The End of an Era? Saizeriya Might Raise Its Prices

Our sacred temple of cheap pasta and unlimited drinks, Saizeriya, might finally be raising its prices.

What just happened?

Okay, deep breaths everyone. The president of Saizeriya just went on the record saying the company is looking at "price revisions" starting this September.

The stock market, of course, absolutely loved this. Investors who have probably never had to survive on a ¥500 lunch special sent the company's stock price soaring by 17%. They're all thrilled at the idea of "improved profitability."

Meanwhile, the rest of us are just thinking about our Milano Doria and whether it's still going to be our cheap, cheesy emotional support meal.

But... why?

You know why. It's the same reason the egg salad sandwich at FamilyMart feels a little less generous these days. The weak yen and rising costs for, well, everything.

Saizeriya has been holding out like a champ for years, a true bastion of affordability in a country where a single melon can cost more than your monthly train pass. They even cut their profit forecasts earlier this year because they were absorbing all those extra costs instead of passing them to us.

But it seems like even they can't fight the tide forever.

So, how bad will it be?

One analyst—some guy in a suit—thinks a 10% price hike would be "understandable" to customers. Easy for him to say.

So that ¥400 Doria could become ¥440. That ¥100 glass of wine? Maybe ¥110. It’s not going to break the bank, but it feels like a personal attack. 😥

They're also apparently thinking about charging different prices depending on the location. So the Saizeriya in Ginza might cost a bit more than the one out in the suburbs, which sort of makes sense. We'll have to see if that actually happens.

For now, maybe just go get your fill of cheap focaccia. You know, just in case.