McDonald's opens mega-store in Roppongi Hills
TOKYO —
The long-awaited, redesigned McDonald’s store in the Roppongi Hills commercial complex in central Tokyo opened Wednesday to claim its place as the largest McDonald’s restaurant in eastern Japan. The new flagship store, which contains 301 seats, represents a new direction for the chain.
McDonald’s said in a press statement that the new store was designed with the keywords “expansive” and “innovative” in mind. The interior has been laid out spaciously with generous distances between tables, each of which is partitioned with a glass screen or display case. It is hoped that the stylish new design will shift the image of McDonald’s in a more cosmopolitan direction.
The first floor sells coffee and cold desserts for a cafe-like experience, while the second floor sells hamburgers and fries for a more traditional fast food atmosphere. The new store also boasts some exclusive menu items. Until the end of September, diners will be able to choose their own toppings and sauces on McFlurry desserts, in what the store calls its “McFlurry Double Choice.”
McDonalds Japan CEO Eiko Harada, 62, said in a statement: “I’d like to see McDonald’s sell 300 million yen’s worth of fast food this year.”
The chain intends to have 50 new-style McDonald’s stores in the capital by the end of this year, eventually expanding to over 300.
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44 Comments
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-1
paulinusa
I wonder how you would say McFlurry in Japanese?
-1
Foxie
How about McKoyuki, Paul? Loved to see a pic of this new venture.
0
Cricky
Another add disguised as a News story...ITS A FAST FOOD OUTLET!!! Must be stories of more worth than this?
Moderator
It's the biggest store of its kind in eastern Japan and also represents a change in McDonald's policy. That makes it newsworthy.
3
NuckinFutz
I can feel my bowels churning already! I'll pass on the fast food, I'm sure there are much better options around.
0
Monkeyz
@paul Since you asked and I'm feeling literal today, it's マックフルーリー.
0
Cricky
A change of policy at a fast food outlet is NEWS, OK. My mistake
5
shirokuma2011
Great, more lipstick on the pig...
0
Serrano
"generous distances between tables"
Wow! I won't have to shuffle sideways to sit down!
0
Mark_McCracken
Per restaurant nationwide? For this particular restaurant?
This appears to be poorly translated.
-1
Serrano
Mark - It's a strange statement all right, being as how McDonald's Japan sales last year were 542 billion yen, and they have 3,700 restaurants in Japan which would make it an average of 146 million yen per restaurant...
2
gogogo
Wow Roppongi Hills went down really quick... Map please?
6
lucabrasi
Be honest - hands up if you have the slightest idea what that is suppposed to mean.
-2
doedel
"Hey, McFlurry, .... anybody home?"
2
Knucklehead
Don't they mean the store has been supersized?
0
Cricky
lucabrasi...it means it's a Classy Resturant. Because the tables have space. Still a cheep fast food out let that has expanded due to other stores closing. But we should not upset the clown. Clowns are dangerous. Hey Kid would you like a balloon ?
5
melguy
I'm loathing it
3
yokomoc
You mean you don't like your news with a slice of fake cheese?
3
timeon
"The long-awaited, " by whom?
"the keywords “expansive” and “innovative” in mind." try "junk food"
"the stylish new design will shift the image of McDonald’s in a more cosmopolitan direction." how about new and better quality of food?
But nevertheless of my ranting, McDonald's sells great and except aggressive advertising they don't really need to change anything to cash in. unfortunately
7
cactusJack
"I'm avoiding it"
5
lucabrasi
@Cricky
Yeah. They need more space between the tables to accommodate the fatties who'll be patronising the place :)
1
shirokuma2011
Aside from the fact that I almost never go to these fast food places, the "McFlurry" is so embarrassing for an adult to say out loud in Japanese (the makku-furuurii -- looks almost Finnish, doesn't it?), much less actually order, that I have yet to try one.
1
CapnSinbad
You notice they don't say it's a 'no smoking' environment so you can bet you can be sitting enjoying the ambience when a smoky pall hovers over you the whole time, and that's in the kid's section !
-1
darbysan
I LOVE IT
2
TakahiroDomingo
i love japanese food, i despise mcdonalds junk food culture and taste.
2
Gurukun
As opposed to? Where's the largest McDs in western Japan? Northern Japan? Southern Japan?
1
TrentonGaijin
Sounds a lot nicer than the McDonalds around here.... I'm guessing they don't still offer the Y49 hamburger specials or they couldn't afford to build this one. When we first got to Japan (1995) my wife thought McDonalds were only located near where the American bases were- oh, how wrong she was....
0
Seawolf
If you want to go to a nice McDonald, just go to Paris, the French McD are quite different from the rest of the world, they even sell macarons.
0
tmarie
Who ever come out with the plan needs to be sacked. Fast-food people will want to be on the ground floor so they can slip in and out with their food rather than going to the second floor. Cafe people would probably be more than happy to be up and out of the noise of the street. Honestly, do they not think about this crap when planning stuff??
France also have heavenly salads and actual health food - and the macrons, pain au choco, nice hot choco...
1
Serrano
"I'm loathing it" ... "I'm avoiding it"
Ha ha, they won't miss you.
0
as_the_crow_flies
Ah, but it has been declared a Newsworthy ad ... ah ... um ... story. So it must be. And we do get quotes from the press release, so we can see the ad ... um ... story has been thoroughly regurgit ... um ... researched. And well I'm sure the good folks up north would like some heartburning ... ah... heartwarming ads .... ah... news like this. Yes, this gets the Ronald McDonald Award for Total ... ah...rrelevance. Yes Sirree, finger-licki... ah...um...that was the other geezer wasn't it? Him with the glasses. Anyway, I find it well deep, innovative, and um...Making a Difference - Not.
Personally, I'm shoving it!
0
paulinusa
tmarie : I believe this McDonalds is on the West Walk of Roppongi Hills and as such the second floor probably has a nice courtyard view overlooking a performance amphitheater (which in the past had a light show every evening) and a large video screen on TV Asahi's building. I don't eat McDonalds either, but this might be a pleasant spot for a cup of coffee.
0
paulinusa
I took a look at some photos and now I'm not sure where the exact location is.
1
sfjp330
There is too many McDonalds, they are everywhere and they are one of the most boring places to go. Too bad Tokyo does not have In & Out Burgers. They make alot better burgers and environment is better.
-1
paulinusa
OK, it's around the corner from Heartland bar on TV Asahi St.
0
goddog
Japanese kids think they invented McDonalds. Ask around and that is what you will here.
But that is ok, because Californians think they invented Sushi. Nice trade off.
0
goddog
I rarely go to McDonalds by the way. If anything, I order tampin de.
McEnima really hurts me.
0
Serrano
No Donald McDonald?
0
Kronos
Sorry. Prefer Burger King.
1
globalwatcher
How come we cannot get macarons and McFlurry in US? I have never heard of them.
0
kaeru37
In Canada, it's called "Ronny's".
0
anglootaku
Big Macu
0
tmarie
Paul, if it is as you described, makes much more sense for the cafe to be on the second floor, no??
0
disasterjsl
Yes, shirokuma2011....more hot...delicious...deep fried lipstick....mmmmmmmm...
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