At this time of year, restaurants and food companies in Japan typically ramp up their promotions. As expressed by the saying shokuyoku no aki 食欲の秋 (literally, "fall of (good) appetites"), there's an expectation that consumers will be more focused on filling their bellies. But the tasty-looking dishes being promoted in ads at this time of year can be a source of frustration if you're living on a budget, especially if you love yakiniku grilled meat.

Fortunately, there's a solution for yakiniku lovers now being offered by the famous Gyukaku restaurant chain. You can enjoy a selection of grilled meats, accompanied by two side dishes, a bowl of rice (with free refills), and all-you-can-drink booze for as little as 980 JPY, either for lunch or dinner, at 158 participating locations nationwide.

Yakiniku Meal Set with All-You-Can-Drink Beverages

You can choose between three meat plans:

白MIX / assorted white meats: 980 JPY

• Beef horumon (variety meats)
• Pork horumon (variety meats)
• Yagen w/harami (chicken soft bone cartilage)
• Piitoro (fatty pork)

赤MIX / assorted red meats: 1580 JPY

• Beef toro kalbi
• Harami (skirt steak)
• Thick-cut kalbi
• Teji harami (pork skirt steak)

赤白MIX / assorted white and red meats: 1280 JPY

• Beef horumon (variety meats)
• Beef toro kalbi
• Piitoro (fatty pork)
• Teji harami (pork skirt steak)

Choice of two side dishes

• Edamame
• Kimchee
• Chive kimchee
• Spicy bean sprouts
• Sliced onions
• Salted cabbage
• Potato salad
• Cucumber tataki salad

All-you-can-drink menu

• Highball
• Lemon sour
• Grapefruit sour
• White peach sour
• Kyoho grape sour
• Yuzu sour
• Black Oolong sour
• Draft beer (+300 JPY)
• Non-alcoholic: Black Oolong Tea

Notes:

• 60-minute limit, last order taken at 45 minutes.
• Available on weekdays only, at 158 participating locations. (Search for locations here)
• May only be available on certain days of the week at some locations. Call in advance.
• You may be assigned to a separate seating area.

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Antiviral measures

Gyukaku has implemented the following measures for the safety of their customers during the novel coronavirus pandemic:

• All employees required to wear facemasks at all times
• All employees required to wash and disinfect hands periodically during their shift
• Separation panels installed between closely arranged seats to prevent particles from spreading
• Internal air of restaurant completely refreshed ever 168 seconds* due to adjusted ventilation system (* average based on calculations performed in certain locations)
• Disinfecting alcohol dispensers distributed at all locations
• All frequent contact surfaces, tables, sauce dishes, etc. disinfected after customers leave

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Best deal if you go solo

Since you have one hour, you might not be able to take advantage of the alcohol if you go as a group (not to mention that it's riskier to do so these days anyway) since you'll probably be more focused on talking to each other, so it's a better deal if you go by yourself. Although yakiniku-for-one, especially lunchtime plans, are becoming more frequent these days, and they are offered at very competitive prices, when you consider that you're getting two side dishes, all-you-can-eat rice and all-you-can-drink alcohol, this is good value for your yen.

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For more details on this plan and to find out which locations offer it, visit Gyukaku's homepage here.