The Oldest Chain Restaurant In The World Didn't Start In The US

While fast food may seem like a quintessentially American idea, folks around the globe have always had need for quick and simple food. The United States has many fast food chains more than a century old, but none as old as a simple beef bowl fast food chain from Japan. Although those outside of Southern California may have never heard of it, the world's oldest fast food chain, Yoshinoya, grew from a humble fisherman's meal to over 2,000 locations over its 127-year existence.

The first Yoshinoya store opened in a fish market in Nihonbashi, Tokyo, in 1899, named for Yoshino, the birthplace of founder Eikichi Matsuda. "Yoshinoya" is a combination of the Japanese words for luck, field, and house. So, when Matsuda opened a shop selling gyudon — a Japanese beef dish you should know about — it quickly fed hungry fishermen with filling, hearty bowls of thinly sliced beef and onions over rice. However, the original shop and the subsequent second location were both destroyed, the first in a 1923 earthquake and the second in the 1945 Tokyo air raids.

After rebuilding, Yoshinoya Co., Ltd. was established in 1958, and by 1975, Yoshinoya opened its first restaurant abroad in Denver, Colorado, retitled as simply "Beef Bowl." However, Yoshinoya's expansion wasn't all smooth sailing, as the company filed for bankruptcy in 1980. After some serious changes, both business-related and in the food quality, Yoshinoya has since recovered from darker times.

Compared to international menus, which feature more Japanese-leaning items like deep brown curry, eel, and raw egg yolk add-ons, Yoshinoya locations in the United States have a menu that caters more to the American palette. While U.S. locations do offer the original gyudon beef bowl, other protein options include both teriyaki and habanero grilled chicken, teriyaki grilled salmon and rib eye, and soy-marinated Tokyo fried chicken.

Base options for bowls range from white or brown rice to udon noodles to steamed vegetables. Snacks like tempura shrimp, edamame, and crispy gyoza are featured as well, along with a seemingly out-of-place clam chowder. Leaning into the American market, the desserts on offer consist of New York-style cheesecake in a few flavor options and even chocolate chip cookies.

As of January 2026, Yoshinoya boasts 1,287 stores in Japan and 1,044 around the rest of the world, with a total number of locations at 2,896, according to Yoshinoya Holdings. Mostly spread out in various countries in Asia, such as Taiwan, China, and Indonesia, there are 102 locations in the United States. Almost all of these are concentrated in Southern California, with the majority in Los Angeles County. If you're located outside of Japan or Southern California, make your own Yoshinoya signature dish at home with our gyudon (beef rice bowl) recipe.