Japanese fast food chains in China
“Mezamashi TV” goes to China to see what Japanese fast food chains are popular over there:
The most popular Japanese fast food chain in China is Ajisen Ramen, with 372 restaurants (outnumbering its locations in Japan by about 270). Many Japanese consider ramen to be Chinese food, but in China Ajisen Ramen is thoroughly Japanese. Its restaurant interiors are decorated with very Japanese-looking images and its menu has a wide variety of Japanese food that one would have trouble finding on the menu at a ramen restaurant in Japan. Chinese like ordering multiple dishes at restaurants, so the menu has lots of smaller-sized dishes that can be ordered to complement the main ramen dish.
Another popular Japanese fast food chain is Saizeriya, which sells cheap Italian food. Its menu is very similar to what it offers at its restaurants in Japan. Of the 30 Chinese customers surveyed, none of them knew the restaurant was Japanese in origin.
The report ends with my personal favorite: Curry House Coco Ichibanya. Like Ajisen Ramen, they have expanded their menu beyond their original focus, adding pasta, chicken, and fruit smoothies. Chinese customers really like the free tsukemono (who doesn’t?).
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