View source for MOS Burger

{{Short description|International fast-food restaurant chain from Japan}}
{{pp-sock|small=yes}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Expand Japanese|モスバーガー|date=May 2020}}
{{Infobox company
|name   = MOS Food Services, Inc.
|logo   = MOS-Burger-Logo.svg
|type           = [[Public company|Public]] [[Kabushiki Kaisha|KK]]
|traded_as       ={{TYO|8153}}
|image = ThinkPark.JPG
|image_size = 180px
|image_caption = ThinkPark Tower, the headquarters of MOS Burger
|foundation    = [[Tokyo]], Japan ({{Start date and age|1972|07|21}})
|founder       = {{nihongo|Atsushi Sakurada|櫻田 厚|Sakurada Atsushi| }}
|location      = [[ThinkPark Tower]]<br>2-1-1 [[Ōsaki, Tokyo|Osaki]], [[Shinagawa, Tokyo|Shinagawa-ku]], Tokyo, 141-6029 [[Japan]]
|key_people    = Atsushi Sakurada, ([[CEO]] and [[President (corporate title)|President]])
|num_employees = 1,375 (as of March 2016)<ref name="mos">[http://www.mos.co.jp/global/corporateinfo/profile/ Corporate Profile] MOS Burger, 2017</ref>
|industry      = [[Foodservice]]
|products      = {{ubl|[[Fast food]]|[[Finance]]|[[Sanitation]]}}
|subsid        = 9
|revenue       = [[US dollar|$]] 663 million ([[Fiscal year|FY]] 2012)<br>({{nowrap|[[Japanese yen|¥]] 62.371 billion}}) (FY 2012)
|net_income    = $ 16 million (FY 2012)<br>({{nowrap|¥ 1.52 billion}}) (FY 2012)
|homepage      = {{URL|https://www.mos.co.jp/global/}}
|footnotes        = <ref name="MBCO">{{cite web |url=http://www.mos.co.jp/english/corporateinfo/profile/ |title=Corporate Profile |access-date=March 29, 2014 |archive-date=September 28, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130928015716/http://www.mos.co.jp/english/corporateinfo/profile/ |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mos.co.jp/english/ir/financial_statements/0101.html |title=Financial Statements |access-date=March 29, 2014 |archive-date=June 20, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100620071309/http://www.mos.co.jp/english/ir/financial_statements/0101.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>
}}

{{nihongo|'''MOS Food Services, Inc.'''|株式会社モスフードサービス|''Kabushiki-kaisha Mosu Fūdo Sābisu''}}, doing business as {{nihongo|'''MOS Burger'''|モスバーガー|Mosu bāgā}} (which stands for "Mountain Ocean Sun"<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.mos.co.jp/mosca/what/mosdesigncard/ |title=産学連携企画「M O S」デザインのモスカード &#124; モスバーガー公式サイト |publisher=Mos.co.jp |access-date=2017-12-27 }}{{dead link|date=January 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref name="foray"/>), is a [[Multinational corporation|multinational]] [[fast-food restaurant]] chain (fast-casual) from Japan. Its headquarters are in the [[ThinkPark Tower]] in [[Ōsaki, Tokyo|Ōsaki]], [[Shinagawa, Tokyo]].<ref name="MBCO"/> At one time its headquarters were located in [[Shinjuku, Tokyo]].<ref>{{cite web|url=//www.mos.co.jp/company/outline/line_e.html |title=Company Outline |date=April 17, 2001 |access-date=January 6, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010417183632/http://www.mos.co.jp/company/outline/line_e.html |archive-date=April 17, 2001 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mos.co.jp/company/outline/img/img_map.gif |title=Map in Japanese |access-date=March 29, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20001205180800/http://www.mos.co.jp/company/outline/img/img_map.gif |archive-date=December 5, 2000 }}</ref>
 	
Being Japan's answer to [[McDonald's]],<ref name="foray"/> it is the second-largest fast-food franchise in Japan after McDonald's, and owns numerous overseas outlets over East Asia, Southeast Asia and Oceania, including China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, South Korea, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines. "MOS Burger" is also the name of the standard hamburger offered by the restaurant, having been its first product when it opened in 1972.

MOS Burger's outlets are located in suburban areas to avoid the rising land costs in central areas where the outlets of its competitor McDonald's are located.<ref name="to join"/>
According to its then-president Kazuo Watanabe, MOS Burger is successful in its home country because it only cooks food when ordered, compared to its competitors which mass produce food items.<ref name="foray"/> It also avoids heavy advertising in the mass media; in 1992, its advertising expenses for its home market were US$10 million, compared to McDonald's' US$100 million.<ref name="foray"/>

Its working culture emphasises on the company's three attitudes of mind: self-resiliant, progressive and sympathetic towards others. Its managerial staff are trained for three months after being hired and are regularly sent for more training in Japan.<ref>{{cite news |title=Developing the right attitude |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/newpaper19960125-1.2.56?qt=mos,%20burger&q=MOS%20Burger |work=The New Paper |date=January 25, 1996}}</ref>

