TOKYO - IKEA and small eateries across Japan are drawing crowds and doubling customer traffic by offering ultra-cheap 100 yen meals, using creative strategies to maintain low prices amid rising inflation.
Visitors flocked to IKEA on the morning of March 12th, where crowds gathered not in the furniture showroom but in the restaurant shortly after opening, drawn by a heavily discounted “100 yen gourmet” breakfast that has become a major attraction.
The popular morning set includes a cinnamon roll and a large hash brown for just 100 yen including tax, while customers who sign up for a free membership can also enjoy complimentary drinks for the first hour after opening, making it possible for some regulars to stay until around midday for just 100 yen.
A frequent visitor said, “I live nearby, so I come almost every day. For 100 yen, I can stay here until around lunchtime. It’s great value.”
Individually, the cinnamon roll costs 100 yen and the hash brown 120 yen, totaling 220 yen, meaning the set price is less than half the usual cost.
The “100 yen morning” campaign, launched about a year and a half ago, is part of a broader strategy, according to IKEA food representative Hikaru Yoshinaga, who explained that the goal is to attract customers through the restaurant before encouraging them to browse furniture and household goods at a relaxed pace.
The approach appears to be working, with visitor numbers roughly doubling compared to when the campaign began.
As prices continue to rise across Japan, similar “100 yen gourmet” offerings are gaining attention elsewhere, including in Naka City, Ibaraki Prefecture, where a remarkable all-100-yen deli shop is drawing crowds.
Inside the store shortly after 9 a.m., shelves were packed with prepared dishes while staff continued cooking fried items, with more than 70 varieties of side dishes produced daily starting from 4 a.m., including omurice, Napolitan pasta, stir-fried vegetables and kakiage tempura.
Despite soaring rice prices, even rice bowls topped with generous portions of meat are sold for just 100 yen.
The dishes are prepared by the owner of the long-established izakaya Kazane, who has been running the “100 yen deli” lunch service three days a week with her daughter.
The owner described it as “a 100 yen shop for adults,” adding, “It’s more fun when there’s a lot of variety. If we’re going to cook anyway, we might as well.”
At opening time around 11 a.m., regular customers quickly filled the store, with one woman purchasing 23 items at once, saying, “This would normally cost about 10,000 yen. I was asked to buy their japchae because it’s so good.”
Customers expressed surprise that prices have remained unchanged despite inflation, noting that portions have not been reduced either.
The shop has gained popularity on social media, attracting visitors from across Japan, including Osaka, supported by creative cost-cutting measures that make the 100 yen pricing possible.
Ingredients are sourced through vegetable “all-you-can-pack” deals, home-grown produce and surplus items shared by regular customers, helping to keep raw material costs low.
The owner also avoids setting a fixed menu, instead creating dishes based on whatever ingredients are available, allowing flexibility to maintain the uniform 100 yen pricing.
She acknowledged the challenges, saying, “Honestly, it’s tough. But people are happy, so I keep doing my best. It’s like a candy shop for adults.”
As inflation continues to weigh on household budgets, these ultra-cheap “100 yen gourmet” offerings are emerging as a small but welcome relief for consumers.
Source: FNN
