McDonald's Japan eyes price hikes

Tuesday 06th May, 06:37 AM JST

TOKYO —

McDonald’s Co (Japan) will raise the prices of some menu items on May 30 due to surging materials and other costs. The price hikes will average 2% nationwide and 1.5% in urban areas, the hamburger chain said.

For example, the price of the Big Mac hamburger will be hiked to 280-310 yen from 260-290 yen at present. Procurement costs for wheat, dairy ingredients and cooking oil are soaring, while personnel expenses are on the increase, company officials said.

JCN

Latest 15 of 24 Total Comments Show All

jwills79 at 06:51 PM JST - 6th May

What major fast food place use 100% beef? Hell tell me 50%. The price and size might be different but now you are just talking out you ass.
GrouchyGaijin at 06:53 PM JST - 6th May

"Menu Items"....not "F O O D." 'Super Size Me' anyone?
keshii at 07:01 PM JST - 6th May

'I'm loving it' always sounds like subliminal corporate propaganda to me.

Wait, it's not overt?
bebert at 11:17 PM JST - 6th May

Play 'SPOT THE VEIN' next time you look at a McDonald's burger! Spot less than ten pieces and you're a winner

Thanks for ruining my appetite. Looks like I'll be eating rice today.
thepossum at 12:18 AM JST - 7th May

Just look at the sour grapes filling this thread:

-who in their right mind would buy any of that foul muck masquerading as food AT ALL?

-McDonalds in Japan is a complete joke and a waste of money!

-a pile of steaming crapola!

-Haven't step foot into a J-land McD's in years. It's a perfect place for engrish teachers.

Umm guys, McDonalds is by far the largest and most succesful restaurant chain in Japan. just who are you all to thumb your noses at the Japanese public ? They vote with their wallets ! And they have spoken loud and clear, The Japanese public loves McDonalds ! So much so that you could take McDonald's second, third, and fourth competitiors, combine them together, and they still won't catch the Golden arches ! My advice, instead of playin' amatuer food critic, or worse yet, no nothing economic tweeb, bust out yer wallets and drop a few dimes on "Mickey D." stock. I'm sure you'll have a change of opinion real quick !
RomeoRamenII at 12:56 AM JST - 7th May

possum, you obviously never read Ray Kroc's autobiography, "Grinding It Out".

If you had you'd know Kroc wrote that McDonald's was never about making a mark in the fast food industry. It's all about real estate.

In the States, McDonald's are located primarily around Interstate exit ramps.

In a simular vein (thanks for your insight, presidentbaka ;-)) McD's are mainly situated around train stations. The reason why "the Japanese public loves McDonalds" is simple: Location, location, location.

RR
thepossum at 01:14 AM JST - 7th May

Umm, Romeo... you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink ! Just because you put something near a train station doesn't mean folks will pile in and fork over their hard earned cash. Japan is just full of bankrupt stories from people who didn't understand that. Ah yes, if it were only that simple.
thepossum at 01:17 AM JST - 7th May

BTW Romeo... the closest McDonalds to Shinjuku station is many blocks away and there are dozens of restaurants within a closer proximity. Care to wager on which restaurant brings in the highest amount of sales per month ?
noborito at 06:28 AM JST - 7th May

when the economy is bad, which it has been for years and years in Japan, which do you go to? a 390yen (something) from MAC or 900 yen something from your local mom and pop shop. Look who are doing well in Japan for fast food.... Yoshinoya, Matsuya, MAC, Saizeria. your local bento shop... why, they are all CHEAP. MAC has the locations so they are #1. All that food is unhealthy. Everyone knows it. Who cares. While you can cook at home for around the same, you need to know how to cook. (which many many Tokyoites don't know how to do.) Cheap food is what it is about. If they raise their prices too much people will simply find them selves at the cheaper location more.
motown at 10:37 AM JST - 7th May

Have to agree with noborito on this one. If it was about quality of food, everyone would be heading for MOS or other, better quality joints, (still junk food, I know). Sheople will be conned by marketing and a pretty smile, ergo, huge marketing budget and pretty staff and bingo, you can sell a vein burger and mechanically reconstituted chicken nugget sh*t- bombs to many gullible people. The last I heard, (it was last year I think), MaccyD's was struggling to maintain sales and looking weak. It might have been due to the beef scares etc. but it should have een due to their continued sales of rubbish masquerading as 'food'.
frontandcentre at 01:10 PM JST - 7th May

hopefully price rises will convince people to eat healthier food instead...
thepossum at 04:21 PM JST - 7th May

Noborito... here in lies the problem.

"While you can cook at home for around the same"

Huh ??? Can you really put together a bowl of gyudon, a large salad, and a bowl of miso soup for less than 500 yen ?

I say you cant do it ! Not in todays world of bloated food prices in Japan. Hell, the beef alone for one serving of gyudon will set you back 500 yen... even if its the cheap Ausssie beef stuff.

This is the reality that grip todays Japan. Food is simply getting too expensive, and they, the J gov, refuse to make friends with the Americans. If I'm the Americns... I walk ! Let the Japanese come to grips with more food shortages like their butter fiasco.
DigDug at 04:36 PM JST - 7th May

"McDonalds in Japan is a complete joke"... WTF? It's THE SAME as in North America.
thepossum at 04:39 PM JST - 7th May

Really ? You mean managers are not paid overtime ? Homeless are allowed to set up camp ? The menu is filled with ebi burgers and macha mcflurries ?

Digdug, I think not !
luckystar at 05:05 AM JST - 10th May

presidentbaka at 03:38 PM JST - 6th May

McDonalds in Japan is a complete joke and a waste of money!

Fortunately, I live near a US base, and visit friends who are stationed there regularly. We usually hit the Burger King or Wendy's on base and WOW! What a HUGE difference in both price and quality, compared to the crap they server in Japan!!

The burgers are REAL meat and more than twice the size, and yet, I can get enough food from the base burger bars to feed a family of four in comparison to the Japanese Macca's, and for the SAME PRICE!!

To presidentbaka: About Burger King and Wendy's on base, is it really cheaper and bigger? Oh I envy you. If the fastfood stores on base serve more food for a lesser price that's great. Have you been to Burger King outside the base? Like the one in Shinjuku, Ikebukuro or Oimachi and other locations? Is it the same price wise and size wise? How about Subway is it the same as the Subways in Japan? Do they have Blimpies on base? I wished I could eat there too. Japan's Mac is a joke yes, the double burger is twice the price as in the U.S.(it's only a dollar) and here we don't have quarter pounders which is or may be I should say was my favorite burger.