Sarku Japan

Sarku Japan

Company type	Private
Industry	Fast casual restaurant
Founded	1987 (1987)
Founder	James Chim
Headquarters	Markham , Canada
Area served	United States, Canada
Products	Japanese-style cuisine (teriyaki, bento meals, dumplings, tempura, sushi rolls)

Sarku Japan is a fast-casual restaurant franchise based in the United States and Canada that specializes in Japanese-style cuisine. Established in 1987 by its founder James Chim, the brand has grown to encompass more than 180 outlets across 32 states in the U.S. as of September 2021.

While most locations are found within shopping mall food courts, Sarku Japan also maintains street-level establishments in states such as Georgia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, and Virginia. The menu primarily features teriyaki options including chicken, beef, and shrimp, complemented by bento meals, dumplings, tempura, and sushi rolls.

1980s–1990s

James Chim opened the inaugural Sarku Japan restaurant in Boston in 1987 after serving in an executive role at the Canadian quick-service chain Manchu Wok. The chain experienced rapid growth, expanding to over 25 venues across eight states by 1991, reaching as far as Colorado and Texas.

By 1992, Sarku Japan had doubled its number of outlets to more than 50 locations spanning the Eastern Seaboard and the Midwest. A key achievement came in 1999 with the launch of its 100th restaurant, marking entry into West Coast markets and strengthening its standing within the quick-service industry.

2000s–2010s

In April 2002, Sarku Japan shifted its corporate headquarters to Markham, Ontario. Throughout the late 2000s and early 2010s, the company pursued an aggressive growth plan that included introducing "Teriyaki and Sushi Express" street-front concepts alongside traditional mall food court sites. Additionally, it entered into an agreement with Frisby Corp to establish over 20 locations in Colombia during that decade.

The first Colombian restaurants opened in Pereira, Medellín, and Cali in October 2011, with further expansion into Medellín, Cali, and Bogotá before year-end. Although there were announcements regarding expansion into Vietnam, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East, these plans never materialized. At that time, the company aimed to reach a total of 1,000 outlets by the end of the decade.

2020s

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic led to nearly complete temporary shutdowns in March 2020, resulting in a 46% drop in yearly revenue and placing Sarku Japan under financial strain. By January 2021, only 184 out of 226 restaurants had resumed operations; many remained closed or were permanently shuttered as of September 2021.

Presently, Sarku Japan runs 181 restaurants distributed across 32 U.S. states.

Kato's Cajun

Sarku Japan owns Kato's Cajun, a quick-service chain offering Cajun-Chinese cuisine. As of September 2021, just one location continues to operate at East Towne Mall in Madison, Wisconsin. Previous sites included West Towne Mall (Madison), Market Place Shopping Center (Champaign, Illinois), Arbor Place (Douglasville, Georgia), and The Shops at Liberty Place (Philadelphia). The peak number of locations is not precisely documented.

Ming Tree

The company formerly operated Ming Tree, a Chinese fast-casual brand that appears to have ceased operations by September 2021 with no active outlets remaining. Former venues were located at Dover Mall (Dover, Delaware), Security Square Mall (Baltimore, Maryland), and Independence Mall (Wilmington, North Carolina).

See also

• Manchu Wok
• Panda Express