As of February 2014 the publicly traded company runs 1,730 MOS Burger and several AEN, Chef's V and Green Grill stores. One slogan used within its stores is "Japanese Fine Burger and Coffee".<ref name="MBCO"/>

== Name ==
[[File:MOS-Burger-ASTY-Ichinomiya.jpg|thumb|A MOS Burger restaurant in Ichinomiya, Japan, 2023]]
The company name, styled in [[all caps]]: MOS Burger, is a [[backronym]] for "Mountain, Ocean, Sun".<ref name="foray"/><ref name="out of"/> Despite the backronym being coined by its founder Satoshi Sakurada, no one was able to explain whether mountains, oceans or suns have to do with burgers.<ref name="out of"/> The company was originally was a spinoff of Atsushi Sakurada's previous company, Merchandising Organizing System.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://detail.chiebukuro.yahoo.co.jp/qa/question_detail/q1324984398|script-title=ja:モスバーガーの「モス」の由来は何ですか？|website=Yahoo!知恵袋|language=ja-JP|access-date=2016-08-30}}</ref> Later,{{when|date=February 2019}} the company began to use playful English phrases in point-of-purchase marketing materials to explain the name, including "MOSt delicious burger", before it finally settled on the current backronym.

MOS Burger's logo as of 1992 was a yellow M with signage in red, similar to McDonald's.<ref name="foray"/>

== History ==
Sakurada, then attached with Nikko Securities' Los Angeles branch in the early 1960s,<ref name="out of">{{cite news |title=Making mountains out of burgers |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/biztimes19980516-1.2.17.26.4.2?qt=mos,%20burger&q=MOS%20Burger |work=Business Times (Singapore) |date=May 16, 1998}}</ref> frequented the Los Angeles chili burger chain [[Original Tommy's]].{{better source|date=February 2019}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mosburger.com.sg/about_mos.php|title=About MOS :: Origins|website=www.mosburger.com.sg|access-date=2016-08-30|archive-date=2017-12-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171230055555/http://www.mosburger.com.sg/about_mos.php|url-status=dead}}</ref> Wanting to strike out on his own after returning to Japan he decided to adapt the cook-to-order hamburger concept used by Original Tommy's. He also developed the MOS rice burger as an alternative to the hamburger.

As of 1992, MOS Burger had 1,100 outlets in Japan (1,021 in 1991<ref name="to join">{{cite news |title=Japanese to join fast-food battle in Asia |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/biztimes19910606-1.2.15.4?qt=mos,%20burger&q=MOS%20Burger |work=Business Times (Singapore) |agency=AFP |date=June 6, 1991}}</ref> and 1,200 in 1993),<ref name="chain">{{cite news |title=Japan's hamburger chain to open first outlet here |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19930529-1.2.94.12?qt=mos,%20burger&q=MOS%20Burger |work=The Straits Times |date=May 29, 1993}}</ref> being the country's largest chain. It expects to open 100 more outlets in that year.<ref name="foray">{{cite news |title=Japanese burger chain makes foray into S-E Asian market |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/biztimes19920407-1.2.6?qt=mos,%20burger&q=MOS%20Burger |work=Business Times (Singapore) |date=April 7, 1992}}</ref>

Its most popular items were teriyaki burger and rice burger<ref name="to join"/><ref name="foray"/> with grilled rice cakes as its patty.<ref name="foray"/>

===International operations===
MOS Burger began its international expansion in 1989 <ref name="foray"/> with Taiwan, where its sukiyaki rice burger was popular with its customers. In 1991, its outlets reach a monthly sales target of between ¥ 5 million and ¥ 10 million.<ref name="to join"/>

As of 1992 it had five outlets in Hawaii, four in Taiwan and three noodle houses in the Los Angeles area.<ref name="foray"/> Sales of its international outlets reach an estimate of US$3 million.<ref name="foray"/> MOS Burger planned to open 500 more outlets in Asia, with 30 in Hong Kong, 250 in South Korea and the rest in Singapore and Taiwan.<ref name="foray"/>

In 1992, MOS Burger expanded to Singapore through joint venture Moriyoshi Foods, with its franchisee Palate (S) Pte Ltd. Palate owned 70% of the joint venture while MOS takes the rest of the stake. It plans to open five outlets in 1993 with the first one in Orchard Road open in April.<ref name="foray"/> The first outlet opened on 28 May 1993 at Isetan Scotts, with sales for its first year of operation expected to reach S$1.7 million. Palate later planned to open 7 more outlets in two to three years, totalling 30 in ten years. Its second outlet at [[Junction 8]] opened in 1994.<ref>{{cite news |title=Page 44 Advertisements Column 1 |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/newpaper19940803-1.2.58.1?qt=mos,%20burger&q=MOS%20Burger |work=The New Paper |date=August 3, 1994}}</ref>

In 1993, MOS Burger planned to expand to China. A joint venture with [[Yaohan|Yaohan International]] and a Chinese firm, it planned to open 3,000 outlets by the end of the year.<ref>{{cite news |title=Burger chain moving into China |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19930412-1.2.54.7.4?qt=mos,%20burger&q=MOS%20Burger |work=The Straits Times |agency=AFP |date=April 12, 1993}}</ref>

