili Chicken Burger"

◆ Wendy’s Japan is also offering two chicken sandwiches this summer. One is 「和風」 (“Japanese style”) and the other is 「洋風」 (“Western style”). Their campaign poster says: 「ふたつの夏チキン、PLEASE!」 (“Two (types of) summer chicken, please!).
The “Japanese” sandwich is 「おろしチキンサンド」 (“Grated Radish Chicken Sandwich“) and the “Western” one is 「サルサチキンサンド」 (“Salsa Chicken Sandwich“).

"Japanese" or "Western" style chicken sandwiches. Which would you choose?

◆ Burger King has introduced the Angry Whopper to Japan in time for the summer. I heard that Burger King in the U.S. already had this burger…but the Japanese one is a bit different—customized to Japanese tastes. For example, the U.S. version has bacon and the Japanese version doesn’t…and U.S. one and the Japanese one have different sauces from each other.

This burger has ハラペーニョ (jalapeno peppers) and you can choose how many jalapeno peppers you want on the burger…from level one which has four peppers up to level five with twenty peppers!

Burger King Japan's "Angry Whopper"

Burger King America's "Angry Whopper"

Japanese McDonalds

マックドナルド (McDonald’s) fast-food restaurants has stores around the world.
No matter which store you go into, the menu is basically the same. Some items, though, are customized for individual countries.
For example, I’ve heard that McDonald’s in India doesn’t serve beef burgers (pork or chicken instead), in Germany they serve beer 🙂  (some fast-food restaurants in Japan, such as Freshness Burger and First Kitchen serve beer…but not マックドナルド (McDonald’s Japan)), and in the Philippines they have spaghetti on the menu.

マックドナルド (McDonald’s) in Japan has many unique items on the menu, too.
Some are “limited time only“…such as the Lettuce Pepper Burger that was on the menu a few years ago. I really like that burger…but unfortunately, they don’t serve it currently.

New items on the menu at マックドナルド (McDonald’s Japan) include:

The 「マックホットドッグ」 (McHotDog) and 「マックホットドッグ・メガソーセージ」 (Mega Sausage McHotDog), which are breakfast items and only available until 10:30AM.

「マックホットドッグ」 (McHotDog) and 「マックホットドッグ・メガソーセージ」 (Mega Sausage McHotDog)

The 「チーズカツバーガー」 (Cheese Cutlet Burger), which is a cheese-filled pork cutlet sandwich.

「チーズカツバーガー」 (Cheese Cutlet Burger)

マックドナルド (McDonald’s Japan) has the regular “Cookies & Chocolate McFlurry” and “Oreo McFlurry” ice cream dessert.
But they also have the 「マックフルーリー抹茶＆オレオクッキー」 (“Green Tea & Oreo Cookies McFlurry“).

「マックフルーリー抹茶＆オレオクッキー」 (Green Tea & Oreo McFlurry)

The 「えびフィレオ」 (Shrimp Filet-o Burger):

「えびフィレオ」 (Shrimp Filet-o Burger)

「シャカシャカチキン」 (Shaka Shaka Chicken) is a chicken filet in a bag that you add spice powder (chili or black pepper) and shake the bag to mix the spice (“Shaka Shaka” is a Japanese onomatopoeia for shaking):

Besides cola, milk, coffee and orange juice, etc マックドナルド (McDonald’s Japan) sells 爽健美茶 (Blended Tea):

「爽健美茶」 (Blended Tea)

マックドナルド (McDonald’s Japan) also has a ¥100 and ¥120 (about US $0.99 and US $1.19) menus which includes hamburger for ¥100, cheeseburger for ¥120, ice cream cone for ¥100, Shaka Shaka Chicken for ¥100, milk shakes for ¥100…and the 「マックポーク」 (McPork sandwich) for ¥100:

「マックポーク」 (McPork) ¥100 (US$0.99)

And All-You-Can-Drink coffee is also only ¥120

If you visit a マックドナルド (McDonald’s) in Japan, you’ll be sure to notice people looking at their cell-phones while they’re waiting in line and when they get to the cashier, they might show their cell-phone to the person behind the counter. This is because マックドナルド (McDonald’s) in Japan offers weekly cell-phone coupons.

Have you ever tried any of these items at a マックドナルド (McDonald’s) in Japan? Does McDonald’s offer unusual menu items where you live?

BTW, I wrote a post last November when マックドナルド (McDonald’s Japan) introduced the Quarter Pounder Burger.
Click here to see it.