I frequently feature Yoshinoya here on my blog, particularly the opening of their new stores like the one in Ayala Fairview Terraces, and also the newly renovated ones which are located in SM Megamall and Robinson Galleria.

Now, they are launching their well known contest which is the “Yoshinoya Gyudon Eating Contest 2014”. This is their 4th year already and last year my brother was able to cover the contest finale which made us, bloggers, very proud as our blogger friend Florencio Jusay of www.Manualtolyf.blogspot.com bagged the Grand Prize for the Media Category.

So for this year's Media Category bloggers are pressured to maintain the title with the bloggers but of course bloggers are fighter so we will support who will be our representative for this year's contest.
That's why just recently Yoshinoya hold a Gyudon eating challenge for the bloggers.  This challenge hails this year's blogger representative for the Media Category.  The challenge was held at Yoshinoya Robinsons Galleria Branch with 19 bloggers compete for the title.

Wow, imagine someone like me could take up the challenge!  Well, I did it anyway and it was fun.  I just finished one Gyudon and was hoping to finish the other one but I can't hahaha.
It was an enjoyable day for us, bloggers, especially with the guidance of ever always facilitator Mr. Orlado “Nodz” M. Galgana.  Sir Nodz kept on reminding us that we should win again this year's contest in the finale and be the title holder again.
Mr. Timothy James G. Yang, the President and General Manager of Yoshinoya Philippines gave us words of encouragement and he is proud to announce that the prizes for this year are better than last year.  Yes it is, they have included travel ticket to Japan. Isn't amazing!

Lastly Ms. Lala Habana, Operations Manager of Yoshinoya thank all of the bloggers who participated and for the continued support in Yoshinoya.
I am happy to announce that for this year's representative is Ruel Umali of www.ruelumali.com.  Go go Sir Ruel!

Yoshinoya Gyudon Eating Contest 2014 will start and here are the mechanics

Qualifying Match Mechanics

1. The Yoshinoya Gyudon eating contest, is open to all males and females who are 18 years old and above.
2. Qualifying rounds will be held in all Yoshinoya stores, daily from Monday thru Friday from April 21 to May 30. Schedule is as follows:
•  a, April 21, 22, 23, 24, 25
•  b. April 28, 29, 30 May 1, 2
•  c. May 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
•  d. May 12, 13, 14, 15, 16
•  e. May 19, 20, 21, 22, 23
•  f. May 26, 27, 28, 29, 30
3. A purchase of the Yoshinoya Gyudon meal entitles customer to join the contest. Take out, deliveries, bulk orders are not included.
4. Before a customer starts, he/she must fill out Registration Form and sign a Health and Release waiver. For the qualifying round the beef bowls should be consumed in the store. The customer who finishes the most number of bowls in 5 minutes wins the challenge of the day.
5. Customer mush show one (1) valid ID to the store manager of Yoshinoya. Only the following types of ID will be accepted, School ID, Company ID, Driver's License, SSS ID, GSIS ID, NBI Clearance, Postal ID, Voters ID, Passport.
6. A customer can join as many times as he or she wants and should and complete all requirements on the application form for every trial.
7. The designated Yoshinoya crew records the number of bowls consumed by the top 1 and 2 contestants who eats the most number of bowls and weighs the amount of leftover food. The following will be observed:
• 7.a Only the Yoshinoya napkins & standard Yoshinoya condiments (red ginger & Kikkoman) will be allowed to be put on the table and used by the customer. No assistance from any person or any mechanical device which will hep consume faster will be allowed.
• 7.b Only water provided by Yoshinoya is allowed during the contest proper.
• 7.c Only the prescribed timer in Yoshinoya stores will be used in timing the customer.
• 7.d Customer should not be holding nor touching the spoon for or chopsticks before the timer starts.
8. The Yoshinoya store crew shows the timer to the customers before starting the time record and starts the timer right after giving a go-signal. Customers then starts eating the beef bowls.
9. Customer should turn over empty bowl before starting the next bowl. All left over grains in all bowls will be weighed along with the unfinished bowl.
10. The Yoshinoya store crew registers the number of bowls consumed and weighs the leftover food of the top 1 & 2 contestants to validate the entry and verifies count and weight with the contestant.
11. The Yoshinoya store crew writes the number of bowls and weight of leftover on the Registration form to be signed by the Yoshinoya store crew and the customer/contestant over their printed names. Only Registration Forms bearing the printed names and signatures of the Yoshinoya store crew and the customer/contestant shall be considered valid.
12. The Yoshinoya store crew writes the Name and number of bowls consumed on the Leader Board. Only the Four (4) weekly fastest Gyudon bowl eaters who qualified in the store will be placed on its Leader Board per store. This will be updated every time a new record is set.
13. After the Weekly Qualifying Rounds in the stores all weekly contestants who qualified per store will be automatically be entered in the grand finals. All qualified contestants will be notified between June 2-6, 2014 through Mobile call and E-mail.
14. In case of a tie in the sores, the store manager shall call upon the contestants who tied for a re-match contestant with the least number of rice grains left ill be selected at as winner for the round.
15. In any case of disputes, the decision of the Yoshinoya Store Manager will be considered valid and final.
16. A DTI representative shall be present during eliminations.
17. Employees of Yoshinoya Century Pacific, its agencies and participating outlets, including their relatives up to the second degree of affinity or consanguinity and employees of sponsors, are disqualified from joining the qualifying match.

