What Marugame Udon does

Marugame Udon is a Japanese fast-casual restaurant chain operating in the United States through Marugame Udon USA, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Toridoll Holdings (TYO:3397), a Japanese publicly listed restaurant conglomerate. The brand originates from Kagawa Prefecture and specializes in handcrafted Sanuki-style udon noodles served alongside tempura and rice bowls in a counter-service, theater-kitchen format where guests observe noodles being prepared to order. As of April 2026, the US subsidiary operates 22 locations concentrated in California, with additional units in Hawaii and Washington state; the broader Marugame brand has 800+ locations worldwide under Toridoll's portfolio.

The company's product offering centers on made-to-order udon bowls, tempura, and rice dishes, with recent extensions into seasonal items such as the Cold Udon Summer Menu and Udon Pudding dessert. Pricing for the Japanese market ranges from 290 to 690 yen per item; US pricing is not publicly disclosed. Customer acquisition is driven by physical retail presence in high-traffic California shopping centers, a multi-channel social media presence (Instagram, X, Facebook), and a mobile application on iOS and Android that supports ordering and the Noodle Points loyalty program (1 point per dollar spent, redeemable for free menu items). Online ordering is handled through thanx.com and gift cards via Givex.

Marugame Udon USA generates revenue exclusively through direct-to-consumer food and beverage sales at company-owned stores, supplemented by gift card and app-driven repeat visits. The company raised a funding round in 2019 led by Hargett Hunter Capital Partners (amount undisclosed). Leadership is led by President and CEO Gregg Imamoto, with the US subsidiary employing between 101 and 250 people. The customer base is the general dining public, with no enterprise or B2B exposure.

Name

Marugame Udon

Legal name

Marugame Udon USA, LLC

Website

https://marugameudon.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Marugame Udon USA operates 22 fast-casual Japanese restaurants in California, Hawaii, and Washington, serving handcrafted Sanuki-style udon, tempura, and rice bowls to general consumers under parent company Toridoll Holdings.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices22 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Restaurant Food and Beverage Sales: Revenue generated from in-restaurant sales of handcrafted Sanuki-style udon noodles, tempura, rice bowls, and beverages. Customers order at the counter and pay per item with no subscription component.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Marugame Udon is a fast-casual Japanese restaurant chain that serves handcrafted Sanuki-style udon noodles, tempura, rice bowls, and beverages from a theater kitchen where guests watch their food being prepared to order. The brand supplements its made-to-order food service with a mobile ordering app and the Noodle Points loyalty rewards program to drive repeat visits.

Product overview

Marugame Udon is a Japanese fast-casual restaurant chain specializing in handcrafted Sanuki-style udon noodles and tempura, with operations in California, Hawaii, and Washington across over 20 U.S. locations. The core offering centers on made-to-order udon served in various broth styles (Dashi, Creamy/Tonkotsu, Curry, Vegan) alongside tempura items and rice bowls. The company supplements its food business with a loyalty rewards program (Noodle Points) accessible via a mobile ordering app. The product portfolio includes signature udon varieties (Nikutama, Kake, Kitsune, Beef, Creamy Broth, Tan Tan, Curry), assorted tempura (Shrimp, Chicken, Vegetable), rice bowl bento meals, and limited-time offerings like the Udon Pudding dessert and seasonal cold udon menus.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Marugame Seimen: A Sanuki udon restaurant chain operated under parent company Toridoll Holdings, featuring limited-time collaborations and character brand partnerships.

Products and services

• Handcrafted Sanuki-Style Udon

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Sumikko GurashiminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 14 July 2026Limited-time character collaboration launching July 14 through August 31, 2026. Features themed food products including 'Marutto Wakuwaku Udon Box' priced at 690 yen, collectible udon tickets with limited-edition character designs released in two phases, and exclusive merchandise such as coasters and clip bag ties. Campaign includes social media sweepstakes on X (formerly Twitter) with exclusive insulated bags as prizes.
• Toridoll HoldingscoreOthers · 7 July 2026Parent company Toridoll Holdings oversees Marugame Udon operations. The Udon Pudding launch is part of brand's culinary innovation efforts under Toridoll, following previous experiments like Shake Udon and Udon Doughnuts.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Wagamama: Established international Japanese/Asian fast-casual brand with theater-kitchen style service and a broad global footprint, comparable on cuisine authenticity and experiential dining.
• Panda Express: Largest US Asian fast-casual chain, with comparable mall-anchored real estate, counter-service format, and broad consumer positioning; sets the competitive benchmark for category scale.
• Sweetgreen: Public fast-casual leader with strong digital/loyalty infrastructure and urban real estate footprint. Comparable on app-driven loyalty, premium fast-casual positioning, and tech-enabled ordering.
• Yoshinoya: Long-standing Japanese fast-casual beef bowl chain with global locations. Comparable on counter-service Asian cuisine and parent-backed international expansion strategy.
• Chipotle Mexican Grill: The dominant US fast-casual chain. Comparable on counter-service made-to-order format, loyalty/digital ecosystem, and template for scaled unit economics in the segment.

Direct peers

• Jinya Ramen Bar: Fast-casual Japanese noodle chain with made-to-order broths and counter service across the US. Directly comparable on cuisine category, dining format, and unit economics profile.
• Teriyaki Madness: Fast-casual Asian concept with bowls, similar counter-service model, and growing US footprint including West Coast markets where Marugame operates.

Regional players

• Kura Sushi USA: US subsidiary of Japanese parent operating rotating-belt sushi restaurants. Comparable on Japanese parent-backed US expansion, themed experiential dining, and limited-service format with technology.

Emerging players

• Poke Bar: Smaller fast-casual concept with mall/urban presence focused on customizable bowls. Comparable on counter-service Asian-inspired format and shopping-center real estate selection.

Others

• Marugame Seimen: Sister brand under Toridoll Holdings also operating Sanuki-style udon concepts in Japan. Comparable on menu, kitchen workflow, and supplier base; useful comp for international unit economics.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/MarugameUdonUSA
• Facebookfacebook.com/MarugameUdonUSA
• Instagraminstagram.com/marugame_udon_usa
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/marugame-udon-usa

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Marugame Udon