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Yoshinoya outpaces industry, introduces habenero chicken bowl

December 13, 2017

Yoshinoya America is stepping up its game with a hot new Habanero Chicken offering that pairs grilled sliced chicken in a spicy habanero sauce with steamed rice and vegetables, delivering an Asian-Latin fusion entree to the limited-service market. 

The 118-year-old brand is in a position to do a little trend-setting, too. In a press release, Yoshinoya reported a 7.3 percent year-to-date increase in same-store sales driven by a 4.4 percent increase in average check and a 2.9 percent increase in transactions — numbers that outpace performance for the overall category.

Yoshinoya is one of the oldest rice bowl concepts in the industry. Building on its history and authenticity, the company is expanding the variety of its menu beyond core offerings.

"Part of our focus is to keep the menu exciting while never losing sight of who we are and what our brand represents," Marketing Director Angella Green said in the release. "New items are always in development and the selection progress is rigorous — only 1 out of every 8 items tested earns a place on menus company-wide."

Yoshinoya is among the oldest quick-service restaurant chains in operation, tracing its history to the opening of its first restaurant in Tokyo, in 1899. The company has more than 1,800 stores in Japan, Mainland China, Shanghai, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, the Philippines and the United States — including more than 100 in California alone.