The truth behind Ichiran’s popularity – Are you satisfied after eating just one bowl?

▲ Ichiran Ramen’s arrival in Taiwan has sparked a trend. (Photo / Reporter Ji Xiangru)

ByFeedMe Japanese Local Cuisine Research Group

Before Ichiran Ramen’s Taipei branch opened, the store expected massive crowds and introduced an early “priority seating” service. But for two people, you’d need to spend NT$6,000 on souvenirs just to skip the line, which stirred up a lively discussion online. What do you all think? For those not in a rush to make the pilgrimage, it might not matter, but for those ready to go, it could easily lead to frustration.

So why is Ichiran so popular? It turns out it’s because of this business model:

# The surefire rule of the restaurant business: eliminate all "no"s
# Make the least disappointing ramen

The investigator once worked at a startup running a chain of izakayas. At the time, our boss kept telling us:To run a chain, you shouldn’t aim to fulfill every YES (what customers want), but to eliminate every NO (what customers don’t want).As long as diners don’t encounter anything they hate during their meal, they’ll give you three to four stars—easily satisfying the broadest range of customers.

Most things that annoy people are pretty similar: indifferent staff, slow service, forgetfulness, missing dishes, foreign objects in food, obviously bad taste, watered-down drinks, unreasonable or unclear pricing, etc. And looking at Japan’s large izakaya chains, they really follow this approach—serving dishes that 99 out of 100 people will find acceptable, and ensuring that 100 stores can all make the same thing. It’s genuinely hard to offer anything unique.


▲ Ichiran Ramen lets you customize your flavor. (Photo / Reporter Ji Xiangru)

Applying the same logic to Ichiran’s ramen, you definitely can’t say it’s bad—but it is indeed a mass-market option with relatively weak uniqueness. More precisely, there’s nothing in this bowl that you’ll dislike:The ticket ordering system lets you pick out any potentially controversial elements in your bowl—those who don’t like scallions or garlic can circle “none” on the ticket, those who hate soft noodles can choose firm ones, those who dislike greasy or salty flavors can go for the light taste. That’s the secret—there’s nothing you can possibly hate, because if there were, you wouldn’t have to put up with it yourself.


▲ Ichiran Ramen’s unique seating. (Photo / Reporter Ji Xiangru)

# Ichiran’s “yes” lies in its unique dining style, not the dish itself

The investigator has eaten at Ichiran twice. The study-room-like partitioned seats, the customizable ordering system, and the invisible service staff all make for a genuinely interesting dining experience. If you want to try something unique, or can’t find another restaurant, this is a good choice.

But honestly, there are just too many ramens out there that are both cheaper and tastier than Ichiran. The portion size and ingredients strike a balance that many budget-conscious eaters look for these days. After the first bite, you might feel like it’s alright—but once you’ve tried a few truly excellent ramens, you’ll realize Ichiran isn’t all that special. When my friend, who’s visited Japan many times, insisted I must try Ichiran, I couldn’t help but think, “Whoa, is it really that good?”


▲ Today, Ichiran is undoubtedly the most popular ramen among foreign tourists, but not because it’s especially delicious—because it’s a chain. (Photo / Reporter Ji Xiangru)

# Are you enchanted by the food—or by misinformation?

It’s true that Ichiran is currently the most popular ramen among foreign travelers—but not because it’s particularly tasty, but because it’s a chain. It has mass appeal, lots of locations, plenty of seats, and lots of people have eaten there. Those who’ve eaten there recommend it to others who haven’t—and so it spreads, from hundreds to thousands, then thousands to millions. That’s why, when people talk about Japanese ramen, nobody doesn’t know Ichiran. But if Ichiran were just like other ramen shops—with only a few outlets and ten seats per store—then the title of “must-eat Japanese ramen” would probably go to someone else. So the “Ichiran = must-eat!” info you hear is often based on information asymmetry.

# Ramen without the soul of a chef lacks love

The investigator loves ramen and has eaten over 200 bowls. I believe the most valuable thing about eating ramen in Japan is that for under ¥1,000, you can feel the heartfelt effort and care that the shop and chef put into making it—a feeling hard to find in other cuisines or replicated abroad. But Ichiran doesn’t have that. All ingredients come from a central kitchen, are reheated somewhere out of sight, and served with little presentation. Rumor has it the kitchen doesn’t even need knives. Yet the price is higher than many ramen shops where the broth is hand-made and the noodles handmade.

This might be a bit harsh, but Nissin has an instant noodle brand called “Rākīngu (Lagking),” and they used to have a shop in Shibuya Station. With egg, meat, and scallions, and a meticulous cooking method, they made instant noodles taste unbelievably good—and the best part is, it was only ¥300 per bowl. The investigator thinks Lagking actually shows more sincerity.

I truly believe that if you have even a little fondness for or interest in ramen, or if you’ve been to several unique ramen shops and seen the focused gaze of the chefs as they pour their life’s work into the bowl they hand you—then you definitely wouldn’t tell your friends that Ichiran is still your favorite.

# Ichiran can be the start of your ramen journey, but it shouldn’t be the end

Ichiran’s mass-market flavor makes it very suitable as a strong ambassador of Japanese ramen culture or as an introductory ramen for foreigners.

Many tourists and locals online say Ichiran isn’t that tasty and not worth waiting in line for. But I think that’s unfair to those who haven’t tried it. If you’re really curious what it tastes like, don’t just take my word for it—find a chance to try it for yourself.But remember, Ichiran might be the starting point of your ramen journey, but it will definitely not be the end. Soy sauce, tonkotsu, chicken clear broth, chicken white broth, black sesame oil, seafood, niboshi, back fat, kae-dama, miso, dan dan noodles, tsukemen, abura soba, regional ramen (did I miss anything?), and more—all should be tried one by one. Everyone is unique, and the “must-eat” will never be the same for everyone. As Japan’s ramen culture continues to evolve, you’ll have even more opportunities to enjoy ramen in the future. Wishing everyone the best in finding their favorite ramen flavor—Up!

By FeedMe Japanese Local Cuisine Research GroupAgent M