Wagyu Street

Table of Contents
Open

Wagyu Street combines the allure of wagyu beef with the casual fun of street food. This article discusses the Wagyu Street franchise, including the brand’s background and key menu features.

About Business MA:
Operator of Wagyu Street

Wagyu Streetの店内画像
Image source: Wagyu Street official website
(https://wagyustreet.com/franchise/)

This brand is an original U.S.-born concept produced by the Japanese yakiniku chain Gyushige. It reworks high-quality beef, such as wagyu and USDA Prime, into a casual format that can be enjoyed in food courts and other settings.

Business MA handles the practical aspects of franchise recruitment and local rollout in the United States, including support for E-2 investor visas, commercial real estate, and M&A. Business MA provides procedural support for investment immigration in collaboration with Japanese-speaking staff, including support related to properties, business planning, and financing.

The Value of Franchising
with Wagyu Street

焼肉の画像
Image source: Wagyu Street official website
(https://wagyustreet.com/franchise/)

A Store Strategy Suited
to Everyday Use Makes It Easier
to Generate Profitability

Wagyu Street is designed to bring a rich wagyu experience to everyday settings like food courts and food halls. The menu features a wide range of grades, including USDA Prime, American wagyu, and Japanese wagyu, and meals can be customized by selecting different cuts and sauces.

Wagyu beef has traditionally been associated with high-end restaurants and viewed as a dining choice for special occasions. However, Wagyu Street incorporates wagyu into various offerings such as bento boxes, bowls, sandwiches, salads, sushi, and curry. This approach optimizes pricing, service speed, and turnover rates, while simultaneously broadening access to the experience.

The food-court-ready QSR model also leads to a leaner staffing structure and reduced capital investment, making it easier to shorten the time to return on investment.

Boosting Average Spend
with Diverse Menu Design
and Sake Pairings

The brand’s menu offers a high degree of flexibility with combinations of a base, meat, and sauce, while the operations are easily standardized.

The design allows customers to select from USDA Prime, American wagyu, or Japanese wagyu across formats such as bento, sandwiches, bowls and salads, sushi, and curry, and complete the dish with an original yakiniku sauce.

Wagyu Street clearly highlights sake pairings, creating a slightly upscale experience even within a food court and helping raise average check. Pairing-based recommendations are well suited to attracting customers in the evening and meeting weekend event demand, and they are also effective for traffic-flow planning that captures facility event traffic and nearby office demand.

As illustrated above, it is essential to evaluate potential profitability based on cuisine characteristics and to ensure that operations are manageable.This website details the culinary features and support structures provided by each franchise brand. We also feature three carefully selected Japanese franchise brands based on regional suitability, so please be sure to review them as well.

Choose by area characteristics
Three Selected
Japanese Food Franchises

Wagyu Street Support Overview

Before opening

  • Property search and commercial real estate brokerage support (major areas such as Los Angeles, Hawaii, etc.)
  • E-2 investor visa acquisition support
  • Support for developing business plans and investment plans (investment and M&A support)
  • Provision of a standard menu and operations package (introduction of Gyushige’s product supply and simplification model)
  • Provision of QSR format design with a focus on reducing initial investment (a lower-investment model compared to table-service formats)

After opening

  • Support for maintaining the supply of ingredients and sauces, and maintaining quality standards
  • Menu improvements and proposals for localized new products (traditional × fusion development strategy)
  • Ongoing operational consulting and expansion support (streamlined operations for multiple location expansion)
  • Local marketing collaboration (creating customer traffic flow through on-site announcements and event integration)

*Note that the content and scope of each item may vary depending on the region and contract conditions. For details, please check directly with the recruitment office.

Customer Feedback
on Wagyu Street

Tripadvisor rating

- - stars

No reviews were found on TripAdvisor.

Costs Associated
with Opening and Franchising
a Wagyu Street Restaurant

Franchise fee $40,000
Initial investment Total investment: $377,200 to $577,230 (estimated)
Royalty Not listed on the official website

Basic Information
on Wagyu Street

Company Name GYUSHIGE U.S.A. LLC
Total Number of Restaurants (Including Company-Operated Locations) 167 locations (2 in the United States and 165 in Asia)
Based on information from the official website as of November 13, 2025
Address 103 Bellevue Way NE Suite 3 Bellevue WA 98004

Summary by the Editorial Team

This model combines the premium quality of wagyu with a casual format, making it a strong fit for food halls and large commercial facilities.

For those looking to ramp up customer traffic in the short term, the appeal lies in leveraging facility traffic while capturing “little luxury” demand through sake pairings and limited-time menus. Even in highly competitive urban areas, the “Japanese brand = high quality” image can be leveraged, making it suitable for those who want to create higher average check size with differentiated offerings.

In terms of location, large commercial facilities in suburban areas with many families, as well as food halls in urban areas with a high proportion of high-income residents and a high level of multicultural openness, are particularly well suited.

