Gyudon(牛丼)/Beef Bowl – Budget Restaurant in Japan

“Gyudon(牛丼)/Beef Bowl” is one of typical fast foods in Japan.
“Yoshinoya(吉野家)“, “Sukiya(すき家)“, “Matsuya(松屋)” are three major Gyudon restaurant chains.”Nakau(なか卯)” and “Tokyo Chikara Meshi(東京チカラめし)” follow them.

The best thing about Gyudon restaurants is that you can have decent foods just by one coin, 500 yen!! Gyudon restaurants are very helpful in Japan which is called one of the most expensive places to live in all over the world. Especially as you don’t have enough money like a student, they are always on your side. It’s the most luxurious way to have a set of Gyudon, Miso Soup and Nama-Tamago(生卵)/Raw Egg. Just 380 yen!!
Another good things about Gyudon restaurants is that some of them are open 24 hour – 7 days.
I often went to Yoshinoya, when I had to work all night long.

It’s not to say that Gyudon restaurants are for all-male,
but looking back through my vague memories,
I had never seen women eating alone there until millennium.
After then, Gyudon restaurants won in business by getting a makeover whoever can feel at ease.

It depends on age, gender, research agency. Yoshinoya and Sukiya are generally Top 2 popular restaurants. Men prefer Yoshinoya, while women prefer Sukiya. Young group, 20s and 30s, favor Sukiya, whereas middle age and elder group favor Yoshinoya.

Here are comparison and contrast of Gyudon restaurants.
(PS[May 15,2014]: Sales Tax hikes since April 1st 2014. Check it out for a new list!!)

	Yoshinoya	Sukiya	Matsuya	Nakau	Tokyo Chikara Meshi
Logo
Mini(ミニ盛)	–	230yen 508kcal	230yen 518kcal	250yen 450kcal	–
Medium(並盛)	280yen 674kcal	280yen 673kcal	280yen 743kcal	290yen 635kcal	330yen
Medium with Extra Beef	アタマの大盛 380yen 730kcal	中盛 380yen 755kcal	–	–	–
Large(大盛)	440yen 849kcal	380yen 867kcal	380yen 984kcal	390yen 799kcal	480yen
Extra Large(特盛)	540yen 1016kcal	480yen 1020kcal	480yen 1348kcal	490yen 950kcal	580yen
Mega(メガ盛)	–	610yen 1236kcal	–	–	–
Miso Soup	50yen	Some Complimentary Otherwise 70yen	Complimentary	100yen	Complimentary
Open Hours	Depends on place. Busy Road/Street: 24/7 Close to Station: 05:00AM-02:00AM Shopping Mall: 09:00AM-23:00PM	Depends on place. Mostly 24/7 Shopping Mall: 10:00AM-21:00PM	Depends on place. Mostly 24/7	Depends on place. Mostly 24/7	Depends on place. Busy: 05:00AM-03:00 Otherwise: 09:00AM-23:30
Link	Official Site(JP) Menu(JP) Find(JP)	Official Site(JP) Menu(JP) Find(JP)	Official Site(JP) Menu(JP) Find(JP)	Official Site(JP) Menu(JP) Find(JP)	Official Site(JP) Menu(JP) Find(JP)
Overseas Branch	USA China Taiwan Singapore Philippine Indonesia Thailand	China Brazil Thailand	–	–	–

☆ Yoshinoya(吉野家)

Yoshinoya(Beef Bowl:280yen:Miso Soup:50yen)

One of the things that distinguishes Yoshinoya is that you can make special requests without extra charge.

Tsuyu-Daku(つゆだく): Extra Gravy Sauce
Tsuyu-Daku-Daku(つゆだくだく): More Extra Gravy Sauce
Tsuyu-Nuki(つゆぬき): No Gravy Sauce
Niku-Shita(にくした): Rice on Beef
Tsume-Shiro(つめしろ): Cooled Rice at Room Temperature
Toro-Daku(とろだく): Fatty Beef
Oyu-Wari(おゆわり): Extra Hot Water in  Miso Soup

Reference from: Rocket News 24

Little while ago, there was a “Negi-Daku(ねぎだく)/Extra Green Onions” special. Yoshinoya quit to server. It’s a bummer.

