McDonald's Japan has announced plans to increase the number of stores offering home delivery to up to 1,500.
Company president Eiko Harada said McDonald's plans to establish home delivery services at a further 250 stores before the end of the year, Sankei Shimbun reported. "The number of traditional shopping arcades in Japan is decreasing and people are increasingly taking home ready meals instead of buying groceries. We believe that home delivery will continue to grow and we plan to put our weight behind it," he said.
McDonald's said that profits from January to September were down 17.8% on the previous year to 17.7 billion yen. The company said it has been forced to close unprofitable stores and plans to increase the number of drive-through stores in suburban areas.
© Japan Today
24 Comments
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kimuzukashiiiii
Seriously? There are WAY too many macdonalds already in this country. And I bet the ones that will be offering home delivery are the inner-city ones too?
The fact that the number of traditional shopping arcades in Japan is decreasing is sad. The fact that people are increasingly taking home ready meals instead of buying groceries is also very sad, not to mention unhealthy.
We should all be encouraged to support our local shoutengai!
LostinNagoya
True. But sho-ten-gai must adapt itself to modern times. Half of what I bought this last year (clothes, shoes, accessories) was ordered from sites.
whiskeysour
WHY ???? Hmmmm !!!! Bringing back the cardboard Mc D's pizza OR Hong Kong McD's spaghetti ? Or 4 value meals for Y2000.
How much is the delivery fee ? Which is the minimum purchase ? Hahahaha !!!! I'm going to order a Sundae and see what happens ?
Yes, If you've never been to Hong Kong!!!! Mickey D's has Italian Spaghetti, soup, pizza, tacos, cheesecake, tunafish sandwiches, fried rice and etc.
I'm feeling queazy !!!
nath
Wow, Saturated fat delivered straight to your door.
papigiulio
they deliver? I hear myself getting fatter already. nom nom nom
rickyvee
who wants to eat cold french fries?
electric2004
Unhealthy growth.
Dennis Bauer
Before it was the bosozoku bikes now we get rows of Pizza hut, Domino and macdonalds scooters?
Daijoboots
300 yen.
Any of the 100 yen items, except the "Soft Twist" icecream which is not available for delivery. But if you mean minimum purchase total the answer is 1500 yen, bringing the minimum cost to 1800 yen.
Maria
If I ate McD`s any more, I would go for that, as there isn't a branch for a whole 10 minutes walk away from my place.
The food wouldn't be cold, because they'll use one of those scooter-ovens, like those used by the pizza delivery lot.
SquidBert
I want PTT (Pneumatic Tube Transport) delivery of all my fast food. Where is the forward thinking modern steam punky Japan of the 70s?
Nippon Nation
Pizza delivery. Yes. The "shotengai" is more than just about shopping, it's about community. Grocery stores and mom & pop shops are places where people shop, meet, and greet. Home delivery is just so unJapanese.
GuySmiley
I'm too lazy to think of it just now, I'm sure there's a witty pun to be made there, with reference to increased weight and couch potato lethargy of some Makudonarudo consumers being the driving force behind the new home-delivery expansion.
smithinjapan
kimuzukashii: "The fact that people are increasingly taking home ready meals instead of buying groceries is also very sad, not to mention unhealthy."
It is indeed, but unlike in most countries, shopping in Japan, even for one meal, can cost a fortune. You could take home a ready-made meal for, say, 500 yen or so for one person, or buy the ingredients to make it for about 1200 yen, then add the cooking time and cost of utilities. I much prefer shopping and cooking my own meals from fresh fish, meat, vegetables, or what have you, but sometimes it's not practical when you're budgeting.
As for McD's -- this would be a logistical nightmare. The number of people that frequent the place who would use the delivery system would require McD's to have umpteen scooter drivers at any given time, and they would need MASSIVE carrying boxes on the backs of said scooters for even a single delivery, let alone multiple. Food and drinks will be sloshed around unless they switch to PET bottles and better packaging, and while food will remain warm it will be soggy. It'll only work if demand for deliveries is quite low.
TokyoGas
Yep. The advert was in my mailbox a few days back. I think there is an order minimum of 1,500 yen or a service charge. BTW the McD's near me was just remodeled and has been as busy as the horse race track on a G1 day.
Yardley
Well, exactly, but it won't be their weight, it will be their customers.
megosaa
nice! hope they deliver the Y150 all size potato fry to my apartment!
Yubaru
This is going to be convenient ! While I don't eat there often, it's nice to see the service being implemented.
genjuro
Like kimuzukashiii I feel for the mom-and-pop stores in the shoutengais. These traditional shopping arcades are fast disappearing and more and more seem to be shuttering their shops every year. They have always emphasized community and local social interaction. It'd be really difficult for them to compete with a megacorporation like McD's. They'd have to change with the times, inevitably. If they tried offering home delivery and had enough of a loyal local clientele perhaps they can manage to survive.
nath
Delivery fee is too much. and their food is disgusting.
borscht
I wonder why the shotengai are disappearing. It couldn't be that they don't offer anything anyone wants to buy, could it?
My neighborhood shotengai used to have a bookstore (a limited catalog and more expensive than Amazon), a vegetable stand (much more expensive than the supermarket), a fruit stand (much more expensive than the supermarket), and a variety of stores selling clothes for women in their 80s.
Oddly enough, all but the stores for older women have closed up. And I'm sure they're still here because the owners are basically operating out of their homes.
As for Mickey D's delivery service, it'll fly, they'll profit greatly, and people will have even fewer reasons to interact with other humans. A win-win situation, eh?
Aizo Yurei
Read somewheres that they're gonna close like 100~150 stores next year.
sensei258
Wouldn't want to burn a few calories walking there I guess
sensei258
BTW, our local Burger King delivers