Pepper Lunch (ペッパーランチ) is a Japanese "fast-steak" restaurant franchise popular in the Tokyo area. There are approximately 500 locations in Japan, as of 2023.[1]
Pepper Lunch is a subsidiary of Pepper Food Service Co., Ltd.[2] The restaurant's Southeast Asian operations are formerly managed by Suntory F&B International[3] (in Asia) and Former Oishii Group in Australia and the U.S. Since April 2023, Asia, Australia and U.S. restaurants are managed by Hotpalette.
History
Pepper Lunch was created in 1994 by chef and inventor Kunio Ichinose, who wanted to serve quality fast food without hiring a chef. He devised a method using hot metal plates that are heated to 500 F by an electromagnetic cooker. The raw meat with vegetables and/or rice are then placed on the plates, where they cook in front of the customer. The meat can be eaten rare or well done, depending on the customer's preference.