Wendy’s back in Tokyo

I wrote before that Wendy’s, the American fast-food hamburger chain, closed all of their stores in Japan two years ago.

And then, as I wrote in another post, they announced last March that they would be re-opening their stores in Japan beginning in autumn (2011).

But, about a week after that announcement, the 2011 March 11 earthquake struck northern Japan and caused Wendy’s Japan to delay their re-opening.

Well, Wendy’s first store in Japan since they closed all of their stores here almost exactly two years ago will open tomorrow (2011 December 27th).
It is located in 表参道 (the Omotesando area of Tokyo) on the famous 「表参道通り」 (“Omotesando-doori“) road.

Their menu will include “regular” Wendy’s items…but it will also have some “only-in-Japan” things such as a “「フォアグラ・ロッシーニ」 (Foie Gras Rossini Burger)” and an “「アップル＆ナッツ・チキン・サラダ」 (Apple & Nut Chicken Salad)“.

Personally, French food isn’t one of my favorites. I don’t think I’ll be trying the “Foie Gras Rossini Burger”…but I do like Wendy’s chili!

Big America is back

About two years ago, McDonalds Japan offered, for a limited-time, four original burgers that were collectively known as “Big America“.
Individually they were the “Texas Burger“, “New York Burger“, “California Burger” and the “Hawaiian Burger“.

Click here to read the post that I wrote about them.

Then, about one year ago, “Big America” returned to Japan with four new original burgers. These four were called “Big America 2” as a group.
They consisted of the “Texas 2 Burger“, “Idaho Burger“, “Miami Burger” and the “Manhattan Burger“.

The “Texas 2 Burger” and “Miami Burger” were, by far, the best of the eight “Big America” burgers, in my opinion.

Click here to read the post that I wrote about “Big America 2”.

And now McDonalds Japan is offering, for a limited time, the third set of “Big America” burgers.

The first one being offered is the “Grand Canyon Burger“. It’s available now at only two McDonalds locations in Tokyo…but it will available all over Japan from 2011 December 26 until 2012 January 4th.

Then, they’ll be selling the “Las Vegas Burger” starting in late January (2012).

Then, in mid-February (2012), the “Broadway Burger” will be on the menu.

And finally, starting in early March (2012), the “Beverly Hills Burger” will be available.

Some other limited-time menu items coming to McDonalds in Japan include:

"Blueberry Cream-cheese Pie" (starting 2012 Jan 4)	"Creamy Ranch" McNugget sauce (starting 2012 Jan 4)
"Maple Custard Pie" (starting early Feb 2012)	"Spicy Buffalo (Wing)" Chicken McNugget sauce (starting early Feb 2012)
"American-Cherry" Milkshake (starting early March 2012)	"Sweet and Sour" Chicken McNugget sauce (starting early 2012)

What unique menu items does McDonalds offer in your area?

Go! Go! Asia!

Besides the western (mostly American) fast-food chains that are in Japan, there are number of Japanese original fast-food chains. Most of them are actually much better than McDonalds and Burger King.

Probably the most popular Japanese chain is MOS Burger.

Their name is  頭字語 (an acronym) for Mountain, Ocean, Sun.

I have eaten at MOS Burger many times. Their food, although a bit expensive, is quite good.
I didn’t know before though that the Japanese hamburger chain MOS Burger has restaurants in other countries around Asia.

Currently MOS Burger is having a special campaign at all of their stores in Japan and across Asia.
This campaign is being called “Go! Go! Asia!”

Now until early February, MOS Burger is offering a new limited-time-only grilled chicken burger as a part of their “Go! Go! Asia!” campaign.

It’s called 「塩バターチキンバーガー」 (“Salt Butter Chicken Burger“) with ペッパー風味 (pepper taste).
The burger has a grilled chicken patty covered in salty butter sauce with crispy French Fries on top.

Kind of unusual. It might be good but I don’t eat at MOS Burger very often so I probably won’t be trying it.

How about you? Does this burger look good to you? Would you try it? Have you ever eaten at MOS Burger in Japan…or in another country?

In Japan, the price for the 「塩バターチキンバーガー」 (“Salt Butter Chicken Burger“) is ¥360 (about US$4.30).

Pizza Burger

I wrote a post about how, for many people in Japan, “Christmas dinner” = Kentucky Fried Chicken.

