Japan's Most Popular Fast Food Chain Is An American Classic

Although it no longer holds the title for the world's largest food chain, McDonald's still reigns globally as one of the most ubiquitous and well-known fast food restaurants. In terms of sales and brand awareness, the Golden Arches dominates the United States fast food scene — but guess what? It's the #1 pick in Japan, too.

As it turns out, the driving force for the popularity of McDonald's in Japan can be laid at the feet of entrepreneur Den Fujita. Fujita's partnership with McDonald's in the 1970s was integral to tailoring the image and offerings of the American-made fast food giant to be in line with Japanese preferences and cultural differences. Fujita's localization strategy wasn't limited to just familiar menu options, as he organized partnerships with Japanese celebrities and famous global brands such as Hello Kitty and Pokémon. Using a combination of localization and the draw of Western culture, McDonald's franchises took off — and today there are approximately 3,000 locations in the country. The beloved American franchise has adapted to also become a household name in Japan.

McDonald's has found its winning formula in embracing local cultures and tailoring its menu to regional tastes — a fact well-known to anyone who's sampled the unique burgers and other menu items the fast-food giant serves around the world. If you walk into one of the sleek, spotless McDonald's locations in Japan, you can order things like a Teriyaki McBurger, a cheeseburger with egg; a roasted soy sauce burger with egg, bacon, and thick beef patties; and the incredibly popular Shrimp Filet-O. (It's like a Filet-O-Fish sandwich with a shrimp-filled patty.)

Japan's McDonald's also features unique sides and desserts such as cups of edamame and corn, bacon potato pie, a Fanta melon McFloat topped with McDonald's soft serve ice cream, and mango smoothies. One of the most high-end additions to the sweets offerings is an assortment of macarons (McArons?), those delicate French meringue confections, in flavors like chocolate, vanilla, and raspberry. The McCafé offerings (many of which are only available at McCafé By Barista locations in Japan) seems to far exceed our own, with items such as orange flavored lattes, green smoothies, Darjeeling tea, and hot chocolate.