Lotteria in Tokyo Shinjuku – A Taste of Japanese Fast Food

October 16, 2023 122 Views

Lotteria is a fast-food chain operated by the Lotte Group. While McDonald’s holds worldwide fame as a fast-food giant, both Korea and Japan have their own versions of popular fast-food chains, including Lotteria.

With Lotte having a corporate presence in both Korea and Japan, it allows people in both countries to experience Lotte Group’s products and services.

“Lotteria in Tokyo Shinjuku”

Although Lotteria is a franchise operated by Lotte Group, there are subtle differences between the Korean and Japanese branches. Commonly heard anecdotes suggest that even identical products might be of higher quality when purchased in Japan compared to Lotteria products in Korea.

In my personal experience, this seemed to hold true. I tried a mochi ice cream, a product available in both Japanese and Korean convenience stores. Surprisingly, the Japanese version differed significantly, showcasing a higher level of quality.

The Lotteria I visited in Shinjuku was located to the east from Shinjuku Station, and the distance from the station wasn’t considerable.

“Compact Lotteria Store”

While the general interior design of fast-food chains doesn’t differ significantly between Korea and Japan, the Lotteria in Shinjuku followed a typical Japanese interior design. Perhaps due to the high land prices in Shinjuku, the seating space was quite narrow. Notably, they provided study-room-style seats for solo diners.

Though structured for orders on the first floor and dining on the second and third floors, the Shinjuku Lotteria was quite crowded. The limited space filled with numerous people left an impression, making me realize that people indeed spend time in such places in Japan due to the high flow of people around Shinjuku Station and the relatively small size of the store.

“Shrimp Burger Set Enjoyed at Lotteria Japan”

English menus were not provided at Lotteria, so I had to rely on pictures to place my order. I decided on the shrimp burger set. Although shrimp burgers are also available in Korean Lotteria, I wanted to experience the differences between Korean and Japanese Lotteria firsthand.

Undoubtedly, the shrimp burger served at Lotteria in Japan was more flavorful, with a pronounced taste of whole shrimp. Even when it’s the same product from the same company, the one in Japan tasted better or had higher quality, leaving a bit of regret.

If you happen to be traveling in Japan, it might be interesting to compare the products or services you are familiar with from your home country with those you encounter in Japan.

“Lotteria in Tokyo Shinjuku”