物価高にも負けず税込み292円弁当　チキンカツ弁当は値上げしたものの　創意工夫とコスト管理で

Amidst the continuing impact of soaring food prices on household budgets, there's a shop that supports the stomachs and wallets of working people with its 292-yen bento boxes. Why can they sell at this price? We delved into the secret. A juicy minced meat cutlet bento box, 200 grams of white rice, and side dishes, all for 292 yen including tax. Male customer: "It's amazing they can do this at this price with the rising cost of living." Male customer: "This is really delicious, and cheap too." The shop selling these bentos is "Bento no Picnic," located along National Route 200 in Katsuragawa Town, Fukuoka Prefecture. Cooking begins at 4 AM. Employee: "This is homemade chicken cutlet." Thirteen different bentos were prepared that day. Prices range from 292 yen to 450 yen. The shop opens at 6 AM. A man immediately bought two meals, breakfast and lunch. Truck driver heading from Hiroshima to Saga: "It's cheap and delicious." Q: Which is more appealing, price or taste? "The price!" This man also bought two bento boxes. Man going to visit his mother: "My mother lives nearby, so I thought we'd have lunch together." "With the high cost of living and being a pensioner, we're taking it easy." This shop's peak time is not lunchtime... but morning. Man going to work: "It's cheap and has generous portions, so I love it because I can eat a lot." Man heading to a construction site: "I look forward to lunch." "There are bento vendors at the construction site, but this is much tastier." Q: Who will be eating it? Customer who bought two bento boxes, sushi rolls, and inari sushi: "I'll eat it myself." Q: Just one person? "Yes." "It came to 1101 yen in total." Q: How much would that cost at a convenience store? "Around 2000 yen," two women pondered before finally choosing a "Yakitori Nori Bento." For 292 yen, it's a very satisfying meal with white rice, yakisoba, and even a fried white fish. One woman on her way to work: "I always get this." Q: What's below that? "The one below that is the same." Q: Two? "That's for my friend." "This is a really great shop, are you making money?" Shop employee: "Thank you for saying that." After the morning rush, the shelves are sold out... Why can they sell it so cheaply? Q: To be honest, are you making money? Mai Matsuda, manager of Bento no Picnic: "I think we're doing okay." "If we put one serving of yakisoba in each box, we'd be losing money, but we divide it into several portions." Furthermore, last year, they changed the type of bento container, reducing costs by 1.85 yen per box. Furthermore, as part of a group company that operates 11 "Hana-san Shokudo" restaurants in Fukuoka and Saga prefectures, they are able to purchase ingredients in bulk, keeping procurement costs down. However, it's not just about being cheap. They carefully monitor sales and replenish supplies frequently to avoid overproduction and food waste. Mai Matsuda, Manager of Bento no Picnic: "We're discussing how much more we need, since this is all we have left right now." While the store continues its thorough efforts, it also faces harsh realities. Due to rising global prices, particularly the soaring price of chicken, the chicken cutlet bento, previously priced at 292 yen, was reluctantly raised to 350 yen last month. Only three types of bento remain at the 292 yen price point, a price that had been maintained for about 10 years. Bento no Picnic, Store Manager Mai Matsuda "Customers say they appreciate the low price and want to buy our lunches at this price," she says. "We want people to enjoy their meals with a smile, so we hope to continue offering them at this price." Amidst rising prices, our 292-yen bento boxes support the stomachs and wallets of working people. Through ingenuity and thorough cost reduction, we aim to remain a beloved store. For more details, check out NEWS DIG! ↓ https://newsdig.tbs.co.jp/articles/-/...