Most Japanese choose McDonalds, prefer MOS Burger
I personally go to Subway about once every few months and Mister Donuts with about the same frequency; Subway for carry-out dinner, Mister Donuts to loiter and drink lots of free coffee refills! However, it is obvious that McD’s are wildly popular in Japan, and this recent survey by MyVoice on fast food backs up this casual observation.
Demographics
Over the first five days of September 2007 13,728 members of the MyVoice internet community completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 54% of the sample was female, 2% in their teens, 17% in their twenties, 39% in their thirties, 27% in their forties, and 15% in their fifties.
I’d love to know exactly why McDonalds comes tops of frequency of use in Q3 but MOS Burger is prefered in Q5. One reason is definitely the relative number of outlets; 1,500 MOS Burgers but 3,800 McDs, and the second being price; McDs has plenty of 100 yen menu options, whereas MOS Burgers sell for about 700 yen each. Since MOS Burger’s selling point is quality, they refuse to get into price wars.
Lotteria have recently annouced a 100 yen menu to compete with McDonalds, and the bonus question in Q6 on Krispy Kreme Doughnuts is perhaps inspired by the huge queues outside their shop, even after nine months after opening!
Oh, and the MOS of MOuSe Burger is made up from the initials for “Mountain, Ocean, Sky”, apparently.
Research results
Q1: How often do you go to a burger bar or other fast food restaurant? (Sample size=13,728)
Almost every day 0.3% Three or four times a week 1.2% Once or twice a week 10.8% Two or three times a month 30.2% Once a month 30.1% Few times a year or less 22.6% Don’t use them (to Q6) 4.7% Q2: At what times of the day do you often go for fast food? (Sample size=fast food users, multiple answer)
1 am to 2 am 1.0% 2 am to 3 am 1.0% 3 am to 4 am 1.1% 4 am to 5 am 0.5% 5 am to 6 am 0.5% 6 am to 7 am 0.9% 7 am to 8 am 2.6% 8 am to 9 am 3.5% 9 am to 10 am 3.4% 10 am to 11 am 4.4% 11 am to 12 am 13.4% 12 am to 1 pm 48.1% 1 pm to 2 pm 33.8% 2 pm to 3 pm 16.3% 3 pm to 4 pm 14.2% 4 pm to 5 pm 8.3% 5 pm to 6 pm 8.2% 6 pm to 7 pm 11.1% 7 pm to 8 pm 10.1% 8 pm to 9 pm 7.3% 9 pm to 10 pm 4.5% 10 pm to 11 pm 3.0% 11 pm to 12 pm 1.6% 12 pm to 1 am 0.9% No answer 0.2% Q3: Which fast food chains do you frequently visit? (Sample size=fast food users, multiple answer)
McDonalds 85.4% MOS Burger 38.8% Mister Donuts 37.8% Kentucky Fried Chicken 28.9% Lotteria 12.4% Freshness Burger 4.7% Subway 4.0% First Kitchen 3.6% Wendy’s 3.1% Other 2.3% None in particular 1.1% No answer 0.4% Q4: What is important when choosing a fast food restaurants to use? (Sample size=fast food users, multiple answer)
Cheap price 67.4% Delicious 52.2% Discount coupons 32.3% Easy to enter 32.2% Short waiting time 25.6% Close to home 20.5% Wide selection of sets 19.3% Has parking 17.0% Wide selection of standard items 15.5% Easy to go with children 15.4% Clean shop 13.4% Can trust quality of ingredients 13.4% Wide selection of seasonal and other limited-availability items 12.9% Reasonable price 11.9% Good customer service 11.7% Big sizes 10.5% Close to school or work 10.0% Spacious interior 9.4% Things other than food to enjoy 8.9% Can trust the cleanliness of food preparation 8.7% Can loiter in shop for a long time 8.6% Good shop or chain image 6.5% Has healthy menu 4.9% Quiet and relaxing 4.3% Origin of ingredients displayed 3.5% Other 2.6% Nothing in particular, don’t know 2.0% No answer 0.1% Q5: Which is your favourite fast food restaurant? (Sample size=fast food users)
MOS Burger 29.5% McDonalds 25.7% Freshness Burger 6.2% Kentucky Fried Chicken 6.0% Mister Donuts 6.0% Subway 3.6% Wendy’s 2.0% Lotteria 1.4% First Kitchen 1.2% Other 1.3% None in particular 16.5% No answer 0.6% Q6: The recent opening of Krispy Kream Doughnuts in Shinjuku, Tokyo has become a topic of conversation. Do you know about this shop? (Sample size=13,728)
Already been there 5.0% Know of it, not been yet, but definitely want to go 15.2% Know of it, not been yet, but if I get the chance I want to go 26.4% Know of it, not been yet, and don’t plan to go 7.2% Don’t know of it, and don’t plan to go 20.1% Just don’t know 25.1% No answer 1.1%
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Deas said,
October 4, 2007 @ 09:50
I didn’t know that they had opened a Krispy Kreme location in Shibuya. It brings to mind something I’m curious about. With fast-food locations, is there any kind of regional loyalty? For instance, in America - on the East Coast at least, Krispy Kreme is a “southern” favorite, while the north is dominated (and I mean SERIOUSLY dominated) by Dunkin’ Donuts. Starbucks is the only one to heavily canvas the entirety of…well, let’s face it…earth. Any regional disparity in the numbers?
Ken Y-N said,
October 4, 2007 @ 11:01
Deas, that’s a good question! I would bet there’s a Kansai/Kanto split somewhere, but as to what exactly it is…
Overthinker said,
October 7, 2007 @ 10:39
MOSBurger actually means “Mountain Ocean SUN” not Sky, and no way are their burgers “about 700 yen each”. More like 300 yen.
According to Wiki Japan, MOS originally meant Merchandising Organizing System, then changed to “MOSt delicious”, then the Mountain Ocean Sky you list, and now it is Sun - as of quite a few years back, as it was quite a few years back that I actually got around to asking someone who worked there.
Ken Y-N said,
October 7, 2007 @ 21:43
Overthinker, yes, I’ve checked up their official home page and it is Sun! Sorry about that, and about the pricing; I don’t know where I heard it was 700 yen, but a burger plus fries and drink set is about 580 yen or so.
Junk Food by the Numbers said,
October 8, 2007 @ 04:00
[…] Japanese choose McDonalds even though they prefer MOS Burger, according to What Japan Thinks, reporting on a recent MyVoice internet community survey of 13,728 members. Contrary to popular […]
Overthinker said,
October 9, 2007 @ 14:09
Mos does have some pretty expensive gourmet burgers - the Takumi Cheese burger costs 610 yen. But even their normal burgers are way better than McRoadkill, and actually look like the photos….
Tori said,
August 27, 2008 @ 19:08
I live in the North-East part of America (new england) and there are starbucks here but no one I know goes there. I’d personally travel up to 3 times the distance to get to a Dunkin Donutes versus Starbucks. McDonalds and Burger King are pretty much even, with McDonalds being the slightly more popular, though I personally would not like to eat at McDonalds.