As of 1996, MOS Burger had five outlets in Singapore, with plans to expand to Hong Kong, Malaysia and Indonesia.<ref>{{cite news |title=The right recipe |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/newpaper19960125-1.2.54?qt=mos,%20burger&q=MOS%20Burger |work=The New Paper |date=January 25, 1996}}</ref>

In April 2011, MOS Burger opened its first store at Sunnybank Plaza, in [[Brisbane|Brisbane, Queensland]], Australia. As at September 2021, the company had five stores in Australia, all of which were in Queensland.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mos.co.jp/global/store_information/australia/|title=Mos Burger Website – Australia Store Information|publisher=MOS Food Services, Inc.|access-date=May 13, 2016|archive-date=May 7, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210507003642/https://www.mos.co.jp/global/store_information/australia/|url-status=dead}}</ref> MOS Burger announced the closure of all its Australian stores in August 2024.<ref>{{cite web |title=MOS Burger announces closure of all Australian stores |url=https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/food/restaurants-bars/mos-burger-announces-closure-of-all-australian-stores/news-story/65409ac3b589f82f723a6414ad58ddab |website=News.com.au |date=23 August 2024 |access-date=23 August 2024}}</ref>

MOS Burger opened in the [[Philippines]] in February 2020.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://news.abs-cbn.com/life/06/07/19/japans-mos-burger-to-open-first-branch-in-ph-next-year-report |title=Japan's Mos Burger to open first branch in PH next year: report |publisher=[[ABS-CBN Corporation]] |date=2019-06-07 |accessdate=2019-12-02}}</ref>

== Products ==
=== MOS Rice Burger ===
The MOS [[Rice burger|Rice Burger]] uses a bun made of [[rice]] mixed with [[barley]] and [[millet]].<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Qy4YtuIHsQcC&pg=PA16 |title=Transnationalism and Society: An Introduction - Michael C. Howard - Google Books |date=2011-02-17 |isbn=9780786486250 |access-date=2017-12-27|last1=Howard |first1=Michael C. |publisher=McFarland }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vmQiAQAAMAAJ |title=Asia Magazine |publisher=Asia Magazine |date=2011-05-24 |access-date=2017-12-27|page=147}}</ref> Rice was first used as a bun in 1987,<ref>{{cite web | title=Brisbane's best burgers: Check out our must try list | website=Courier Mail | url=http://www.couriermail.com.au/lifestyle/food/qld-taste/brisbanes-best-burgers-check-out-our-must-try-list/news-story/ef0764fc18e9162b6b946bc3000861e1?nk=b12ccb32bdc7335dc391e61debeccf7c-1514355016 | access-date=December 27, 2017}}</ref> when the restaurant served the [[Tsukune]] Rice Burger, filled with ground chicken<ref>{{cite web | last=Liu | first=Alice | title=East Meets West: Teriyaki Chicken Rice Burger | website=The Daily Northwestern | date=January 16, 2011 | url=https://dailynorthwestern.com/2011/01/16/archive-manual/east-meets-west-teriyaki-chicken-rice-burger/ | access-date=December 27, 2017}}</ref> and [[daikon]], and seasoned with soy sauce.

The MOS Rice Burger has been imitated by the Taiwanese division of McDonald's,<ref>[http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2005/09/28/2003273497 Taipei Times]</ref> where the rice bun was [[pan-sear]]ed, but it remains a MOS-exclusive item in Japan and other markets.

<gallery>
File:MOS_BLT_burger.jpg|MOS Burger "Tobikiri Hanbāgu Sand B.L.T. slice cheese" (2011)
File:MOS_Kaisen01.JPG|MOS Rice Burger
File:MOS_Chicken01.JPG|MOS chicken
File:MOS_Kuro-Koshō_Chicken01.JPG|MOS Burger "Kuro-Koshō Chicken", black pepper flavor
File:MOS_Burger%27s_MOS-walker_is_a_menu_French_fries_on_the_Drink_cup_cover.jpg|MOS walker (fries and drink)
</gallery>

== See also ==
* [[List of fast food restaurant chains]]
* [[List of hamburger restaurants]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== Further reading ==
* [http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/intview/0930dy30.htm Daily Yomiuri interview with MOS Burger president Takao Shimizu]

== External links ==
* {{Official website|https://www.mos.co.jp/global/}}

{{Food chains in Japan}}
{{Portalbar|Tokyo|Companies|Food}}
{{Food chains in Taiwan}}

[[Category:Fast-food chains of Japan]]
[[Category:Food and drink companies based in Tokyo]]
[[Category:Companies listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange]]
[[Category:Fast-food hamburger restaurants]]
[[Category:Japanese restaurants]]
[[Category:Restaurants in Japan]]
[[Category:Restaurant chains in Taiwan]]
[[Category:Restaurants established in 1972]]
[[Category:1972 establishments in Japan]]
[[Category:Fast-food chains of Singapore]]
[[Category:Fast-food chains of Taiwan]]
[[Category:Fast-food franchises]]