Yoshinoya wants to win back younger consumers with ramen

Yoshinoya wants to introduce ramen to the masses. And it’s part of an effort to make the 50-year-old brand young again.

So said Paul Nishiyama, president of Yoshinoya America, which this week is launching Shoyu Ramen for the first time. It’s one move in a larger effort to modernize the global brand, which was born in Japan about 125 years ago.

“We’re trying to get a little bit younger in how we speak about ourselves, and the offerings we have,” said Nishiyama. “And we’re starting to connect with a generation of guests that will help us be around for another 25 to 30 years.”

Brand history and sales

Owned by Yoshinoya Holdings Co. Ltd, a public company in Japan that has more than 2,000 units worldwide, Yoshinoya America operates or franchises 100 units in the U.S., mostly in Southern California. About 20 units are franchised.

Here, Yoshinoya has long been known for its core Teriyaki Chicken and Gyudon Beef bowls over rice. “Those are our bread and butter,” said Nishiyama.

But sales in the U.S. have been stagnant of late. The chain had systemwide sales of $94.4 million in 2025, according to Technomic data, down from $95.8 million in 2022.

Nishiyama joined the company in June last year after serving in leadership at brands like Better Buzz Coffee and Rubio’s Restaurants. He saw an opportunity for a brand refresh.

When American consumers are asked what they love about Japanese food, the response is usually “sushi” or “ramen,” he said.

Sushi isn’t really an option for a value-positioned brand like Yoshinoya. But ramen is. Especially because young people, in particular, love ramen.

Ramen launch strategy

“Ramen is a big move for us and strategically, because younger generations connect a little more with ramen than Teriyaki and Gyudon bowls,” he said.

The launch this week includes Shoyu Ramen, or soup-based ramen with a clear broth, which is customizable with the chain’s gyudon beef or grilled chicken. There’s also a version with a jammy egg, typical of ramen houses, and crispy onions. And all can be spiced up a bit with chili crisp.

Yoshinoya’s ramen options start at $9.99 and go up to about $11.49, depending on how guests build their bowls.

It’s positioned to hit Yoshinoya’s core principles of being “tasty, fast and affordable,” said Nishiyama.

At traditional ramen houses, diners might drop $17 to $20 on a bowl that they’ll wait in line for, he said. Yoshinoya set out to create a ramen bowl that’s just as good, but under $10 and fast.

It’s fresh ramen, not made from dried noodles. Both the noodles and the broth are made by sister brand Takara Ramen, a manufacturing facility in Gardena, California, which is also owned by Yoshinoya Holdings.

On Yoshinoya’s menu, ramen will be a limited-time offer, but Nishiyama expects it to last around six months to see if it earns its place on the permanent menu. There’s also a big marketing push behind it, especially on digital channels “where young people live,” he said.

Marketing and growth plans

In fact, Nishiyama said he has been working over the past 12 months to get Yoshinoya’s name more “out in the ether.”

In addition to beefing up digital marketing and the loyalty program, Yoshinoya has re-activated its social media effort, which Nishiyama said had been dormant for a few years.

The company is also working on a new prototype store, which could be revealed next year, with a refreshed look. That will bring elements like new menu boards, new artwork and other aspects tapping the new “design language” that could be used to refresh existing units.

Yoshinoya has not opened any new restaurants this year (though one may open before the year is out). But Nishiyama is hoping for a handful next year, which will be designed to show the unit economics work for potential franchisees.

“If we can do it for ourselves, we become more attractive to franchisees,” he said.

Efforts have already started paying off. Nishiyama said Yoshinoya America has had four quarters in a row of both positive sales and transactions.

Earlier this year, Yoshinoya Holdings acquired the regional ramen chain Kizuki Ramen & Izakaya, founded in Seattle. But that move is unrelated to Yoshinoya America’s push into ramen. The two brands are operated independently, Nishiyama said.

“These are aligned, in that [Yoshinoya Holdings] is trying to grow the ramen side of the business,” he said. “But they just happen to cross paths.”

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Lisa Jennings is a veteran restaurant industry reporter and editor who covers the fast-casual sector, independent restaurants and emerging chain concepts.