At this point in time, ramen has largely outgrown its image as a food only loved by the lazy and/or penniless. Yes, its unpretentious aura and bold flavors will always have a strong appeal to young diners, but being a ramen fan is now pretty much a lifelong gastronomic lifestyle choice.
So if you’re going to be eating ramen for your whole life, that means you’re going to be paying for it for your whole life too, right? Not necessarily, thanks to an unbelievably attractive offer from this ramen restaurant.
The Nishi Chiba branch of ramen chain Musashiya, located in Chiba City, recently announced a special offer: for a one-time flat fee, you can eat there for free for your entire life.
Granted, at a price of 100,000 yen it’s not exactly pocket change, and there’s the additional requirement that you have to be a student when you sign up for the eternal ramen plan. But the red text superimposed over the photo in the above announcement tweet promises that those who do sign up “Can eat for free until graduation” and also “Can eat for free after graduation.”
Getting back to the cost, once the sticker shock passes, is 100,000 yen really all that expensive for what Musashiya is offering? According to Japanese restaurant site Tabelog, a bowl of Musashiya’s standard ramen (which is the iekei style popularized in Yokohama, a pork stock broth seasoned with sesame and garlic) costs 600 yen. That means you pass the break-even point at your 167th bowl.
It’s a safe assumption that anyone who likes ramen enough to purchase a lifetime supply contract is particularly fond of the stuff, and probably craves it at least twice a week. At that pace, it’d take you a little under one year and eight months to start coming out ahead. Even if you’re only eating at Musashiya once a week, you’d still break even in three years and four months, so if you signed up as a college freshmen you’d be getting your money’s worth even before graduation.
And though 100,000 yen is a lot of money for a college kid to scrounge up under normal circumstances, Musashiya chose that price because it matches the standard stimulus payment the Japanese government is making to individuals as part of its coronavirus pandemic countermeasures.
It’s worth noting that the announcement tweet is sort of sparse on specifics, such as whether the deal is only good for the restaurant’s least expensive ramen, or whether deluxe options are also covered. There also aren’t any details on the frequency with which you have access to your free ramen, which is another thing you’ll want to confirm with Musashiya before making any payment. However, a follow-up tweet from the restaurant trumpets “At the moment you purchase this plan, you can reduce your food costs to zero for the rest of your life,” so it really does sound like you can stop by for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and if so, with Musashiya open seven days a week, you really could eat every meal there for free for the rest of your days.
Restaurant information
Musashiya (Nishi Chiba branch) / 武蔵家(西千葉店)
Address: Chiba-ken, Chiba-shi, Chuo-ku, Kasuga 2-19-9
千葉県千葉市中央区春日2-19-9
Open 11 a.m.-midnight
Sources: Twitter/@musashiya_cb via Kinisoku, Tabelog
Read more stories from SoraNews24.
-- This Tokyo ramen is served in -110-degree Fahrenheit container to help you beat the summer heat
-- Is ramen pizza just crazy enough to work? Japanese restaurant’s unusual menu lets us find out
-- Tokyo vegan’s ramen recommendation is extremely off the mark
- External Link
- https://soranews24.com/2020/06/24/ramen-restaurant-in-japan-offers-lifetime-free-ramen-plan-for-a-hefty-price/
13 Comments
Login to comment
Paul Laimal-Convoy
Ahh, Nishi-chiba, so it's near Chiba University then.
InspectorGadget
Aly Rustom
I'd do it if one of the shops in my area offered it. I love ramen
1glenn
There is a Japanese ramen chain over here called "Kitakata." At my age a life-time deal wouldn't make sense, but I do love their food.
Tommy Eddy Kookabura
And by end of the year they out of business and money gone... Airlines and travel companies doing similar offers at the moment. Create cash flow to stay alive... Many will not survive...
Jonathan Prin
Do you sign a contract ?
We all know this shoukd be labelled a Ponzi scheme.
There is no possibility to make money since the cost of a ramen dish is not decreasing with time for the restaurant.
Just postponing the time to get bankrupt.
Makoto Shimizu
That's a great offer, please bring it to Asaka, Saitama. There in Yokohama there is a delicious ramen at Sugitaya, close to Sugita train station.
kohakuebisu
If its the one in the photo, that looks pretty good. Lots of pork, an egg and some spinach. That's deluxe enough for me. If you started getting a bit tired of eating it, just buy some gourmet ra-yu like the Penguin Cafe one from Ishigakijima. That stuff makes even cup noodles taste good.
I suppose the idea will be that most students move away after graduation and the local ones can just eat at home and won't go that often.
Oxycodin
LOL talk about how desperate a Ramen shop give you ramen everyday for the rest of your life for 10 man yen pay out??? Are they asking you to exchange your health with the posibility of heart disease in exchange for 10man yen this sounds toooooooo funny
Strangerland
I like the idea, but I don't like 家系 (いえけい - iekei) style ramen so much, and I wouldn't want to eat the same ramen the rest of my life.
Jim
I know a few people who have ramen almost everyday so it is a great option for these types of people. But the bigger question remains... how long will they remain open? They might sign up many people and then close in a few weeks with all the cash in the owners bank! Then the owner can reopen under a different name in a few months time! If the entire chain offered this deal then it would have been a bit more safe!