It’s been that way for years.

And I also wrote another post about how McDonalds in Japan is offering a special chicken meal set for Christmas this year in attempt to take some of the lucrative X-mas chicken-dinner market from Kentucky Fried Chicken of Japan.

Well, it seems that Burger King Japan has decided to jump on the bandwagon.

But rather than try to compete directly with Kentucky Fried Chicken (which would probably be a futile attempt since if Japanese people don’t prepare their own X-mas dinner they almost inevitably have chicken from KFC), Burger King Japan is offering a “NY Pizza Burger Set” as their holiday set.

The huge Pizza Burger (which meant to shared by six or so people) can be ordered 単品 (singularly, without the “set”) for ¥1,680. Or a single burger “slice” can be bought for ¥320.

But the entire “Holiday Set” can be purchased until 2010 December 30th for ¥2,980.

This set comes with one Pizza Burger (serves six), a salad, an order of “BK Chicken Tenders”, an order of “BK Cheese Bits”, and an order of onion rings.

Japan meets India meets Mexico

Today is 「七夕」 (“Tanabata“).

(Click here to read my short FAQ about this holiday.)

「七夕」 (“Tanabata“) is on the seventh day of the seventh month (July 7) and the name literally translates to “Seventh evening”, but the English translation of the holiday’s name is “Star Festival“.

On this holiday, people in Japan write a wish for the future on a piece of paper and tie it to a bamboo tree.

Today both Yahoo Japan and Google Japan incorporated a 「七夕」 (“Tanabata“) design into their logos.

"Google Japan" Tanabata logo

*********

The Japanese fast-food chain “MOS Burger” is currently offering a 「ナン・タコス」 (“Indian Nan-bread Taco”) and 「ナン・チョリソカレー」 (“Indian Nan-Bread with Mexican Choziro-sausage and Curry”).

Each for ¥360.

Rodeo Whopper

It’s already been three years since Burger King re-entered the Japanese market.
(Wendy’s hamburger chain is also currently trying to re-enter the market here since they left last year).

To commemorate their three-year anniversary, Burger King Japan has a new “Whopper” sandwich with three patties, American BBQ sauce and onion rings.
It’s called 「ロデオワッパー」 (the “Rodeo Whopper“).

And for three weeks (until 2010 July 20), the first 30 people at each Burger King in Japan each day who orders a “Rodeo Whopper” will only have to pay ¥330 (rather than the full price of ¥790*).

*(Actually during this three-week campaign period, until July 20th, the “regular” price of this three-patty Whopper burger is reduced to ¥690).

A one-patty “Rodeo Whopper” can be purchased for ¥450.
And a “Rodeo Whopper Jr.” costs ¥580 for three-patties or ¥340 for one-patty.

To tell the truth, I think the Burger King Whopper is a good burger. But I don’t buy one often, I don’t like to pay that much for fast-food. A “normal” cheeseburger for about ¥120 is all I need.
But even when I want to buy a “Whopper” burger, I wouldn’t choose this “Rodeo Whopper”. I think the BBQ sauce and onion rings make it look unappetizing. (I do like onion rings, though.)

Does Burger King have the “Rodeo Whopper” on the menu in your country? Have you tried it?

Angry Whopper

I mentioned a couple times on this site that spicy food is popular in the summer in Japan. Many fast-food chains in Japan offer special spicy foods on their menu during the summer.

Right now, Becker’s is offering the “Magma Burger.
And last year Burger King Japan offered the “Angry Whopper“.

Well, I guess the Angry Whopper was popular last year because Burger King Japan brought it back this year.

The Angry Whopper has ハラペーニョ (jalapeno peppers) on it.
For ¥420, you can get the 「ウマ辛」 (“Mild Hot”) level burger,
for ¥480, you have have more jalapeno peppers to bring it to 「ビリ辛」 (“Hot”) level,
and a whopper at 「激辛」 (“Very Hot”) level costs ¥540.

They also sell a 「アングリーワッパーＪr」」 (“Angry Whopper Jr.”) for ¥340.

Also, right now at Burger King Japan, the four-piece 「ＢＫテンダーズ」　(“BK (Chicken) Tenders”) are being sold for ¥100…but if you want  the  spicy “Angry Sauce” instead of ketchup, then the price is ¥150.

