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The gourmet burger craze is in full swing here in Japan. Most recently, Shake Shack, the New York City institution, opened the doors to its first Tokyo restaurant just a few weeks ago to massive lines of hungry Japanese hoping to get a taste of an authentic American gourmet burger. The chain apparently plans to open an additional nine locations in Japan by 2020, throwing its hat into Japan’s increasingly crowded burger ring.
And the competition is about to get a lot stiffer starting early next year, now that the legendary California burger chain, Carl’s Jr., has announced its first Japan location in Akihabara, the nerd haven and burgeoning “B Class Gourmet” destination.
If you’re not American, you may have only a vague notion of Carl’s Jr.’s notoriety; but to Americans, Californians especially, the chain has the kind of lizard brain-indulging allure that will surely have Tokyo expats crashing through the walls of the new establishment in their excitement to get their fix.
Sure, Carl’s Jr. doesn’t quite enjoy the nearly religious fan devotion of its chief West Coast competitor, In-n-Out Burger, but seeing as In-n-Out is unlikely to open a permanent location in Japan any time soon due to its staunch insistence on keeping things relatively local. That makes Carl’s Jr. the California-origin chain of choice for Japan, and it appears the business is taking the region very seriously: apparently, there are plans to open a whopping 150 total locations in the next ten years, with 70 storefronts planned for the next five years.
In a bold move, it also seems the chain will be making minimal concessions to the tastes of its newest market. That’s partially because Carl’s Jr. already has a policy stateside for making every meal by hand and to order, according to this Reddit AMA, at least, so there was no need to up their standards for the fickle Japanese market in the first place (unlike McDonald’s and a certain Tex-Mex chain). The company apparently also wants to ensure Japanese consumers get the authentic Carl’s Jr. experience, stating they won’t be changing their recipes for the region.
The company will even be keeping its current U.S. slogan, “Eat like you mean it,” for the Japan market, too.
According to reports, menu items will start at about 400 yen, with the more complicated—and, presumably, messy—burgers going for as much as 700 yen a la carte.
Source: Ryutsu Biz
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© Japan Today
11 Comments
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Sensato
I'm very glad to hear that Carl's Jr. won't be changing their recipes, which I assume also means quantities of ingredients in those recipes. If true, they may be the first restaurant from overseas to remain fully authentic. Some come into Japan with that intention, but as time goes on increasingly succumb to the temptation to make 'adjustments.'
Also, interesting to see that they are choosing Akihabara as the location for their flagship store rather than Shibuya as has usually been the case in recent decades — and probably a savvy move on their part.
Perry Kinman
Carl's Jr used to be all over the place in Japan. At least in the Kansai region. McDonalds pushed them out with offers to pay higher leases, and they changed to a McBurgers, one by one. Glad they're coming back!
Jerome_from_Utah
The world's premier electronic shopping bazaar and the Famous Star from Carl's Jr. What a combination!
Mocheake
Good news. Good burgers.
FizzBit
This is good news.
Even now, the McDonalds web page offers no place to leave comments. Just got back from the States and the quarter pounder here doesn't even come close to back home. Same taste all over the world is a joke. Just looked at their quarterlies and they are down 20.+ percent down for the 3rd. Good riddance.
Mark_McCracken
Is it too much to ask RocketNews24 to employ writers who are more knowledgeable of Japan, or writers who have better research skills?
A simple google search would have shown a link to an LA Times article from May 23, 1989 which documented Carl's Jr's first restaurant in Japan.
mukashiyokatta
Don't import junk food, Japan!
Black Sabbath
FYI, Carl's JR was founded by a right wing fanatic and is currently owned by the "private equity firm" (i.e. corporate raider) Roark Capital Group -- named for Howard Roark, the protagonist in Ayn Rand's novel, The Fountainhead.
Yeah, that Ayn Rand.
bass4funk
The good thing about Freedom is, people have the right to choose what they want to eat. If people want to go, let them, if not, don't go. we all have choices.
So what's your point? Walt Disney was from speculation and rumors a supposedly anti-semite, so does that mean because one person had a set of personal beliefs that we have to boycott everything? Again, the progressive left have nothing better to do than to hold whine and harbor childish grudges and punish an entire corporation because an individual has personal beliefs that maybe conflict with a certain segment of individuals depending on how the person perceives it.
Can't wait to sink my teeth into a Western Bacon Cheeseburger! Long overdue and Miki-D's can go fly a kite!
Rana Sodhi
Perry and Mark You guys are right they were hare a long time ago !!
Wc626
Carl's Jr make some pretty good burgers. Commercials too!! Glad they're opening up in Tokyo.
Outstanding!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPOcxNMzNhc