Joyfull

For the defunct American settlement, see Joyful, California.

Joyfull Co., Ltd.
株式会社ジョイフル

Joyfull headquarters
Company type	Public company
Industry	Restaurants
Founded	Oita City, Japan (20 May 1979)
Headquarters	Japan
Area served	Japan, Taiwan
Services	Japanese-style western cuisine
Number of employees	Full time 1,059 (June 2024); part-time 5,656 (June 2024)
Website	www.joyfull.co.jp Japan, (in Japanese)

Old style store design.

Modern store design

Joyfull, officially known as Joyfull Co., Ltd. (株式会社ジョイフル kabushikigaisha joifuru), is a Japanese holding company headquartered in Oita City, Oita Prefecture, Japan, which operates the family restaurant chain of the same name mainly in western Japan. As of June 2023, the company operated 656 stores, down from over 700 previously due to closures related to Covid-19.

Description

Joyfull restaurants are "family restaurants" that primarily serve Japanese-style Western meals, including steaks, hamburger patties, fried chicken or pork, pizza, pasta, soups, salads, and desserts. Most locations include self-service non-alcoholic drink machine bars (Joycafé) with ice, water, juices, soft drinks, teas, coffee, and similar drinks. Many locations are open 24 hours and allow customers to stay and relax far longer than it takes to consume their meal (thereby becoming popular with studying students and office workers for informal meetings).

History

• 1976, May - Yakinikuen Co., Ltd. , a yakiniku restaurant chain, was established in Tannohara, Oita City.
• 1979, February - First store opened in Hagiwara, Oita City.
• 1980, September - Company name changed to Joyfull.
• 1983, August - Head office relocated to a new building in Hagiwara, Oita City.
• 1988 - Absorbed Kotobuki Kaikan Co., Ltd.
• 1989 - Head office moved to current location (Mikawashinmachi, Oita City)
• 1990 - POS system introduced
• 1993, June - Listed on the Fukuoka Stock Exchange.
• 1994, May - Kamenoi Hotel Co., Ltd. (now Amaze Co., Ltd.) becomes a subsidiary.
• 1996, October - Established a regional subsidiary, Kanto Joyfull Co., Ltd.
• 1999, August - a total of seven regional subsidiaries (including Kanto Joyfull) established.
• 2002, June - All shares in Kamenoi Hotel are sold. Acquires the business of Kanto Joyfull Co., Ltd.
• 2004, June - the company now merged with six other regional subsidiaries.
• 2005 - Joyful Service Co., Ltd. is established as a subsidiary.
• 2008 - Overseas subsidiary "Shanghai Qiaoyunfu Catering Co., Ltd." was established in Shanghai , People's Republic of China .
• 2010 - Shanghai Qiaoyunfu Catering Co., Ltd. was liquidated.
• 2013, March - Changed logo mark.
• 2014, October - The first new brand type store, Himeji Otsu store, opens.
• 2015, April - Akasaka store opens, the first store within Tokyo's 23 wards.
• 2015, November - Establishes 11 regional subsidiaries in Eastern Kanto, Tohoku, and other areas.
• 2016​, May - The overseas subsidiary "Taiwan Zhen You Fu Catering Co., Ltd." was established in Taipei, Republic of China.
• 2016, October - Established subsidiary Rising Sun Food System and spun off the Gohandokoro Kirakuya business.
• 2017, October - Joyfull East Kansai and Hokuriku are established, increasing the number of regional subsidiaries to 12.
• 2018, February - Kitchen Jiro Co., Ltd. becomes a subsidiary.
• 2018, June - Friendly, a competitor, is acquired as a subsidiary through a tender offer.
• 2018, September - Opened Sapporo Higashinaebo store in Sapporo, the first store in Hokkaido.
• 2020, October - Joyfull Kitanihon absorbs Joyfull Kanto. Joyfull Nishikansai absorbs Joyfull Higashikansai and Hokuriku and changes its name to Joyfull Kansai. The number of regional subsidiaries reduces to 10.
• 2023 July - Absorbed Kitchen Jiro.
• 2025 - QR code based smartphone ordering available from tables in the store (making staff-based ordering optional)

External links

• Official page (Japanese)
• Joyfull Family Restaurant in Japan - YouTube