13-07-2025
Many Japan companies introducing 'kitchenless cafeterias' amid rising costs
TOKYO -- With unrelenting rises in the prices of rice and other foods squeezing household budgets in Japan, the cost of lunch -- fuel for work -- is significant. While traditional in-house "company cafeterias" are in decline, newer forms of cafeterias are taking root.
Getting by with a power outlet and table
On a day in early June at a combined cafe and cafeteria on the fifth floor of the headquarters of The Tokyo Star Bank Ltd in Tokyo's Minato Ward, bank employees steadily appeared one after another. That day's lunch menu had four choices: sweet-and-sour pork with two side dishes such as salad, rice and miso soup; taco rice; curry with beef tendon and thick fried bean curd; and soba noodles with tempura, egg and meat. The steam rising from the dishes made the food look like a hotel buffet.
The cafeteria for employees opened this spring. Until then, in-house sales of boxed lunches were outsourced. However, these were not well received due to the lack of variation and a nearly fixed menu. The lunch spots near the company were highly priced due to it being in an affluent area.
After considering a number of options, the company went with a catering type "kitchenless cafeteria" that does not require a cooking area, can utilize existing space and presents low initial costs.
"We started with the desire to provide hot meals to employees, but the building's structure didn't allow the use of gas or oil, and there were restrictions on wastewater drainage," recalled Jiro Narukawa, head of the company's general affairs department.
The menu, requiring only a power source to heat the food and a conference table to serve it, is designed by people including Kohei Matsuda, former head chef at Hotel New Otani, and one or more nutritionists, so the taste and nutritional balance are second to none.
After hosting a tasting event, Tokyo Star Bank eventually formed a contract with Nonpi Inc., a catering company in Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward specializing in "kitchenless cafeterias" -- an increasingly popular concept offering ready-to-serve meals without onsite cooking facilities.
Currently, Nonpi supplies around 200 meals daily to the bank, each priced around 500 yen (approx. $3.45) -- considerably cheaper than lunch options at nearby restaurants -- and meals almost always sell out.
Kanae Ezaki, 33, a Tokyo Star Bank employee who previously brought homemade bento lunches daily, has become a dedicated fan of the new service. "With rice becoming increasingly expensive and the effort required to cook and bring my own meals, I'm really grateful to have so many menus that I like," she said.
The kitchenless cafeteria is also contributing positively toward addressing communication challenges among employees -- an issue that emerged due to increased remote working during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Workplace cafeterias decline as '3rd wage hikes' spread
Traditional company cafeterias -- those equipped with onsite kitchens and dishwashing facilities -- keep declining in number due to high maintenance costs and operational challenges. According to annual health, labor and welfare ministry statistics, workplace food service facilities peaked at 6,859 locations nationwide at the end of fiscal 2003, but dropped to 4,930 by fiscal 2023.
In contrast, an approach known as the "third wage hike," aimed at effectively increasing workers' disposable income through expanded corporate benefits rather than regular or base salary increases, is gaining traction in Japan. Examples include providing reasonably priced, high-quality lunches without investment in kitchen facilities, and reducing employees' meal costs.
Nonpi entered the corporate cafeteria market in 2018. Japan's reclassification of COVID-19 in May 2023 from a Class 2 equivalent illness to a less restrictive Class 5 disease, on par with seasonal influenza, has brought more employees back to the office, giving an additional boost to business. The company has reported receiving inquiries from potential corporate clients at an unprecedented rate this year.
"Trends in company cafeterias are changing, such as with the introduction of vegan cuisine due to increasing health consciousness and awareness of Halal food due to the diversification of human resources. Vegetables are becoming more expensive, too, so we plan to expand our menu to include more vegetables," said Miyu Ishikawa, a 28-year-old public relations representative at Nonpi.
Era of 1,250-yen ($8.55) lunches
The "third wage hike" concept extends beyond kitchenless cafeterias. Edenred Japan Co., the domestic provider of "Ticket Restaurant," a subsidized meal service accepted at more than 250,000 restaurants and convenience stores nationwide, reports that approximately 3,000 companies offer this service to employees as of this year.
The Ticket Restaurant program utilizes dedicated IC cards loaded with electronic funds, allowing companies to subsidize half of employees' dining expenses at participating venues. The cards can be topped up to a monthly maximum of 7,000 yen (around $48), with both employer and employee equally contributing 3,500 yen (about $24) each. Companies adopting the system benefit from reduced tax burdens while improving employee benefits, since meal subsidies under specific conditions are tax-exempt.
Though Edenred Japan declined to release precise figures for new client contracts enacted each fiscal year, it confirmed the number has increased dramatically -- "by around 7.3 times compared to 2021, before prices started their rapid upward trajectory."
A survey released by Recruit Co. in April gathered data from 4,225 respondents working in the greater Tokyo metropolitan area, plus the Kansai and Tokai regions regarding lunch spending. The survey revealed the average cost of "delivered meals" for weekday lunches was 1,418 yen (some $9.70), compared with 1,250 yen ($8.55) for "dining out." Both categories increased their average prices for the fifth consecutive year.
Even "homemade and self-prepared bentos," the cheapest lunch option, averaged 432 yen ($2.96) per day -- a significant 10.2% increase from the previous year. Overall, across all lunch types, the average cost rose to a record high of 485 yen ($3.32), representing a 7.3% annual increase and the highest figure since the survey began in 2020.
Benefits an important factor in job hunting
Shunichiro Saga, a 31-year-old analyst at Tokyo-based One Career Inc., which provides job hunting support for new graduates and job change support services for mid-career personnel, pointed out that the number of company cafeterias has continued to decline due to difficulties in maintaining and operating them following the bursting of the bubble economy.
Saga believes that even with the return to workplaces following the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of companies with in-house prepared cafeterias will not increase in the future.
"More and more companies are introducing in-house programs such as provision of boxed lunches and meal subsidies as part of their welfare programs, rather than cafeterias, and this trend is expected to continue in the future," he said.
He additionally pointed out, "A certain percentage of people, both new graduates and mid-career hires, base their choice of employment not only on salary, but also on generous benefits."