☆ Sukiya(すき家)

Sukiya(280yen)

Sukiya features a varieties of toppings on Gyudon. These are Top 3 popular menus except regular Gyudon and limited-time-offering Gyudon, according to the TV program “Otameshi-Ka!! Kaerema 10“.

No.1: San-Shu-No-Cheese-Gyudon(３種のチーズ牛丼): 380 yen
3 Sets of Cheese on Gyudon
No.2: Negi-Tama-Gyudon(ねぎ玉牛丼): 380 yen
Bedded Round-Cut Green Onions and Raw Egg on Gyudon
No.3: Oroshi-Ponzu-Gyudon(おろしポン酢牛丼): 380 yen
Grated Radish with Ponzu Sauce on Gyudon

☆ Matsuya(松屋)

Matsuya(280yen)
Miso Soup is complimentary.

The best thing about Matsuya is that you can have Miso Soupwithout extra charge. Just such a thing?
It’s enough to make Matsuya outstanding.
You can save 50 yen!!

☆ Nakau(なか卯)

Nakau(290yen)

Nakau features Udon(うどん)/Japanese Thick Wheat Noodle besides Gyudon. Plus, you can enjoy another Japanese popularDonburi(どんぶり)/Rice Bowl with low price, such as Oyako-Don(親子丼)/Chicken-Egg Bowl and Katsu-Don(かつ丼)/Pork Cutlet Bowl.

☆ Tokyo Chikara Meshi(東京チカラめし)

Tokyo Chikara Meshi(330yen)
Miso Soup is complimentary.

What makes Tokyo Chikara Meshi outstanding is its cooking. Other restaurants serve boiled beef. On the other hand, Tokyo Chikara Meshi serve grilled beef with sweet and hot sauce.

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☆ Price Comparison of Yoshinoya around the world

Yoshinoya expands their business to the world. Here are lists sorted by low price and yen equivalent price of Regular Gyudon.
I’m not sure how Yoshinoya serves each countries:
whether regular size is the same? whether sales tax is included? whether tips are included? It seems Singapore Yoshinoya doesn’t serve a la carte.  But, I hope it’s helpful. It seems Hong Kong is the best place for Gyudon! Although Japan score 5th, the Japanese government supposed to enforce a new regulation to rise sales tax 5% to 8% on the 1st of April, 2014. It’s a matter of time that Japan goes down to 6th in this ranking. But, thanks to economic recovery around the world, weak yen might push its ranking up.

No.1.  Hong Kong : Regular Gyudon : HK$15 : 201.3 yen(As of Jan 11th, 2014, HK$1 = 13.42 yen)
Reference From: http://www.airtripper2.net/yoshinoya-hk.html

No.2.  Indonesia : Regular Gyudon : 25,455 Rupiahs : 218.9 yen(As of Jan 11th, 2014, 1 Rupiah = 0.0086 yen)
Reference From: http://indohomedelivery.com/listing/detail/19/Yoshinoya

No.3. China : Regular Gyudon : 13 Yuan : 223.5 yen(As of Jan 11th, 2014, 1 Yuan = 17.19 yen)
Reference From: http://www.airtripper2.net/yoshinoya-cn.html

No.4. The Philippines : Regular Gyudon : 119 Pesos : 277.3 yen(As of Jan 11th, 2014, 1 Peso = 2.33 yen)
Reference From: http://www.munchpunch.com/yoshinoya-sm-megamall/menu

No.5. Japan : Regular Gyudon : 280 yen
Reference From: http://www.yoshinoya.com/menu/don/gyudon.html

No.6.  Malaysia : Regular Gyudon : RM8.90 : 283.2 yen(As of Jan 11th, 2014, RM1 = 31.82 yen)
Reference From: http://www.lacartes.com/images/business/9287/27821/m/46366.jpg

No.7. USA : Regular Gyudon : $3.47 : 362.3 yen(As of Jan 11th, 2014, $1 = 104.4 yen)
Reference From: http://www.airtripper2.net/yoshinoya-us.html

No.8. Singapore: Regular Gyudon + Miso Soup : S$6.60 : 543.2 yen(As of Jan 11th, 2014, S$1 = 81.32 yen)
Reference From: http://nomadiary.blog.fc2.com/blog-entry-4.html