Mos Burger Is Printing Money

[YoungFarang13]

A very good place to grab a bite to eat and the system is brilliant. The burgers and fries beat Mcdonalds by a mile and the restaurant is clean and does not smell bad. Service is fast. The place is absolutely packed all day, every day.

[Fantasteak]

A very good place to grab a bite to eat and the system is brilliant. The burgers and fries beat Mcdonalds by a mile and the restaurant is clean and does not smell bad. Service is fast. The place is absolutely packed all day, every day.

Is there something in the air today? You would hope a burger bar did'nt smell. Most places beat Mcdonalds. Where the bloomin eck is it?

Really is it just me or are there some real dodgy postd today? It is 2nd April.

[PadThaiGuy]

The food is so-so but they a have customers lined up.

I don't get it?

[junkofdavid2]

The food is so-so but they a have customers lined up.

I don't get it?

It's a moderately popular Japanese brand.

We're in THAILAND.

Now do you get it?

[toptuan]

I hit the MOS burger establishment a couple of times while working in Japan. Doesn't hold a candle to MacDonald's gourmet dining!

[TokyoT]

The food is OK but I am not willing to queue up to wait, so I have only eaten at the one in Central World a couple of times. Both times I had to wait nearly 10 mins for my food - after I placed my order. I think this might be why they seem to always have a queue – takes them too bloody long to get the food to you after you order.

When I am in Japan I will stop in at MOS from time to time – but really nothing special.

[vegas]

Wait for them to expand, then 100+ copycat shops will open, then 1 year down the track Mos Burger will disappear, just like Rotiboy.

[rak sa_ngop]

Wait for them to expand, then 100+ copycat shops will open, then 1 year down the track Mos Burger will disappear, just like Rotiboy.

What did happen to Rotiboy??

Maybe they fled back to Malaysia with bagfulls of Baht banknotes, because there were queues outside the Silom branch for nearly a year (until the copycats opened up).

[MrPaddy]

Thaksin Jr bought it just before the ques stopped coming.

Shrewd business man that Jr is.

As for MOS, I think it is ok, better than MacDonalds but then the burgers are also too sloppy. The chips are excellent though.

[ashacat]

It is an average Japanese fast food chain (slightly better than McD's) which is popular with the young Thais many of whom worship all things Japanese.

[YoungFarang13]

Wait for them to expand, then 100+ copycat shops will open, then 1 year down the track Mos Burger will disappear, just like Rotiboy.

What did happen to Rotiboy??

Maybe they fled back to Malaysia with bagfulls of Baht banknotes, because there were queues outside the Silom branch for nearly a year (until the copycats opened up).

well... who ran rotiboy?

[PadThaiGuy]

The food is so-so but they a have customers lined up.

I don't get it?

It's a moderately popular Japanese brand.

We're in THAILAND.

Now do you get it?

Thanks for the expert commentary.

Don't think you'll be earning the Nobel Prize in economic theory, but thanks anyway.

[rak sa_ngop]

Wait for them to expand, then 100+ copycat shops will open, then 1 year down the track Mos Burger will disappear, just like Rotiboy.

What did happen to Rotiboy??

Maybe they fled back to Malaysia with bagfulls of Baht banknotes, because there were queues outside the Silom branch for nearly a year (until the copycats opened up).

well... who ran rotiboy?

I found this dated Nation article on Google:

"Rotiboy denies it's in talks with Shinawatras

The owner of the Malaysian Rotiboy chain of bakeries has denied a rumour that he has been in talks with members of the Shinawatra family concerning a master franchise of Rotiboy in Thailand.

Hiro Tan, an owner of Rotiboy Bakeshoppe Sdn Bhd, said that the company hadn't approached anyone yet to be its master franchisee in Thailand. It has been operating in Thailand since November 25 last year.

Rotiboy is considered Bangkok's hottest bakery.

There have been rumours that a member of the Shinawatra family is negotiating to become Rotiboy's master franchisee.

Rotiboy has two branches in Bangkok, one on Silom Road and another in Siam Square, both characterised by long queues.

Tan said Rotiboy is considering having a master franchisee in Thailand and will commence talks with interested parties later. But, the company will not take this step until it finishes its first phase of branch expansion in June.

Wed, March 1, 2006

[raybkk]

Wait for them to expand, then 100+ copycat shops will open, then 1 year down the track Mos Burger will disappear, just like Rotiboy.

What did happen to Rotiboy??

Maybe they fled back to Malaysia with bagfulls of Baht banknotes, because there were queues outside the Silom branch for nearly a year (until the copycats opened up).

well... who ran rotiboy?

I found this dated Nation article on Google:

"Rotiboy denies it's in talks with Shinawatras

The owner of the Malaysian Rotiboy chain of bakeries has denied a rumour that he has been in talks with members of the Shinawatra family concerning a master franchise of Rotiboy in Thailand.

Hiro Tan, an owner of Rotiboy Bakeshoppe Sdn Bhd, said that the company hadn't approached anyone yet to be its master franchisee in Thailand. It has been operating in Thailand since November 25 last year.

Rotiboy is considered Bangkok's hottest bakery.

There have been rumours that a member of the Shinawatra family is negotiating to become Rotiboy's master franchisee.

