American Fast Food In Japan

Posted on 10/28/2022 Last updated on 10/28/2022

So say you’re from the US (for example) and just moved to Japan, and you’re not ready to dive right into Japanese food yet. You want your Baconator? Big Mac? Whopper? How about KFC? Japan is a wonderful country with wonderful food choices from ramen, sushi, takoyaki and other delicious meals.

However, there are just times when you’re not ready to experiment with food you’ve “heard” will be good, and you want to stick to something reliable. Here’s your quick guide to your fast food favorites. Mostly found in major cities like Tokyo, but sometimes they turn up in the oddest places.

Many of your favorites are actually here and very easy to find. The menus will have special
items not in the US. There’s things like teriyaki burgers, samurai burgers, and avocado burgers. Domino’s has special pizza bowls not sold in the states, and basically every pizza place has toppings and flavors you’ve never dreamed of.

Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash

Japan has Wendy’s, Mcdonald’s, Burger King, KFC, Taco Bell, Carl’s Jr, Dominos, Pizza
Hut and Subway. Most of these are in Tokyo. You can find the golden arches in most locations, even the countryside. Taco Bell can be found in Shibuya. Carl’s Jr is in Akihabara alongside Mickey D’s. And KFC is everywhere- it didn’t become synonymous with Christmas in Japan for nothing.

Don’t be surprised to find many of your favorites even if you don’t expect them. Some chains like Popeye’s are also in Japan, but only on US military bases. Recently, American-style Chinese food chains such as Panda Express and Shanghai Kitchen have been making a return in select major malls such as in Kawasaki and Okayama.

I love Japanese food, but sometimes I just want some good old junk food from home. The prices are similar but the sizes are generally smaller. You may find the establishments cleaner and service will be quicker than in the USA. They have apps to get special deals on food as well. Make sure you try some of the exclusive to Japan items on the menu! Just make sure you don’t eat it too much- calories are universal, no matter where you go.

Happy eating!

Photo Credits:

Top Photo by Blake Guidry on Unsplash used under the Unsplash License

Additional photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash used under the Unsplash License