Ranking of Japan's Top 10 Cafe Chains and Their Characteristics
Based on the latest information as of April 28, 2024 , we will introduce the top 10 popular cafe chains in Japan, along with their characteristics, popular menu items, recommendations, customer reviews, management philosophy, store interiors, and employee management.
Ranking
- Starbucks Coffee
- Komeda Coffee Shop
- Doutor Coffee Shop
- Tully's Coffee
- Saint Marc Cafe
- Ueshima Coffee Shop
- Renoir
- Excelsior Cafe
- Vie de France
- Mister Donut
1. Starbucks Coffee
- Features:
- The world's largest coffee chain
- High quality coffee and a wide range of drinks
- Comfortable space and Wi-Fi
- Seasonal and regional menus
- Sales of Starbucks goods
- Popular menu items:
- Starbucks Latte
- Caramel Macchiato
- Frappuccino
- recommendation:
- Check out the limited time menu and new drinks
- Smooth ordering with mobile order & pay
- Use the Wi-Fi environment for work and study
- What users say:
- Cozy
- Great atmosphere
- The drinks are delicious
- The staff was friendly.
- Management Philosophy:
- Providing our customers with the best coffee experience
- Contributing to the local community
- Commitment to environmental protection
- Store interior:
- Chic and calm atmosphere
- A warm space incorporating wood and greenery
- Different designs depending on the store
- Employee Management:
- Thorough hospitality training
- A work environment that respects diversity
others
- Starbucks Coffee is the world's largest coffee chain and was founded in the United States in 1971.
- The first store opened in Japan in 1996, and the company now has approximately 1,700 stores nationwide.
- Starbucks Coffee is popular for its high quality coffee and comfortable atmosphere.
- Another attraction is the constant introduction of new items, including seasonal and regional menu items.
Reference information
- Starbucks Coffee Official Website: Starbucks Coffee Japan: https://www.starbucks.co.jp/
2. Komeda Coffee Shop
- Features:
- A coffee shop chain originating from Nagoya
- A full range of morning services
- A spacious interior with comfortable sofas
- Free Wi-Fi
- Popular menu items:
- Morning Set
- Shironoir
- Plenty of iced coffee
- recommendation:
- Eat toast and boiled eggs for breakfast
- Shiro Noire for dessert
- Relax and read in a spacious space
- What users say:
- A fulfilling morning menu
- Great atmosphere
- Cozy
- The food is delicious
- Management Philosophy:
- Providing a space where customers can relax both physically and mentally
- Contributing to the local community
- Pursuing employee happiness
- Store interior:
- A warm space with plenty of wood
- There are many sofa seats
- Different designs depending on the store
others
- Komeda Coffee is a coffee shop chain founded in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture in 1968.
- Currently, the company operates approximately 900 stores nationwide, mainly in the Tokai region.
- Komeda Coffee is famous for its morning service, which includes a boiled egg and toast with the price of your drink.
- They also have a popular dessert called Shiro Noire, which is a Danish pastry topped with soft serve ice cream and warm sauce.
- You can relax in the spacious interior and on the comfortable sofas.
Reference information
- Komeda Coffee Official Website: https://www.komeda.co.jp/
3. Doutor Coffee Shop
- Features:
- Stores across Japan
- Reasonable price
- Specializing in take-out
- Light meal menu including sandwiches and sweets
- Popular menu items:
- Doutor Blend Coffee
- Milano Sandwich
- Oven-baked curry bread
- recommendation:
- Morning set with coffee and toast
- Take-out lunch
- Cafe time at a reasonable price
- What users say:
- reasonable
- Easy
- early
- delicious
- Management Philosophy:
- Providing customers with relaxation and vitality
- Contributing to society
- Supporting employee growth
- Store interior:
- A simple and functional space
- There are many counter seats
- Different designs depending on the store
- Employee Management:
- Thoroughly follow the manual and emphasize speed of operation
- Appropriate human resource development and career path construction
Reference information
- Doutor Coffee Shop Official Website: Doutor Coffee: https://www.doutor.co.jp/
Doutor Coffee is a major cafe chain with approximately 1,200 stores across Japan. It is popular with busy office workers and students thanks to its reasonable prices and takeout-focused operations. It also offers a wide range of morning sets and light meal menus, making it a great place for lunch.
4th place: Tully's Coffee
detail
- Features:
- A cafe chain originating from Seattle
- Carefully Selected Coffee Beans
- Relaxing space
- Stores with bar counters
- Popular menu items:
- Tully's Coffee
- New York Cheesecake
- Baked cheese cake
- recommendation:
- Taste the finest coffee
- Spend time in a relaxing space
- Enjoy a night cafe at the bar counter
- What users say:
- The coffee is delicious
- Great atmosphere
- You can relax
- Good service
- Management Philosophy:
- Providing customers with a "quality coffee experience"
- Coexistence with the local community
- Supporting employee growth
- Store interior:
- A stylish space reminiscent of Seattle's cityscape
- There are table seats and sofa seats.
- Stores with bar counters
- Employee Management:
- They are focusing on improving coffee knowledge and skills, for example by holding barista contests.
- Providing diverse career paths for employees
others
- Tully's Coffee is a Japanese cafe chain founded in 1996.
- The company operates approximately 750 stores nationwide.
- Sales in 2021 will be approximately 25 billion yen.
- Tully's Coffee is popular for its carefully selected coffee beans and relaxing atmosphere.
- Some stores also have a bar counter, so you can enjoy a cafe at night.
