MOS Burger: History, Key Facts and Reviews

1972-1973: a test stand in Narimasu and the teriyaki burger

MOS Burger was born in Tokyo in 1972, when Atsushi Sakurada opened a test stand near Narimasu Station, in Itabashi, in March and incorporated MOS Food Services on July 21 (Wikipedia). The name stands for Mountain, Ocean, Sun, a later reading of Merchandising Organizing System, the name of Sakurada’s earlier business. From the start, the signature MOS Burger came with a meat sauce, onion and a slice of tomato, and burgers were assembled after the order instead of being kept warm. In 1973 the chain launched the teriyaki burger, which MOS presents as a first for a Japanese hamburger chain (MOS Food Services). Our MOS teriyaki burger recipe shows how to make it at home.

1986-1992: all 47 prefectures and the rice burger

MOS became a truly national chain in the 1980s. In 1986 it was the first restaurant company to be present in all 47 Japanese prefectures. In December 1987 it introduced the rice burger, which replaces the bread bun with pressed rice mixed with barley and millet (Japanese Wikipedia). By 1992 the chain had about 1,100 outlets in Japan.

1989-2024: Taiwan first, then the rest of Asia

MOS Burger’s growth abroad has been almost entirely Asian. A first venture in Hawaii opened in December 1989 and closed in April 2005. Taiwan followed in February 1991 and became by far the largest foreign market, then Singapore in May 1993, Hong Kong in October 2006, Thailand in January 2007, Australia in April 2011, and South Korea and mainland China in 2012. Not every bet paid off: the Australian stores closed in 2024, and China no longer appears in the group’s store count.

2025-2026: 1,709 restaurants and ¥149.7 billion in sales

MOS Burger is Japan’s second-largest burger chain after McDonald’s, with 1,306 restaurants in Japan and 403 abroad on September 30, 2026, according to the official store count. Taiwan leads abroad with 296 stores, ahead of Hong Kong (42), Singapore (29), Thailand (22), South Korea (11) and the Philippines (3). In the year to March 2026, chain-wide sales came to about ¥149.7 billion, and the group’s consolidated revenue rose 6.8% to ¥102.8 billion (2026 earnings report). Comparable-store sales of MOS Burger in Japan grew 9%. To see what a branch looks like today, read our guide to MOS Burger in Osaka.

Key dates

• 1972: Atsushi Sakurada opens a test stand near Narimasu Station in Tokyo; MOS Food Services is incorporated on July 21.
• 1973: launch of the teriyaki burger.
• 1986: MOS is present in all 47 prefectures of Japan.
• 1987: the rice burger arrives in December.
• 1991: first store in Taiwan, which becomes the largest foreign market.
• 2012: openings in South Korea and mainland China.
• 2024: the Australian stores close.
• 2026: 1,709 MOS Burger restaurants in seven countries and territories on September 30.