Brand Demonstrates Continued Commitment to Quality, Sustainability and Affordability
Pepper Lunch, the Japanese-born experiential fast-casual concept unlike any other, with more than 500 locations in 15 countries, is enhancing its entire menu, with a focus on elevated quality and operational simplicity. The updates are focused on improving the already great ingredient quality, taste, and variety of Pepper Lunch’s dishes while embracing sustainable business practices.
The Pepper Lunch leadership team, with full support of the global QA/QC, Operations, and Executive teams have spent 10 months painstakingly reviewing every ingredient they serve. Leadership reviewed and inspected existing and new purveyors facilities, revisiting recipes to ensure contemporary tastes are considered and more to develop this comprehensive menu update that they know will be greatly enjoyed by its North American guests!
Menu updates with a focus first on flavor and value include:
- More Beef in Pepper Lunch’s Top-Selling Dish
- The Beef Pepper Rice will now feature 11% more beef, with no added cost to the franchisee or guest
- Elevated Beef Quality to Certified Angus Beef
- Along with the previously mentioned Sliced Beef, the company’s new Angus Diced Steak offering has been upgraded from Choice Grade Angus Beef to Certified Angus Beef, which not only boosts the meat quality by two grades, while also does not increase the cost to store operators
- Sustainably Sourced New Additions
- Chicken: Now sourced from sustainable practices, and featuring a new recipe ensuring each bite is deliciously consistent
- Shrimp: Larger, pre-cooked shrimp that are tastier and packed with value
- Salmon: Hand-cut salmon filets that are responsibly sourced for an unparalleled taste and have been negotiated to generate a significant cost reduction to our franchise partners, while providing a far superior experience to our guests
- Authentic Miso Soup Experience
- Pepper Lunch has switched to a new miso soup provider to bring a richer, more authentic Japanese quality to this side
Menu changes with an eye toward simplifying and streamlining store-level operations include:
- Optimized Steak Selection
- To simplify choices and enhance the dining experience, Pepper Lunch has streamlined its steak selections. This change focuses on offering the best in terms of cut, quality, and price across our steak category
- Enhanced Safety and Flavor in Hamburg Steak
- The Hamburg steak is now pre-cooked to guarantee the safest and most flavorful experience every time
- Vegetable Refresh
- Replacing bean sprouts with a shredded cabbage and brussels sprouts mix, enhancing both the flavor profile and the safety of its dishes
- Removal of Less-Popular Offerings
- Eel and Scallops have been removed to simplify operations and better align with guest preferences
Lastly, Pepper Lunch is further listening to guests by offering menu flexibility, including:
- Exciting New Sides and Combo Options
- Guests can dive into new side options like Fried Ebi and enjoy the flexibility of selecting any in-house vegetable as a side
- The revamped combo menu now includes Pepper Rice Combos, allowing guests to mix two proteins of their choice for a personalized dish
“These updates are a thoughtful, strategic step toward strengthening the brand’s promise of offering a unique and high-quality dining experience,” said Pepper Lunch CEO, Troy Hooper.
“Whether it’s the improved quality of our meats or the introduction of sustainable sourcing practices, every change has been made with our guests and team in mind.”
Established in 1994, Pepper Lunch is one of Japan’s largest homegrown franchise restaurant brands with over 500 locations in 15 countries. Renowned for quality food served in a unique and innovative way for dining in or delivery, and with guests being able to get in, dine, and be on their way in 20 minutes for under $20, the beloved Japanese-based brand seeks experienced franchise partners to expand its proven business model and cutting-edge customer offerings across the United States.
The original fast casual Japanese D-I-Y teppan restaurant, Pepper Lunch was founded in 1994 by one of Japan’s most famous chefs and entrepreneurs who wanted to introduce affordable premium steaks with quality ingredients served on a sizzling iron plate. Deliciously irresistible, Pepper Lunch proudly offers quality, tasty, and affordable meals sourced from the finest ingredients paired with an unforgettable experience. For more information about Pepper Lunch, please visit PepperLunchRestaurants.com.
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