Balancing Higher Average Spend per Customer with Affordable Prices

「As part of our monthly Meat Day event, we continued increasing the sirloin steak portion by 50% without changing the price. From June, we also applied the same 50% increase at the same price to tenderloin and rump. As a result, nearly 40% of customers ordered steak, and average spending per customer rose by approximately ¥100.」

「As a result, the average spend per customer on event days rose by more than ¥100, and the steak order rate exceeded three times the usual level.」

「For our monthly Meat Day event, we increased the sirloin steak portion by 50% without changing the price. As a result, the consumption rate for steak products nearly tripled, contributing to higher average spending per customer.」

「We have continued selling high-priced premium dishes, including Wagyu Hitsumabushi Set, Wagyu Steak Box, Wagyu Yakiniku Set and Lobster Thermidor.」

「To offer something special exclusively on the monthly Asakuma Meat Day, we sold domestic Japanese Black cattle, including Kagoshima Kuroushi, Miyazaki beef and Sanuki beef, rotating the selection each month in addition to our regular imported beef. We also introduced a seafood-focused seafood grill in response to customer requests, as well as Japanese-style steak as a revival menu item.」

「As part of our product initiatives, we offered Tenderloin Steak at all restaurants exclusively on our monthly Meat Day. … We also sold Thermidor lobster weighing more than 600 grams at selected restaurants as a seafood menu item. Some customers even visited 3 times a week specifically for this Thermidor」

「Around the year-end and New Year period, we offered Tenderloin Steak at all restaurants after customers had requested its return following the end of its availability chain-wide. Customers responded very positively. In the 52nd fiscal year, we will develop products to make seafood dishes, such as the spiny lobster and scallop menus pursued in the 51st fiscal year, signature offerings alongside steak.」

「As a product initiative, we completely revamped the fourth installment of the weekday-lunch-only Morimori Hamburger series. Seasonal vegetables such as eggplant and mushrooms are piled on so generously that the hamburger steak is hidden, and the product is served with a salad bar for ¥1,480 before tax. The autumn fair featured Moromiso Steak, Mushroom Garlic Steak and the popular Wagyu Hamburger. For the winter fair, we developed 3 menu items using scallops from Okhotsk, Hokkaido, pairing them with popular sirloin steak and Asakuma Hamburger to create a product mix that was easy to order. As a result, the order rate nearly doubled compared with regular fairs. For the Christmas and Meat Day appreciation limited menu, we offered tenderloin steak in addition to our usual 1-pound steak and share steak, and also sold items bundled with natural scallop fries at no additional cost. These were also well received, with the order rate reaching double the usual level. We also made our annual lucky bags even better value than in previous years, including products worth ¥6,000 or more and meal vouchers, and sold them for ¥3,500. As a result, sales exceeded 130% of the previous year's level, and some restaurants sold out before year-end.」

「As part of our product strategy, our summer fair featured the return of Chaliapin Steak and Asakuma's former signature Asparagus Steak, as well as the rollout at all restaurants of tenderloin steak, which had previously been sold only at selected restaurants. For the autumn fair, under the theme of edible sauces, we offered steaks with Kinzanji miso and red wine sauce, as well as thigh meat steak with mushroom duxelles sauce.」

「In February 2023, under the theme of surprising customers, we increased the number of salad bar items offered at selected restaurants from 25 to 45.」

「To allow customers to enjoy lunch at a low price, we began offering ¥780 and ¥980 lunch options at selected restaurants. The visually impressive 300-gram Big Hamburger, which has received strong customer support, is also available at ¥980 before tax with a salad or corn soup and rice. In addition, as the second offering in the series, we introduced Miso Mushroom Morimori Hamburger and Vegetable Tomato Morimori Chicken, following Morimori Hamburger, which is topped generously with ingredients and served with a salad bar for ¥1,380 before tax. The total weekday lunch sales of the Morimori series ranked third in our sales rankings, while Big Hamburger ranked fifth, making both popular with customers.」

「We also created a flagship product to expand our customer base. The 300-gram Big Hamburger, a visually impressive item with a salad bar, had previously been sold only at selected restaurants, but we have begun offering it at all restaurants for ¥1,380 before tax so that every customer can enjoy a filling meal.」

「Due to the continued rise in raw material and energy prices since last year, we revised the prices of some products from June. However, for customers who presumably also enjoy the salad bar with their meat, we continue to offer, for example, the 150-gram sirloin steak with salad bar at the unchanged price of ¥2,480 before tax, reducing the portion to 120 grams. In addition, since our founding, we have wanted students without much money to enjoy their fill of meat at a steakhouse. We take pride in carrying on the founder's spirit, even at the expense of our own profit, and will therefore continue to offer Student Hamburger with a salad bar at the same price of ¥1,550 before tax, without changing either the portion size or the price.」

「Depending on the space available at each restaurant, we keep 14 items on offer at all times and make small changes to the selection regularly so that customers do not tire of it.」

「At selected restaurants, we offer a filling 250-gram steak called “Butagiri Steak” and a 300-gram “Big Hamburger,” together with unlimited salad, desserts, curry and garlic rice, at a reasonable price of ¥1,380 before tax, in line with customer demand.」

「At selected restaurants, we offer Morimori Hamburger and Chunk-Cut Steak, both generous in portion and good value.」

「At selected restaurants, we offer Morimori Hamburger and Chunk-Cut Steak, both generous in portion and good value, with a salad, soup, and rice or bread, at ¥880 and ¥1,080, respectively, before tax. We plan to expand the number of restaurants offering these items.」

「We have held various fairs, including sales of Morimori Hamburger, a hearty menu item topped with so many ingredients that the hamburger steak is no longer visible.」

「Customer traffic had been recovering from the effects of natural disasters and the consumption tax increase in the previous quarter through the effects of various promotional events, although」

「Despite these external factors, we have been holding various promotional events, which are beginning to bring back customers who had been staying away since October.」

「We sold both the long-standing signature creation, Asakuma Steak, consisting of tenderloin and scallops wrapped in bacon and popular since Asakuma's founding, and the further refined Asakuma Steak, consisting of sirloin and lean beef wrapped in bacon, as part of the Asakuma Listing Anniversary Fair. Sales volume was high compared with recent promotional menus, and the products were very well received. In the June menu revision, while competitors were repeatedly raising prices amid higher food ingredient costs, we lowered the price of the popular Asakuma Hamburger on weekdays only, resulting in a substantial increase in sales volume.」

「In June, we revised the menu. While competitors were successively raising prices due to higher food costs, our strategy of reducing the weekday price of the popular Asakuma Hamburger proved effective, with unit sales increasing 1.5 times. We also increased steak portions and expanded the children’s menu.」

「We will also actively work on initiatives to increase average spend per customer, including planning seasonal and promotional menus and developing large-plate dishes that customers can share and enjoy together.」