Survey of 3 Gyudon Chains: Sukiya, Matsuya, Yoshinoya | 1,000 Person Survey

Survey of 3 Gyudon Chains: Sukiya, Matsuya, Yoshinoya | Rank+ 1,000 Person Survey

Ibridge Inc. (Headquarters: Osaka City, Fukushima Ward, President: Kazuya Arakawa), which operates the ranking site "Rank+", conducted a survey on "Gyudon Chains" among 1,000 men and women nationwide aged 20 to 50.

When asked "Which store do you visit most often?" to those who regularly use gyudon chains (491 people), the results were: 1st place Sukiya (35.8%), 2nd place Yoshinoya (31.0%), and 3rd place Matsuya (26.1%).

Next, when asked about the "deciding factor for choosing that store," the reasons for selection varied by store. For Sukiya and Matsuya, "close/good location" was the top reason, while for Yoshinoya, "like the taste" was number one. Even among the same three chains, the reasons for being loved appear to be different.

Furthermore, when asked about "flavor changes" for those eating gyudon, "pickled ginger" was overwhelmingly in first place. Interesting results also emerged, showing that what people add changes by generation.

Survey Results Highlights

1 Ranking of Most Frequently Visited Gyudon Chains

Graph of generational usage rates for the 3 gyudon chains

When asked to name one "most frequently visited store" among the 491 people who regularly use gyudon chains, the results were close: 1st place Sukiya with 176 people (35.8%), 2nd place Yoshinoya with 152 people (31.0%), and 3rd place Matsuya with 128 people (26.1%).

Looking at age groups, "Sukiya" was the most frequently visited store for those in their 20s, 40s, and 50s, while "Yoshinoya" was the top choice for those in their 30s, indicating a slight shift in the "number one store" depending on the generation.

[Related Article] Popular Gyudon Chain Ranking | 1,000 Person Survey

2 "Deciding Factor" for Selection – Yoshinoya is "Taste," Sukiya and Matsuya are "Proximity"

When asked about the reason for visiting a store most often (multiple responses allowed), the deciding factors differed by store. For Sukiya, "close/good location" (55.7%) was the top reason, with "like the taste" ranking third (30.7%). For Matsuya as well, "close/good location" (39.8%) and "cheap/good cost performance" (39.1%) were closely contested for the top spots, with "like the taste" ranking third (27.3%).

On the other hand, "like the taste" (44.1%) was the number one reason for Yoshinoya. Among the three chains, Yoshinoya was the only one to list "taste" as the top deciding factor. Stores chosen for convenience and cost performance, and stores chosen for taste – even within the same gyudon chain, the reasons for being loved appear to be different.

Comparison Graph of "Deciding Factors" for the 3 Gyudon Chains

[Related Article] Asked Yoshinoya Fans! Favorite Gyudon Menu Ranking

3 For All Stores, the Classic Reigns Supreme – "Plain Gyudon" is #1

Ranking of #1 menu items for each gyudon chain

When asked about their most frequently eaten menu items, the top item for all three chains was the classic "plain gyudon."

For Sukiya, Gyudon (plain) accounted for 59.1%, for Matsuya, Gyu-meshi (plain) was 33.6%, and for Yoshinoya, Gyudon (plain) was 72.4%, all ranking first. Yoshinoya, in particular, showed an outstanding popularity for its plain version, suggesting that its simple bowl garners strong support, fitting for a store chosen for its taste.

While toppings and set meals are also enjoyed, the sentiment of "starting with the standard" might be common across different stores.

[Related Article] Asked Sukiya Fans! Favorite Gyudon Menu Ranking

[Related Article] Asked Matsuya Fans! Favorite Gyudon Menu Ranking

[Related Article] Asked Yoshinoya Fans! Favorite Gyudon Menu Ranking

4 "Flavor Change" Ranking #1 is "Pickled Ginger" – The Older You Get, the More You Prefer Pickled Ginger

When asked about "flavor changes" (multiple responses allowed) that people add when eating gyudon (780 people), pickled ginger (44.6%) was overwhelmingly in first place. This was followed by Shichimi Togarashi (29.9%), raw egg/onsen tamago (29.0%), cheese (16.7%), and kimchi (12.9%). Among these, pickled ginger became more popular with increasing age, with about 30% of those in their 20s and about 60% of those in their 50s answering that they add it.

On the other hand, cheese was most popular among those in their 20s, indicating that the "toppings" vary slightly by generation, even for the same gyudon. Additionally, raw egg/onsen tamago showed a slight preference among men (33.1%) compared to women (24.7%).

TOP 5 Gyudon "Flavor Changes" (Pickled Ginger, Shichimi, Raw Egg, Kimchi, Cheese)

[Related Article] Add a Little Something to Your Gyudon! Flavor Change Ranking | 1,000 Person Survey

Survey Overview

Survey Method: Internet Survey (Freeasy)

Survey Target: Men and women aged 20-59 nationwide

Valid Responses: 1,000 people (500 men, 500 women)

Survey Period: June 18, 2026

Survey Sponsor: Ibridge Inc. (Rank+ Editorial Department)

Detailed survey results can be viewed on the following pages:

- Popular Gyudon Chain Ranking | Where is Your "Number One"? | 1,000 Person Survey

- Asked Sukiya Fans! Favorite Gyudon Menu Ranking

- Asked Matsuya Fans! Favorite Gyudon Menu Ranking

- Asked Yoshinoya Fans! Favorite Gyudon Menu Ranking

- Add a Little Something to Your Gyudon! Flavor Change Ranking | 1,000 Person Survey

Future Outlook

Rank+ will continue to disseminate original content based on data while expanding the range of themes it covers, and will strengthen collaboration with SNS video content to support more users in making "slightly better choices."

Official SNS Accounts

YouTube youtube.com/@rankplus_jp

Instagram instagram.com/rankplus_jp

X x.com/rankplus_jp * Short videos and Reels of ranking articles are being released sequentially.

Service Overview

Service Name: Rank+

Release Date: April 15, 2026

URL: https://rankplus.co.jp/

Content: Ranking information site based on user surveys

About Operating Company "Ibridge"

Company Name: Ibridge Inc. (https://ibridge.co.jp/)

Location: Osaka Headquarters: J-Pro Fukushima Building, 6-13-6 Fukushima, Fukushima Ward, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture Tokyo Office: Yoshino Bldg. 2, 3F, 1-6-6 Nihonbashi-Bakurocho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo

Representative: President Kazuya Arakawa

Establishment Date: August 1999

Main Business: SaaS Business, Media Business, EC Business

List of Operated Media

Freeasy (Self-service survey tool) https://freeasy-survey.com/

Fruit Mail (Points Site) https://www.fruitmail.net/

Kensho Box (Sweepstakes Information Site) https://kenshobox.net/

Otona no Shuumatsu (Gourmet Mail-order Site) https://www.otoshu.com/

Contact Information

Rank+ Editorial Department

Mail: media@ibridge.co.jp