Rotiboy has two branches in Bangkok, one on Silom Road and another in Siam Square, both characterised by long queues.

Tan said Rotiboy is considering having a master franchisee in Thailand and will commence talks with interested parties later. But, the company will not take this step until it finishes its first phase of branch expansion in June.

Wed, March 1, 2006

They have now closed there MBK branch as well...

[lomatopo]

Mos Burgers seems to do well wherever they open stores...Japan, Taiwan, Singapore, Hong Kong. The original store in Central World seems to still be quite full, as evidenced by other posts lamenting the wait-times, after what, almost a year of operation. They have built a brand which might be difficult to challenge or copy?

Have yet to see any competitors. This chain is focused on Thai, Japanese and Asian customers. I wouldn't expect the typical TV poster to be a target customer. I like and enjoy the burgers, and have eaten at the Central World and Paragon stores 50+ times.

There were a few stories in the press recently re: expansion and sales figures to date which were astounding (one of which I pasted below). Clearly they've got a good focus on the market.

http://www.mos.co.jp/english/history/

RESTAURANTS

MOS Burger sets first-year sales goal of B170 million

PORNNALAT PRACHYAKORN

MOS Burger (Thailand) Co, a Japanese restaurant chain, aims to generate 170 million baht in sales this year following the opening of five new outlets in Bangkok.

The company is spending about about 50 million baht on the five outlets, the first of which opened at Central Chidlom last month. The second is scheduled to open at Siam Paragon on Monday.

''We hope to earn about six million baht per month from our Siam Paragon outlet, which is our largest branch in the world,'' said Yasumasa Asai, the company's chairman.

The other three branches are to be opened later this year in The Emporium, Siam Square and Thong Lo.

Mr Asai said the main customers of MOS Burger were well-educated and health-conscious consumers, about 90% of them Thai, and the rest were Japanese and westerners.

''We saw potential in Thailand because middle-income earners are rising and Japanese foods are popular here,'' he said. ''We're different from other fast-food restaurants that normally have their foods made in the factory. We start cooking after the customers place their orders.''

The original recipe for the unique burgers is from Japan but about 95% of the ingredients are from Thailand, the rest are imported from New Zealand, the US and Mexico. Its product prices range from 39 to 79 baht.

The company did not import ingredients from Japan since import tax from Japan is as high as 35%, he said.

It has no plan to increase prices this year despite rising costs of production. The company's main business strategy focuses on clean, fresh and healthy products.

The first MOS Burger outlet, at CentralWorld, opened last year and generated total sales of 50 million baht.

MOS Burger is owned and operated by MOS Food, which is Japan's second largest hamburger chain operator. It has 1,500 restaurants throughout Japan and in other Asian countries such as Taiwan, Singapore and Hong Kong.

[YoungFarang13]

the wait times for me have never been more than a few minutes. and you can tell the food is much fresher than mcdonalds. also, their prices are the same at paragon as they are the other branches, unlike every other restaurant in paragon who has higher prices or smaller portions. paragon's fuji branch serves these shrunk child sized bento sets, its comical. their business model works well and they are PRINTING MONEY.

[Ulysses G.]

you can tell the food is much fresher than mcdonalds.

Fresher frozen beef patties or fresher frozen fries?

[YoungFarang13]

you can tell the food is much fresher than mcdonalds.

Fresher frozen beef patties or fresher frozen fries?

mcdonalds cooks their burgers then sticks them in a microwave. a frozen patty cooked and served to you is much fresher. fwiw, i dont think freezing meat hurts the flavor too much. you are paying 40 baht for crissakes do you expect gourmet food?

[Ulysses G.]

you can tell the food is much fresher than mcdonalds.

Fresher frozen beef patties or fresher frozen fries?

a frozen patty cooked and served to you is much fresher.

Not where I come from.

[thaigene2]

Their success is probably their location - you can't miss it it you enter frm the Skytrain Chit Lom end - and people think it must be good since people are lining up for it. I'll give it a go. But I still think White Spot Triple 'O' in the same Central World is best burger so far in Bangkok by a country mile (it's on 6 or 7 floor - next to the Woodfired Pizza place and Central World Food Hall - basically a fancy Tops)

[MidoriApple]

Just ate 2days ago at Central Chidlom, no queuing, very few customers

3rd time for me, not fancied of, but friend who much younger and still in teenager-mode needed to..

I feel about MOS is fine, nice food, especially the burger-bread is softer and yummier than other big-brand burgers in Thailand.

But just that for me, I don't feel like to by myself...

For me, I prefer Burger King (compare to just big-brand)

When they first opened shop in Central World, I found it was ridiculous to queuing and the lines were badly long....

Just curious how come of that long-lining?

The services made it, too few ordering counter and too details for customers.

IMO, this MOS will much longer lasting than RotiBoy... as it quality.

RotiBoy is cheap.... just easy tactic to use the coffee scent and freshy baked bread and indulged people nearby.

No surprised they are no more existance in Thailand.

[Florin]

I also think they will do well...their prices are quite good, much better than Burger King, and as mentioned before, all things Japanese are popular here. Plus, it really is a unique style of burger, so there should be no issues in maintaining their share of the market.