Search
Personal Tools
Toolbox
Lotteria
From Virtual Japan
Lotteria is a fast food restaurant that started in Japan but has since spread to South Korea, Taiwan and Vietnam. It resembles McDonalds and Freshness Burger, though it is not as large as either of those companies in Japan or elsewhere.
Contents |
History
Owned and operated by the “Lotte Group,” the Lotteria (named as a combination of its parent group and the word “cafeteria”) opened its first shop in Nihonbashi, Tokyo in 1972. The idea for the restaurant was inspired directly by McDonalds, and the menu consistent of several items similar to the McDonalds menu including a cheeseburger and other menu items (though they have since introduced Italian inspired burgers in order to differentiate between the two fast food chains. They also added the Shrimp Burger which has become one of their most popular menu items.
The company began to expand fairly quickly. Their first South Korean store opened up in 1979, and currently the South Korean Lotterias are considered far more popular than the Japanese Lotterias, with almost twice the number of fast food restaurants located across the country.
By the end of 2005, the company had been bought and restructured by a few Japanese investment groups, and began an effort to significantly improve both their customer service and the quality of the foods on their menu.
Also changed during the restructuring, Lotteria is now offering free wireless networking in their buildings in an effort to get more customers, especially in Japan.
Currently there are 469 Lotteria stores in Japan, Over 790 in South Korea, 6 in Taiwan and 16 in Vietnam. Their new slogan is “Good Atmosphere, Cozy Space.”
Lotteria in Korea
Despite its origins in Japan, Lotteria is South Korea’s most popular fast food restaurant, due in part to Lotteria’s willingness to add Korean inspired items to their menu, such as the Kimchi burger. While there are several similar western and Japanese inspired items, the personalization of the Korean Lotteria is one of the reasons that the company has taken off with such a rapid success in the area.
The Lotteria is more popular in Korea than McDonalds.
Products
Most of Lotteria’s products resemble McDonald’s menu, but there are new offerings that are currently going through research and development. Lotteria has recently introduced the Giant Double Burger, which consists of two meat patties and several layers making it one of the largest burgers in the fast food industry.