This media platform also features three recommended Japanese franchise brands, carefully selected based on regional suitability. Please be sure to review them as well.

Choose by area characteristics
Three Selected
Japanese Food Franchises

Choose by area characteristics
Three Selected
Japanese Food Franchises

Even within Japanese food, the most receptive customer segments vary by genre. This section introduces recommended Japanese food genres based on the characteristics of the prospective area, along with Japanese franchise brands that already operate locations in the United States. The focus is on the food that can be offered by joining each franchise brand.

Target
Suburban Families
Yakiniku
Japanese BBQ
Features
Offers the fun of cooking at the table and a sense of occasion, making it ideal for family gatherings
Profitability
High average spend per customer, with additional revenue from alcohol sales
Operations
No special cooking skills are required as customers grill the food themselves.
Recommended Brand
Gyu-Kaku
Gyu-Kaku website
Source:Gyu-Kaku official website(https://www.gyu-kaku.com/)

Gyu-Kaku delivers authenticity through certified Japanese A5 Wagyu. By also featuring USDA Prime beef, they offer steakhouse-quality dining at accessible prices.

From import to processing, Japanese staff strictly manage quality at every step, delivering the same authentic flavor found in premium yakiniku restaurants in Japan.

Click to show financial details
Franchise fee $50,000
Initial investment Approx. $1,215,444 to $2,606,540
Royalty 5% on annual sales up to approx. $1,500,000
4.5% on annual sales from approx. $1,500,000 to $2,000,000
4% on annual sales over approx. $2,000,000
Number of restaurants 825 worldwide (including 63 in the United States and 580 in Asia)
TripAdvisor rating 4.3 out of 5.0 (442 reviews)*2
Target
Business Districts
Curry Rice
Japanese Curry
Features
A rice-and-curry combination served in a single dish, offering a filling and satisfying meal
Profitability
Customizable spice levels and toppings encourage repeat customers.
Operations
In-store preparation is simple, as ingredients are often pre-cut and only require heating before service
Recommended Brand
CoCo Ichibanya
CoCo Ichibanya
Source:CoCo Ichibanya official website(https://ichibanyausa.com/)

A wide range of toppings, from chicken katsu to omelets, ensures a fresh experience every visit, driving strong customer loyalty.

In addition to toppings, customers can adjust rice portions and spice levels, making the menu enjoyable for those who prefer milder flavors as well as those who want larger portions.

Click to show financial details
Initial franchise fee $40,000
Initial investment Not listed
Royalty Not listed
Number of restaurants 1,480 worldwide (including 11 in the United States and 1,467 in Asia)
TripAdvisor rating 4.3 out of 5.0 (41 reviews)*3
Target
Health-conscious affluent areas
Udon
Fresh Wheat Noodles
Features
Low in fat and calories, udon’s broth-based flavor profile is well received by health-conscious, affluent consumers.
Profitability
While unit prices are low, a high turnover rate can be expected.
Operations
Adopting a self-service style reduces the need for floor staff.
Recommended Brand
Marugame Udon
Marugame Udon
Source:Marugame Udon official website(https://ca.marugame.com/)

As a popular chain with 861 locations in Japan*1, franchisees are able to consistently serve udon noodles with a firm, chewy texture, supported by the headquarters after opening.

The noodle-making, boiling, and cooling processes are demonstrated in an open kitchen, allowing customers to enjoy a freshly made, live dining experience.

Click to show financial details
Franchise fee $40,000 to $64,000
Initial investment $1,126,500 to $1,980,000
Royalty 5% of sales
Number of restaurants 1,188 worldwide (including 23 in the United States and 1,155 in Asia)
TripAdvisor rating 4.5 out of 5.0 (108 reviews)*4

*1 Source: Marugame Udon official website(https://jp.marugame.com/shop/), as of a December 2025 survey

*2 TripAdvisor: New York City location, as of October 28, 2025(https://www.tripadvisor.jp/Restaurant_Review-g60763-d3175593-Reviews-Gyu_Kaku_Japanese_BBQ-New_York_City_New_York.html)

*3 TripAdvisor: Irvine location, as of October 28, 2025(https://www.tripadvisor.jp/Restaurant_Review-g32530-d9750729-Reviews-Coco_Ichibanya-Irvine_California.html)

*4 TripAdvisor: Los Angeles location, as of October 28, 2025(https://www.tripadvisor.jp/Restaurant_Review-g32655-d4019757-Reviews-Marugame_Monzo-Los_Angeles_California.html)

* TripAdvisor ratings are based on the highest-rated U.S. location.

*The number of restaurants is based on the following references. As of a December 2025 survey

Gyu-Kaku official website(https://www.gyukaku.ne.jp/world.php)

CoCo Ichibanya official website(https://www.ichibanya.co.jp/comp/ir/finance/highlight/graph01.html)

Marugame Udon official website(https://jp.marugame.com/shop/)