Hakkenden to Revamp Its Core Menu Nationwide on 29 September, Giving Locals a Reason to Visit

Marche Co., Ltd. has announced that it will refresh the core menu at Hakkenden restaurants nationwide from Tuesday 29 September 2026. Under the slogan “For drinks in your neighbourhood, choose Hakkenden!”, the chain is introducing new dishes that showcase charcoal cooking. For those considering Japan’s franchise market, the announcement offers a useful starting point for examining how neighbourhood restaurants can turn menu updates into reasons to visit.

Core menu refresh at Hakkenden restaurants nationwide

The announcement comes from Marche, which is headquartered in Abeno Ward, Osaka. Led by President and Representative Director Hirotsugu Kato, the company operates neighbourhood-focused izakaya chains — Japanese pubs serving food — under the motto “People, great food and enjoyment”. Its announcement dated 29 September states that the new core menu will launch at Hakkenden restaurants nationwide that day.

The announcement explicitly concerns the core menu rather than a limited-time promotion. Its headline promises a range of new dishes showcasing charcoal cooking, making this the central selling point. The messaging combines the brand’s invitation to enjoy drinks locally with suggestions for food to enjoy in its restaurants.

However, the available extract does not give the names, number or prices of the new dishes, or explain how they differ from existing items. Although nationwide coverage is stated, the number of participating restaurants and any outlet-specific availability conditions are not provided. The news therefore cannot be characterised as a price increase, an expansion of the range or a measure to improve profitability.

Bringing together neighbourhood appeal and charcoal cooking

One notable element of the announcement is its emphasis on drinking locally. Read alongside Marche’s focus on neighbourhood restaurants, the messaging suggests an effort to present the menu refresh not simply as a change to a list of dishes, but as a reason to visit a familiar local venue.

The reference to new charcoal-cooked dishes also gives customers an initial sense of what to expect. However, the extract alone does not establish which ingredients or cooking processes will be used, or what changes there will be to presentation or service. The broad appeal of charcoal cooking should therefore be distinguished from the specific attributes of individual dishes.

For franchise operators, the useful lesson is the idea of communicating brand positioning and menu changes together. Operators considering similar messaging could clarify not only what is new, but also who the dishes are intended for and on what occasions customers might enjoy them. This is a perspective for assessing the announcement, not evidence of results from the initiative.

The material contains no data showing whether visit frequency or ordering patterns have changed. Assessing whether the invitation to drink locally has attracted customers will require information from after the launch.

For franchisees, check product details and operating requirements separately

The supplied extract does not distinguish between company-owned and franchised restaurants, nor does it explain any support for franchisees introducing the menu. It also provides no details on training, promotional materials, ingredient sourcing or equipment requirements. It would therefore be inaccurate to report that Hakkenden has introduced any particular franchisee support measures alongside this refresh.

Nevertheless, the announcement raises some practical points for franchise operators to check. When a nationwide menu announcement is made, an outlet should first confirm which dishes it will offer, their selling prices and the date they will become available. Even where an announcement applies nationwide, individual operating conditions need to be checked against official product documentation and operational guidance.

The next consideration is aligning customer communication with in-store preparation. Clarifying what staff should tell customers about the new dishes, and how to explain differences from existing items, can help make messaging at the restaurant more specific. These are general points to consider; they do not imply that Hakkenden restaurants are underprepared or that the refresh will require unusual additional work.

The same caution applies to costs. Introducing new dishes should not automatically be equated with higher spending per customer or increased profits. Without information on each dish’s costs, selling price and preparation requirements, the impact on profitability cannot be assessed. It is important to separate news about product promotion from evidence of its effect on franchisee performance.

What to watch next: dish details and post-launch information

The central confirmed fact is that Marche has announced a core menu refresh at Hakkenden restaurants nationwide from 29 September 2026. The brand’s invitation to drink locally and its new dishes showcasing charcoal cooking are the main pillars of the announcement.

A fuller understanding of the initiative will require details of the menu, prices and availability at individual restaurants. Assessing its value for neighbourhood outlets will also mean looking beyond the launch messaging to information published after implementation. The material currently available does not support predictions about sales trends or customer reactions.

This article is based on a supplied extract from Marche’s press release published on CREA on 29 September 2026. It does not include details of new dishes or franchisee requirements beyond what could be verified from that extract.

The practical takeaway is to communicate a menu refresh clearly as a reason to visit, while checking prices, availability and operating requirements against official documentation. Aligning local customer messaging with preparation inside the restaurant is the useful operational lesson from this announcement.