I’m surprised that Burger King in Japan sells their nuggets as four-pieces since almost nothing in Japan is sold as a set of four because the Japanese word for “four” is similar to the Japanese word for “death”.
McDonalds, for example, sells their “McNuggets” as a set of five in Japan (odd numbers are more popular than even in Japan).

Does Burger King sell the “BK Tenders” as a set of four in your country?

Big America game

I mentioned in an earlier post (click here to read it) that McDonalds in Japan is currently offering fours burgers (one-at-a-time) collectively known as “Big America“.

The burger that they’re currently selling is called the “Texas Burger” (my oldest daughter and I tried one each. I thought it was mediocre…my daughter hated it).

Well, even if you’re not in Japan and can’t try these burgers…you can visit the McDonalds Japan website and try the “Big America Burgers” game.
Since the current burger is the “Texas Burger“, the current game on their site is the “Texas Burger Game” (next month, when they begin offering the “New York Burger“, I’m sure the game on their site will change, too).

"Texas Burger Game"

To play this game, you click “Start” and then point your mouse on all of the burgers, fries and drinks that appear and click your mouse to “lasso” them in.
When the game ends, you are given between one to five “sheriff stars” depending on how much food you lassoed.

Click here to try the McDonalds Japan “Big Texas Burger Game“…and then tell me in this post’s comment section how many “stars” you got.

I tried the game once and only got two stars.

+++++++

Also, if you visit the post I wrote last year about the upcoming Karate Kid remake starring Jackie Chan, you’ll notice that I recently updated the post and added a video of the movie’s official trailer.

Click here to see it.

A Happy New ポテト

With the way the economy currently is, when people in Japan eat at fast-food places, it’s because they’re cheaper (more than the speed of the service or any other reason).

In Japan, the fast-food place that understands this best seems to be McDonalds. (I think this is the reason Wendy’s left Japan after thirty years here…because their prices were higher).

Right now, McDonalds Japan is running a 「福めくりポテト」 (“Lucky Decal Fries“) campaign.

If you buy a large-size French Fries, you’ll find a decal on the fries package. When you peel it off, the decal is a coupon that can be used to get a free hamburger, 「シャカシャカチキン」 (“Shaka-shaka” chicken), or a small Coca-Cola.

The decal will specify which of the three items you’ve won (you can’t choose from the three…it’s printed on the coupon which one it can be redeemed for), and the offer expires on 2010 February 28.

Every decal is a winner. So, if you play, you will get either a hamburger, chicken, or cola for free.

Also, if you buy a set-meal that comes with a medium French Fries, you can change them to a large Fries (so you can get a 「福めくりポテト」 (“Lucky Decal Fries“) campaign decal) for only an extra ¥40.

Wendy’s is leaving Japan

The U.S. fast-food chain 「ウエンディーズ・ハンバーガー」 (Wendy’s) opened their first store in Japan in the 銀座 (Ginza) area of Tokyo in 1980.

A "Wendy's" shop in Tokyo

It was operated by the Japanese department store company Daiei until the chain began losing them money in 2002…then the hamburger chain’s Japanese stores were sold to the Japanese company Zensho.

Zensho owns the franchise rights to a number of restaurants in Japan. Mostly Japanese restaurants, but they also own the U.S.-based Mexican-food restaurant “El Torito Japan” and the American family restaurant “Coco’s Japan“, as well as Wendy’s Japan.

Their main focus is the popular chain of 牛丼 (beef-on-rice) restaurant 「すき家」 (Sukiya).

The Zensho company has been losing money with Wendy’s and has decided to end it’s franchise contract with the hamburger chain this month.

So that means that by 2009 December 31, the “Wendy’s” hamburger chain will no longer be in Japan.

Wendy’s is currently looking for another Japanese franchise partner so that they might be ale to re-enter the Japanese market.

It reminds me of Burger King‘s experience in Japan.
Burger King originally came to Japan in about 1999 but only offered a limited-menu…due to that and the fact that their prices were high compared to McDonalds, Burger King was forced to exit Japan in about 2001.
But, after researching the Japanese market, Burger King reopened their stores in Japan a couple years ago.

I wrote a post about some of the American and European companies that are doing business in Japan…click here to read it.