By now, you might be familiar with gyudon beef bowls – Japan’s answer to fast food that packs delicious flavours and solid nutritional value into an affordable package. “Gyu” means “beef”, and “don” is short for “donburi” or “bowl.” But what’s different about the Matsuya Gyudon brand, and how can you get the most from your yen when visiting Japan and looking for a gyudon beef bowl meal?
By looking into the Matsuya beef bowl brand, including the best options on the menu and what makes them special, let’s explore how to spend 1,000 yen or less to create an excellent and affordable breakfast, lunch or dinner while in Japan!
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Matsuya’s Menu and Unique Choices
The Matsuya menu includes staples similar to their competitors, Sukiya and Yoshinoya – gyudon beef bowls with toppings like cheese, kimchi, Tororo grated yam, soft-boiled eggs and more. Choosing side dishes to add to your meal adds diversity, nutrition and exciting, unique Japanese flavours!
One thing that sets Matsuya apart is its discounts on bulk orders for catering and large groups. Ordering five beef bowls at once provides up to a 300 yen discount, which is a bargain when considering meals for multiple diners.
Matsuya also has some original menu items not found at other gyudon beef bowl establishments, including the Thick Pork Steak w/ Garlic Sauce Set and the Set Meal with Grilled Sausage and Sunny-side Up eggs for breakfast.
Tips for Ordering at Matsuya: Making Japanese Cuisine Easy
At Matsuya locations, you’ll soon discover that ordering happens at a multilingual kiosk just outside, flanking the entryway doors. These kiosks allow for easy ordering in English, Korean and Chinese. The kiosks also serve as your cash register, for payment using cash, credit card or almost any variety of electronic payment imaginable. Ordering at Matsuya couldn’t be easier!
Matsuya is instantly recognizable by its yellow and blue branding and is almost always conveniently located right outside of major train stations in urban environments. After ordering at the multilingual kiosks as detailed above, you only need to interact with staff inside the store once your meal is ready.
You’ll receive meal tickets with your number on them, and there are large screens inside the shop that display your number once your order is ready. At this time, please turn in your tickets at the counter to receive your meal. The ordering process at Matsuya couldn’t be any easier, and this is a great advantage for first-time visitors to Japan who are keen to understand what Japanese fast food is all about.
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How I Spent 1,000 Yen at Matsuya for Lunch
On a scorching summer day, I was ready for a proper lunch meal packed with protein and healthy vegetable side dishes. After ordering at the convenient multilingual kiosk outside, I selected a seat inside Matsuya and served myself a glass of water from the automated tea and water dispenser at the entrance.
I ordered the Set Meal of Seared Salmon, which included a buttery soft cut of salmon, a modest portion of Sukiya’s classic simmered beef with onions, a single-serving pack of five roasted nori seaweed sheets, pickled vegetables, miso soup, rice, and two additional sides I chose: a soft-boiled egg and kimchi.
The set meal of steamed salmon was 780 yen, while the soft-boiled egg was 90 yen, and the kimchi was 100 yen, bringing my hearty lunch meal to 970 yen in total – exceptional value for money!
English Language Accommodation at Matsuya
Because of Matsuya’s multilingual ordering kiosks, English language speakers and others who are less confident in Japanese will find it easier to order. Also, especially in major Japanese cities, many of the employees at Matsuya are from international locations, so in a pinch, the chances you can ask a question in English are relatively high.
Matsuya Gyudon Beef Bowls: Serving Satisfaction
As a company, Matsuya has a focus on customer satisfaction, and they strive hard to meet their customer’s expectations. This means whether it’s your first time enjoying a gyudon beef bowl or your 100th visit, Matsuya is committed to quality, friendly service and ease of ordering that will keep you coming back.
Matsuya gyudon is a healthy fast food option available at affordable prices, and bulk discount ordering is a unique trait for this establishment. While our budget was set at 1,000 yen for our visit, getting a full, balanced meal at Matsuya is realistic in the 700–800 yen range. To be honest, if you spend 1,000 yen at Matsuya you might end up stuffed!
The Matsuya Foods Holdings Group has also diversified into other restaurants, including the Matsunoya “tonkatsu” (breaded, fried pork cutlets) chain, which has over 100 locations in Japan.
If you’re interested in seeing what other flavours have been created by the beef bowl giant, check Matsunoya out!
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Caleb DeMarais is a writer, translator and content creator based in Tokyo. When not exploring Japan’s timeless countryside or considering 400 years of living history on every corner of Tokyo, he’s digging into Japanese culinary traditions – including a specialty in Wagyu – both new and old, alongside Japanese literature and history. A lifelong student of Japanese language and culture, his fascination with everything Japan continues to inspire his work today. A selection of his writing for the JNTO can be found here.