Grand Match Mechanic

1. The Final Match will be held on June 14, 2014 at 1:00pm in the Activity Center at the Glorietta, Makati City.
2. The Forty Two (42) Finalists will compete by eating most number of bowls in 15 minutes.
• 2.a Finalists should sign a Health Release and Liability Waiver prior to the Final Match.
• 2.b Each Finalist is given ten (10) regular beef bowls, and is assigned with a marshal. 
• 2.c Finalists should not be holding nor touching any of the spoon, fork or chopsticks before the timer starts.
• 2.d NO VOMITING is allowed for the duration of the contest and 15 minutes right after the contest proper, In case of vomiting during contest proper or right after the 15 minutes timer signal is sounded contestant is automatically disqualified.
3. The timer will star upon the go-signal of the host.
4. After 15 minutes is up, the finalists raises both hands and steps back from the table. Marshals will weigh remaining contents in bowls.
5. The Top 3 winning finalists with the most number of bowls and least weight will win the following prizes: 1st Place – P100,000 cash and 2 trip to Japand Tickets c/o Cebu Pacific 2nd Place – P50,000 3rd Place – P25,000
6. The non-winning Finalists will be given consolation prizes of P2,000 worth of Yoshinoya GC each.
7. In case of a tie for the 1st Place, 2nd Place, 3rd Place, a 1 bowl overtime match will be done among tied Finalists for their corresponding prizes. The Finalist who finishes beef bowl with the fastest time and little to none grains left ill be awarded the higher.
8. The 1st, 2nd, 3rd place winners will be announced and awarded during the Yoshinoya Gyudon Eating Contest Final Match Event and through posters and print ads.
9. In case of Grand winner be denied of Japan Visa Trip to Japan Ticket will be forfeited in favor of Yoshinoya
10. Non cash prizes and consolation are not convertible to cash

Control Measure:

1. All Application forms per branch shall be under the custody of the store manager, properly numbered sequentially per branch.
2. After the last Qualifying Event, all application forms will be collected and brought to the Yoshinoya Head Office for encoding and safekeeping under the custody of the Operations Manager – Ms. Lala Habana
3. A DTI representative shall be invited to witness Grand Finals Match.

So do memorize the scheduled dates for you to join the contest. If you have more question please feel free to comment here on my blog.  Who knows, you might be the next lucky winner of cash prizes and a trip to Japan.

A week after heart's day my correspondent Justin was delighted enough to witness Yoshinoya's Gyudon Eating Contest Grand Finals.  It is a yearly event done by Yoshinoya Philippines lead by their President and General Manager Timothy James Yang.  The event was held at the New Activity Center of Glorietta 1 in Makati City.  Completing the line up were the twenty eight (28) finalists who competed during the qualifying rounds from different stores of Yoshinoya in past month.  Aside from the 28 contestants present in the Grand Finals there were also contestant from different medias coming from the print, television, radio and online.  Making the total contender of 32 individuals.



Yoshinoya was founded in the 1800 in Japan during the 1800 and it became popular with delicious recipe of beef and rice known as Gyudon (beef bowl) which was created by Matsuda.


Now, Yoshinoya, with its annual Gyudon Eating Contest hailed the ultimate Beef Gyudon King out of the twenty eight (28) only three (3) of them rise victorious.  If you've joined the qualifying round you definitely know how hard it is to finish a number of bowls.  So for the final match was even more difficult as they have to eat the most number of beef gyudon bowls in 15 minutes and less leftover.  The Top Three (3) Finalists with the most number of bowls consumed and the least weight left after 15 minutes will be declared winners.



The first place winner will receive P100,000 and the bragging rights to be called the Yoshinoya Gyudon Eating Champion, second placer gets P50,000 while the 3rd placer takes home P25,000. Non-winners will get consolation prizes worth P2,000 of Yoshinoya Gift Certificates.  The winner of the media division will get P30,000.



After the opening and some introductions of the guest and dignitaries present during the event, the intense munching starts.  There were plenty of emotions and expressions during the contest.  With the span of 15 minutes finalists are eager to consume as many as they can.

The buzz triggers the end and the finalists were given 30 minutes to rest.  Just enough time for the judges to check and weighs the number of bowls consumed.

After tallying all, Japanese Cultural Attache to the Philippines Maki Mizusawa together with Mr. Timothy Yang announced the winners of the Gyudon Eating Contest.  First announced was the winner for the media division in which our blogger friend Florencio Jusay, Jr. or FPJ bagged the P30,000 cash prize finishing with 7 bowls.


For the Yoshinoya Gyudon Eating Champion was Douglas James Candano.

Congratulations to all the winners!

If you're eyeing to be next year's Gyudon Eating Champion be sure to check out their stores at SM Megamall, SM North EDSA, SM Mall of Asia, Robinsons Galleria, the newly opened Glorietta branch, SM Manila and also in SM Pampanga.