The Complete List of US Fast Food Chains in Japan

McDonald's ~3,025

Japan's largest US chain by a wide margin - nearly 1,000 more locations than the next-biggest US brand in the country. Covers all 47 prefectures.

As of end-2025, up 36 stores year over year.

Burger King ~130-150

Positioned as a premium option next to McDonald's, concentrated in major cities - Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, Yokohama, Fukuoka.

Wendy's First Kitchen 75

A genuine hybrid chain, not just Wendy's with a Japanese storefront - created when Wendy's Japan acquired the Japanese chain First Kitchen in 2016. 75 stores now carry the co-branded Wendy's First Kitchen menu; a further 31 remain pure First Kitchen locations without Wendy's items.

75 co-branded + 31 First Kitchen-only, per The Japan Times, October 2025.

Taco Bell 10

Relaunched in Japan in 2015 with its first store in Shibuya. Growth has stayed deliberately cautious ever since - 7 locations in Tokyo, plus Yokohama, Osaka, and Chiba.

Carl's Jr. Handful

Confirmed open in Tokyo (Akihabara, Odaiba), but no official total store count has been published - a small, low-profile footprint compared to its ~3,000 stores worldwide.

Shake Shack 11+

A strong footprint across Tokyo's best neighborhoods (Shinjuku, Shibuya, Roppongi, Ebisu, Marunouchi) plus Osaka and Kyoto, at a higher price point than the fast food majors. Expect lines at busy locations. Opened its first Japanese airport location at Narita in September 2025.

KFC 1,277

Home of Japan's famous Christmas Party Barrel tradition, dating to a 1974 marketing campaign. Acquired by Carlyle Group from Mitsubishi Corp in 2024, with a 1,700-location target by fiscal 2030.

1,277 locations as of March 2025, per Verdict Food Service.

Popeyes 0 public Military-only

Popeyes exists in Japan - but only on US military bases (Yokosuka Naval Base, Yokota Air Base, Misawa Air Base, Naval Air Facility Atsugi, and Kadena Air Base/Camp Foster in Okinawa). None of its 5 locations are open to the general public.

Pizza Hut 515

The larger of Japan's two major US pizza chains by current store count, with delivery-focused locations nationwide.

515 locations as of February 2026.

Domino's ~800-830

Domino's Japan menu leans hardest into local flavor of any US chain here - Mayo Jaga, teriyaki chicken, and seafood toppings dominate over pepperoni. But the brand is mid-restructuring: its largest franchisee announced the closure of 172+ underperforming stores through 2025, down from roughly 1,000 in February 2025.

~1,000 locations Feb 2025, minus 172+ announced 2025 closures.

Shakey's Pizza 2

One of the great US chain survival stories - Shakey's nearly disappeared in America but thrived in Japan with its all-you-can-eat pizza and potato buffet. Down to two Tokyo locations (Ikebukuro, Shinjuku) after the Shibuya store permanently closed in February 2025.

Starbucks ~2,120

Japan's second-largest US chain, and the country with the largest Starbucks footprint outside the US and China. Runs a genuinely different seasonal drink lineup than the US menu - see the Japan-exclusive items page for specifics.

~2,105-2,135 locations, end 2025 / August 2026.

Subway 215

Subway Japan peaked around 480 locations in 2014 before a steep decline, dropping as low as 178 post-pandemic. New owner Watami now aims to grow it past 1,000 locations over the next decade.

215 locations, December 2025.

Baskin Robbins ("31 Ice Cream") ~1,200

The most numerous US-origin dessert brand in Japan by a wide margin - bigger than Denny's or Pizza Hut, despite a much lower public profile. Operated by Japanese partner B-R 31 Ice Cream Company since 1973, branded locally as "31" for its "one flavor per day of the month" concept.

Approaching 1,200 locations as of 2024.

Krispy Kreme ~90

Most locations are small-format shops inside train stations, department stores, and shopping mall food courts rather than standalone stores.

~90 locations as of August 2026, verified against the official store locator.

Cinnabon Handful

Returned to Japan in 2012 with a Roppongi store, since adding Harajuku, Kichijoji, Futakotamagawa, Saitama, and airport/train station kiosks. No comprehensive current total has been published.

Cold Stone Creamery 2

Down from 5 nationwide locations as recently as late 2023. The last remaining Tokyo shop, in Harajuku, closed permanently in April 2025.

2 locations remaining as of April 2025.

Denny's 316

Important: Denny's Japan (デニーズ) is operated under license but runs its own separate menu - Japanese comfort food like rice dishes, tempura, pasta, and Japanese-style desserts rather than the American pancakes-and-Grand-Slams menu. Don't expect the US experience.

316 locations as of February 2025, concentrated in the Kanto region (~72% of stores).

Outback Steakhouse 9

Opened its first Japan location in April 2000 and has grown cautiously since, with locations across central Tokyo, Kanagawa, Chiba, Nagoya, and Osaka.

Hard Rock Cafe ~6

Locations in Tokyo (Roppongi, Ueno-Eki), Yokohama, Osaka (Universal CityWalk, plus a Namba Rock Shop that opened December 2025), and Kyoto.

Hooters 1

Hooters Japan filed for bankruptcy in 2019 and closed all but its Ginza, Tokyo location (down from a peak of 7 nationwide: Akasaka, Fukuoka, Ginza, Shibuya, Shinjuku, Nagoya, Osaka). The Ginza store is still open as of 2026.

Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. 3

The Forrest Gump-themed seafood chain has a surprisingly solid Japan footprint for a single-movie tie-in brand: two Tokyo locations (Tokyo Dome City LaQua, LaLaport Toyosu) and one at Universal CityWalk Osaka, the same complex as Hard Rock Cafe.

A&W 27 Okinawa-only

Japan's first A&W opened in Okinawa, and the chain has never expanded to mainland Japan - a legacy of the US military presence there since the 1960s. Locations span Okinawa's main island (north, middle, and south) plus the outlying islands of Ishigaki and Miyako.

27 locations listed (one marked closed), per A&W Okinawa's own official store locator, checked September 2026.

Panda Express 9

Returned to Japan in November 2016 with a Kawasaki location after an earlier franchise agreement lapsed. 7 civilian locations are open to the public - outlet malls and shopping centers in Tokyo (Shibuya, Machida), Kanagawa, Osaka, and Okinawa - plus 2 more on US military bases.

9 locations total (7 civilian + 2 military base), per Panda Express Japan's own site.