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In Japan, Yoshinoya (吉野家) is the largest among beef
bowl (or gyūdon) restaurants and one of the leading fast food chains. It
is often shortened to "yoshi gyū" (meaning Yoshinoya's beef) among its
enthusiasts. Its popular motto is "cheap, quick and yummy".
In the early 2000s, Yoshinoya triggered a discount war in Japan along
with other chains such as McDonald's, by introducing a regular gyudon dish
for 280 yen.
However, in late 2001 the mad cow incident critically damaged the sales
on Yoshinoya's beef menu. In late 2003, Japan suspended imports of
American beef due to BSE fears, cutting off Yoshinoya's largest supplier
and forcing it to terminate gyudon sales on February 11, 2004.
Yoshinoya also has an ambitious plan to expand its chain overseas.
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