世論 What Japan Thinks

Demographics

Over the first five days of February 2009 15,158 members of the MyVoice internet community completed a private online questionnaire. 54% of the sample were female, 1% in their teens, 14% in their twenties, 37% in their thirties, 30% in their forties, and 18% aged fifty or older.

Unfortunately, comparing now with a year ago didn’t really reveal any new information, thus my disappointment at this survey.

There seems to be a rash of bento lunch box sites popping up these days, so if you fancy trying to make your own, I can recommend Adventures in Bentomaking as a fun place to visit!

Research results

Q1: What style of weekday lunch do you most often have? (Sample size=15,158)

Make and eat at home	30.8%
Take a lunch box from home	21.7%
School, work dining hall	11.1%
Buy at convenience store	8.9%
Eat at a restaurant	7.2%
Eat food made for me at home	6.0%
Buy at supermarket	2.8%
Buy at lunch box shop	2.6%
Order delivery food	2.2%
Eat at a fast-food shop	1.1%
Buy at a bread shop	0.8%
Buy from a food cart	0.1%
Buy at a department store food court	0.1%
Other	2.5%
Don’t eat lunch	2.1%

Q2: One year ago, what style of weekday lunch did you most often have? (Sample size=15,158)

Make and eat at home	28.8%
Take a lunch box from home	20.7%
School, work dining hall	11.4%
Buy at convenience store	9.6%
Eat at a restaurant	8.1%
Eat food made for me at home	6.5%
Buy at lunch box shop	2.8%
Buy at supermarket	2.8%
Order delivery food	2.1%
Eat at a fast-food shop	1.3%
Buy at a bread shop	0.8%
Buy at a department store food court	0.2%
Buy from a food cart	0.2%
Other	2.4%
Don’t eat lunch	2.2%
No answer	0.2%

Q3: How much is your average budget for weekday lunch? (Sample size=lunch eaters)

Under 100 yen	9.6%
100 to 299 yen	30.6%
300 to 499 yen	34.7%
500 to 699 yen	15.5%
700 to 999 yen	6.5%
1,000 to 1,199 yen	0.9%
1,200 to 1,499 yen	0.1%
1,500 to 1,999 yen	0.0%
2,000 yen or more	0.0%
No answer	2.0%

Q4: One year ago, how much was your average budget for weekday lunch? (Sample size=one year ago lunch eaters)

Under 100 yen	9.2%
100 to 299 yen	28.6%
300 to 499 yen	34.2%
500 to 699 yen	16.4%
700 to 999 yen	8.1%
1,000 to 1,199 yen	1.2%
1,200 to 1,499 yen	0.2%
1,500 to 1,999 yen	0.1%
2,000 yen or more	0.1%
No answer	1.9%

Q5: What do you often eat at weekday lunch? (Sample size=lunch eaters, multiple answer)

Rice	58.2%
Udon, soba noodles	34.0%
Sweet, savoury bread	28.3%
Ramen	27.1%
Stir-fry	26.4%
Fried food	25.8%
Rice balls	25.4%
Miso soup	21.6%
Boiled, stewed food	21.5%
Grilled food	20.7%
Pasta	20.6%
Pot noodles	16.6%
Salad	16.1%
Curry	15.3%
Sandwich	14.7%
Pork cutlets	13.0%
Other side dishes	11.7%
Soup	11.2%
Dessert	10.9%
Fruit	9.1%
Other rice-based dishes	6.8%
Hamburger	6.2%
Chinese steamed bun	4.1%
Other bread-based dishes	3.9%
Sushi	3.8%
Other noodle dishes	3.8%
Nutritionally-balanced foods	2.9%
Oden	2.8%
Dim sum (gyoza, spring rolls, etc)	2.4%
Sashimi	1.7%
Other	6.7%
No answer	0.8%

Q6: What is most important when selecting what to eat for weekday lunch? (Sample size=lunch eaters)

Cheap, free	23.9%
Well-balanced	16.5%
Can eat quickly	16.6%
Just whatever fills my stomach	10.9%
Eat every day	8.1%
Not overeating	6.6%
Close to work	4.1%
High-energy	1.5%
Other	2.0%
Nothing in particular	8.6%
No answer	1.1%