Burgar KING and What the World Eats

Burgar KING is back. A New Shop will be opened in I-land Tower at Shinjuku. They started business in 1996, but Japan was in a serious economic recession and fast food shops had a severe discount war. Actually McDonald's sold a burger at only 65 yen ($ 0.534), and compared to it, Burger KING was so expensive. So Burger KING closed the business in Japan just 5 years later in 2001.
Time went by, I can find expensive Real Burgers shops or big Sasebo burger shops in Tokyo. People eat burgers with a knife and folk and pay 4000 yen. It is expensive for a burger but at least you may feel you have a simple luxury. (You need 30,000 or 40,000 yen to eat the deluxe sushi). We love the wasabi burgar or high class burgar at MOS because I know they are limited or something special and their healthiness is always attractive. Will Burger KING succeed this time? The Teriyaki Whopper is 390 yen, the double Whopper is 540 yen, but their price is really a delicate line. We will see.

This is another food topic: "What the World Eats" of TIME. It's VERY interesting. There are 15 pictures of families with foods that they ate for one week. This is Japan. Ahh, they eat fish a lot (but no whole yo). This is Italy, wow! A lot of fruits and tomato sauce, and I can't find raw meat or fish. This is Kuwait. Hmm, I don't know any Kuwait meals but they will use eggs often. I know that vegetable in this Egypt: it's sticky corchorus, I love it. In Ecudor, there are many, many bananas and potatoes. I want to know their recipes for potato dishes. In the States, I can find what I know: pizza, bagel, jelly bars, etc. Comparing to others, less vegetables? I was most impressed by the UK and Germany. These two English boys love loves chocolate bars. It will take one year for me to eat that big Mars bag. In Germany, they drink a lot of beer and orange juice, but no sausage and Sauerkraut.

I can't find any COKE or PEPSI at Chad, Kuwait, Ecuador, Mongolia, Bhutan, and even the UK and Germany, it's less than I suppose. But I can find Kellogg's in some photos; it's wholly unexpected. The funny part was that you can find a Pizza box at Germany, the UK, the US, but not in Italy. And I can't find any Japanese food in other country's photos.

Looking at the Japan photo more. I understand food prices are higher than in other countries. It cost 37,699 yen ($317.25) to buy everything. But I don't think they will use up one bottle of Soy sauce or Mayo in one week. So if they cook every food with the same bottles of Soy or Mayo, usually the cost for one week of food will be lower. And they really like fish. I suppose they would have fish for dinner 4 or 5 days in a week, it's much more than my family. And there is no bread, so even for breakfast they eat rice. My parents love to eat toast in the morning. You can see a bottle of COKE under the table, but they don't have Kellogg's. By the way, I can tell that guy on TV is Taro Shigaki and that TV ad would be the ant spray repellent of Earth Chemical. This means the photo was taken in 2002. Great book, long project.　

Comments

[Chris (Namakimono)]

"Hungry Planet" is amazing (and there are quite a few places where you can see pageson the web). Along with all the food from the western and developed country families, it was very sobering to see the family from the refugee camp in Chad, who had millet porridge for every meal, and couldn't answer the question about their favourite food - you don't have favourites when you only have one thing...

[Sushi is better!]

You mean "burger king" aren't you? Well junk food is junk food whatever you call it, it tastes like... well junk food. I'm wondering how can they make it in a country where there is so much competition in food by selling such unhealthy bad-tasting crap...

[Roaf]

I remember when hamburgers were 59 yen in McDonalds a few years ago!

[tabehodai]

I saw this news on tv and the whooper burger looked bigger than ever before. Have you tried it yet?

By the way, I recalled that you always asked your readers to point out typographical errors to you. Here's one: People eat burgers with a knife and folk(should be fork) and pay 4000 yen.

I hope you'll do a post on Krispy Kreme soon. Or have you already?

Have a wonderful weekend!

[Mari]

Hi Katie you like that cat? Do you know softbank releases cell phone with Hello Kitty cover? I really like that photos, I am thinking to buy the book actually.

[Katie]

Hello Mari,
The British photo is so odd that is the kind of food bought by my friends parents and I always wanted my mum to buy that kind of food (more chocolate & treats) - it never happened apart from at Christmas time but only a little. Most people I know buy a LOT more fruit and vegtables. The Japanese one seems familar it looks a lot like the food my Japanese friends would buy if they were staying in a lot, but so many are young with no family so eat out more.

I am not in Tokyo at the moment & I am always very sad but this week I am also going mad about the Hello Kitty LaVie G Laptop that has just come out - I have to say I think if I was there I would end up buying it and not paying my rent it is so beautiful.

As always thank you for your great blog I love it .
Katie :)

[manda]

In the US it is more common for higher-class people to eat Japanese food because you usually have to go to specialty stores (where most is more expensive) to get ingredients and it's more expensive in restaurants. Although that's changing; now Japanese food distributors have started producing food with English packaging and major grocery chains carry basics. But if you want more than one brand or more than really basic things you have to go to an import food store.

Going to another country impacts your eating habits, I think...after I went to Japan I stopped drinking soda and started drinking more tea and eating more fruit. (Probably better! ;)

[June]

I would much rather eat Japanese-style hambaagu than American burgers. Much tastier, and delicious with rice or fried potatoes.

[Mark]

Favorite Tokyo burgers:

1. Firehouse in Bunkyoku, Hongosanchome station, halfway between Tokyo Dome and Tokyo University. Tasty meat.

2. Kua'aina, various locations, including Jinbocho and Omotesando near Aogaku. Burgers are good, not s good as Firehouse, but the avocado adds a lot, and the shoestring fries are the best fries in the world!

3. Mosburger and Freshness Burger (although the new reformulalted Mosburger I haven't adjusted to, they put pork in it and reduced the meat in the meat sauce)

[Sera]

I heard about HUnry Planet too. Looks like a cool book! I think it is funny how the girl is hugging the potato chips. :P

I don't eat fast food anymore, but when I did, I always liked Burger King better than McDonalds.

[June]

I saw this 'Hungry Planet' exhibit when it was in Chicago last December, at Museum of Science & Industry. Very interesting to see how much people spend on groceries, and to see many familiar American products on other cultural tables. Same photographer also did 'Material World', photgraphing families around the world, and all their possessions.