Reference information
- Tully's Coffee Official Website: https://www.tullys.co.jp/
Ranking 5th to 10th
5. Saint Marc Cafe
- Features:
- A cafe with a French flair
- Reasonable price
- Light meal menu including pasta and doria
- A wide variety of cakes
- Popular menu items:
- Authentic oven-baked Neapolitan pizza
- Saint Marc Cafe au Lait
- Chocolate Croissant
- recommendation:
- Lunch set of pasta, pizza and drink
- Reasonable cafe time
- Choose your favorite from a wide variety of cakes
- What users say:
- Great atmosphere
- A wide variety of menu items
- reasonable
- delicious
- Management Philosophy:
- Providing customers with "relaxation" and "time to relax"
- Contributing to the local community
- Supporting employee growth
- Store interior:
- A stylish space reminiscent of a French cafe
- There are table seats and sofa seats.
- Different designs depending on the store
6. Ueshima Coffee Shop
- Features:
- A specialty store that specializes in siphon coffee
- Carefully Selected Coffee Beans
- A relaxed and mature space
- Free Wi-Fi
- Popular menu items:
- Siphon Coffee
- Hot sandwich
- cake
- recommendation:
- Enjoy specially made coffee brewed with a siphon
- A relaxing space where you can concentrate on reading or working
- Enjoy sweets that go well with coffee
- What users say:
- The coffee is delicious
- Great atmosphere
- You can relax
- Good service
- Management Philosophy:
- Providing authentic coffee to our customers
- Educate employees and improve their skills
- Cherishing connections with the local community
- Store interior:
- A chic and relaxed adult space
- There are table seats and counter seats.
- Different designs depending on the store
- Employee Management:
- Provide specialized training on coffee brewing methods and knowledge
- We also focus on training to improve customer service.
Reference information
- Ueshima Coffee Official Website: https://www.ueshima-coffee-ten.jp/
Ueshima Coffee is a specialty store where you can enjoy authentic coffee brewed with a siphon coffee machine. You can enjoy your coffee at your own pace in a relaxed, adult atmosphere.
7. Renoir
- Features:
- A long-established coffee shop originating from Ginza
- Classic atmosphere
- A rich menu ranging from light meals to full courses
- Alcoholic drinks also available
- Popular menu items:
- Omelette rice
- Chicago Pizza
- Sunday
- recommendation:
- Enjoy the atmosphere of a classic coffee shop
- Choose from a wide range of menu items from light snacks to full meals
- Great for work or meetings too.
- What users say:
- Great atmosphere
- A wide variety of menu items
- You can relax
- Good service
- Management Philosophy:
- Preserving tradition while incorporating new ideas
- Providing customers with a relaxing time
- Improving employee skills
- Store interior:
- Classic and relaxed atmosphere
- There are table seats and sofa seats.
- Different designs depending on the store
- Employee Management:
- Training provided to provide traditional coffee shop service
- Emphasis on calm customer service manners and improving product knowledge
Reference information
- Renoir official website: https://www.ginza-renoir.co.jp/
Renoir is a long-established coffee shop that originated in Ginza. In a classical and relaxed atmosphere, you can enjoy a wide range of menu items from light meals to full meals. We also provide a space suitable for work, meetings, etc.
8. Excelsior Cafe
- Features:
- A specialty store that specializes in Italian espresso
- Authentic espresso drinks
- Food menu using Italian ingredients
- Reasonable price
- Popular menu items:
- Cafe latte
- cappuccino
- Focaccia sandwich
- recommendation:
- Enjoy an authentic espresso drink
- A space where you can feel the Italian atmosphere
- Easy cafe time
- What users say:
- The coffee is delicious
- Great atmosphere
- reasonable
- Easy
- Management Philosophy:
- To provide authentic Italian espresso
- Providing customers with "relaxation" and "time to relax"
- Educate employees and improve their skills
- Store interior:
- A stylish space reminiscent of an Italian cafe
- There are counter seats and table seats.
- Different designs depending on the store
detail
- Features:
- Reasonable price
- Specializing in take-out
- Light meal menu including sandwiches and sweets
- Freshly Brewed Coffee
- Popular menu items:
- hot dog
- sandwich
- coffee
- recommendation:
- Enjoy a reasonable cafe time
- Take-out lunch
- Taste freshly brewed coffee
- What users say:
- reasonable
- Easy
- early
- delicious
- Management Philosophy:
- Providing customers with relaxation and vitality
- Contributing to the local community
- Supporting employee growth
- Store interior:
- A simple and functional space
- There are many counter seats
- Different designs depending on the store
- Employee Management:
- Thorough customer service training
- A work environment that respects employee autonomy
others
- Veloce is a Japanese cafe chain founded in 2001.
- The company operates approximately 1,800 stores nationwide.
- Sales in 2021 will be approximately 35 billion yen.
- Veloce is popular for its reasonable price and ease of use.
- It specializes in takeout, so it's recommended for busy people.
10th place: Mister Donut
detail
- Features:
- American donut chain
- A wide variety of donuts
- Drinks and snacks menu
- Stores with kids' spaces
- Popular menu items:
- Angel Ring
- Pon de Ring
- Chocolate donut
- recommendation:
- Choose from a wide variety of donuts
- Donut and drink set
- A space to have fun with kids
- What users say:
- The donuts are delicious
- A wide variety of menu items
- atmosphere
- There is a kids space
- Management Philosophy:
- To provide our customers with "delicious donuts" and "fun times"
- Contributing to the local community
- Supporting employee growth
- Store interior:
- American atmosphere
- There are table seats and counter seats.
- Stores with kids' spaces
others
- Mister Donut is a Japanese donut chain founded in 1970.
- The company operates approximately 1,200 stores nationwide.
- Sales in 2021 will be approximately 30 billion yen.
- Mister Donut is popular for its wide variety of donuts and drinks.
- Many stores also have kids' spaces, making them popular with families.