Name: Den Fujita on Letterman, October 2, 1985
Uploaded: 2018-07-07T04:05:43.000Z
Description: Watch the stand-up comedy video 'Den Fujita on Letterman, October 2, 1985' from Don Giller on Comedy Buff. Published 2018-07-07. Transcript available. By request: Den Fujita, owner of all 510 McDonalds in Japan.

Watch the stand-up comedy video 'Den Fujita on Letterman, October 2, 1985' from Don Giller on Comedy Buff. Published 2018-07-07. Transcript available. By request: Den Fujita, owner of all 510 McDonalds in Japan.

My first guest tonight, Kingshu, right, is a very interesting man who is here
visiting
from the country of Japan. We have some videotape for you to take a look at. He
is known in his
homeland as the Hamburger King. That's because this man owns all 510 McDonald's
in that country.
Please welcome Mr. Den Fujita.
The sky cam. Look at this. Did you see the sky cam?
You might want to take this back to your country too. Am I pronouncing your
name properly, Mr.
Fujita?
Yes, right.
Now, you have all of these McDonald's restaurants in Japan.
Yes.
What do you have there that we don't have here? Is it the same name? Is the
menu
the same?
Everything is the same except orange juice.
Orange juice?
Yes.
They don't have orange juice in this country?
No, we don't have Fanta orange juice.
We have what?
Fanta orange.
The carbonated soda, orange soda.
We have orange juice.
Real orange juice.
Yes.
What do you call McDonald's in Japan?
Oh, McDo Nardo.
McDo Nardo?
Nice.
Really?
And what do you call, like, a Big Mac?
The same Big Mac.
Big Mac.
And Quarter Pounder?
Quarter Pounder.
Now, do you, do you have a, do you have a Ronald McDonald as well over there?
Yes, but we cannot pronounce Ronard, you know. So, we pronounce Donard. R and L
cannot pronounce.
So, you have Donald McDonald.
Right.
Now, these, these must be very, very popular in this country.
Yes, very popular.
When did you start doing this? 1970, was it?
Yeah, 15 years ago.
Yes.
And what is the most popular item on the menu?
Filet of fish and the shake.
Now, let me ask you about the shake.
Is there any dairy product whatsoever in that shake?
What do you mean?
You know, it, sometimes, and I'm not saying this is true at all McDonald's, but
occasionally
you'll get one that just tastes like it might be chalk and water.
No.
You actually have ice cream?
No, we have a sundae.
You have a sundae.
Yes.
And shakes.
Shakes, yes.
But there's ice cream in the shakes.
No, shake is shake.
So, the sundae is ice cream, but the shake, of course, is a shake.
So, I'm on to something here then, aren't I?
Yeah.
Now, what about, do the Japanese people, they have chicken McNuggets?
Yes, we have.
And is that a popular item?
Yes.
Do they seem to understand the concept of chicken McNuggets?
Yes.
And just exactly what is that concept?
Eat a lot of beef?
Many of the hamburgers actually sell well?
Yes, very well.
Yes, very well.
Yeah.
Do people mind the concept of self-service?
Yes.
We understand, yes.
Yeah, but do they object to that?
No, we're accepted.
Yeah, yeah.
And is there anything in Japan now that's popular that we might be able to
bring to this country
by way of fast food?
Sushi?
Mm-hmm.
Is there like a chain of sushi restaurants that would be comparable to McDonald's?
Yes, yes.
What is that?
The sushi bar, you know.
Uh-huh, right.
But is there one organization that would be the equivalent of McDonald's?
No, no, no, no.
I don't think so.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Small one.
Yeah.
And you're also, you're bringing something else to Japan from the United States
soon, aren't
you?
No.
Ah, yeah.
I would bring to Japan 42nd Street, a musical.
Yeah.
And when will that take place?
Uh, next year, August.
And you think that's going to be a big success?
Big success, yes.
I think so.
What else are you interested in bringing over there?
Well, for the time being 42nd Street only.
Mm-hmm.
How many McDonald's do you want to have?
I mean, 510 is a lot of restaurants.
Uh, I don't think so.
Maybe soon, I have maybe 1,000.
Oh, my gosh.
Yes.
Now, do you ever get behind the counter and fry up burgers and stuff?
Uh, one day for one year.
Uh-huh.
Yeah.
I work in the store.
As a learning experience?
Yes.
Well, congratulations.
It's a very, uh, well, you must be fabulously wealthy from all this, huh?
No.
Yeah.
Come on.
You know, little man-san, I'm going to tell you, in Japan, you know, uh, a
different way,
because, uh, we cannot say no.
Mm-hmm.
See?
But you say no, uh, yes.
But Japan, uh, we cannot say no.
No.
So, in case we have to say no, we say, okay, positively consider.
It means no.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
And sometimes, uh, we don't want to talk.
We say, seriously consider.
Seriously consider.
It means get out.
Uh-huh.
Uh-huh.
Different, huh?
Yeah, it is a little different.
Uh, but, uh, now, do me a favor.
Work on the shakes.
Yes.
There, there ought to be something, just a little milk, a little ice cream in
there.
What is it?
Limestone?
Is that what they mix up in it?
Oh.
No.
No.
What's in them?
The milk.
There is milk in it?
Yes.
Are you sure?
Yes.
Okay.
Nice to meet you, Mr. Fujita.
Thank you very much for being here.
We have to, uh, pause with the station identification.
We'll see you next time.