The convenience store is a place where people go every day because of its convenience. Many of us buy a convenience store bento for lunch.

I was wondering, what is the most expensive item in a convenience store bento? Sushi? Makunouchi bento? A little nice pasta?

So I checked the "most expensive bento*" at four major convenience stores (7-ELEVEN, Lawson, FamilyMart, and Ministop), and to my surprise, it turns out that they are all related to "tonkatsu" (pork cutlet)! The most expensive bento at the time of this writing, as listed on the official websites of each company.

The most expensive bento at convenience stores

7-ELEVEN "Roasted pork cutlet with roasted sesame sauce" (598 yen, tax included, same below)
LAWSON "Niigata Koshihikari Aged Loin Tonkatsu Bento" (590 yen)
FamilyMart "Yawaraka Loose Cutlet Bowl" (550 yen), "Shiomai Bento" (550 yen)
Mini Stop "Thick-cut loin pork cutlet lunchbox" (530 yen)

All of these are priced at more than one coin (500 yen). The price is a bit steep for an "item" bought at a convenience store. 7-ELEVEN and Lawson charge almost 600 yen.

The most expensive bento at Famima were the Yawaraka Roast Cutlet Bowl, the Shiomai Bento, and the Spring Gyoraku Makunouchi Bento (Bamboo Shoots Rice) (all 550 yen), but the Spring Gyoraku Makunouchi Bento seems to be available only in "Spring", so I left it out this time.

Here are the contents of each!

7-ELEVEN "Loin Tonkatsu Bento with Roasted Sesame Sauce

This bento combines rice sprinkled with sesame seeds and pork loin tonkatsu. A "sesame sauce" made from roasted and crushed sesame seeds is served separately. Underneath the pork cutlet is spaghetti Neapolitan.


The pork cutlet is rather thin but quite large, cut into six slices, and the volume of the cutlet takes up more than half of the container. From the looks of it, it looks like it would be a good meal.

The batter is coarse and thick, with a crunchy texture. The meat wrapped in the batter is well-seasoned and tender, and when you bite into it, you can feel the fibers loosening. The sweetness of the fat spreads moistly.


The sesame sauce is delicious, and is perfect when tossed with the pork cutlet! The sour, tangy, spicy, and strong sesame flavors intertwine perfectly with the sweetness of the fat, leaving your mouth feeling refreshed at the end.


The calorie count per serving is 1,074 kcal, and the sauce is the key to the deliciousness of this bento, not to mention the tonkatsu.

Lawson "Niigata Koshihikari Aged Loin Tonkatsu Lunchbox

This bento features rice made with Niigata Koshihikari rice and tonkatsu made with aged meat. The tonkatsu is said to have been aged to enhance the tenderness and flavor of the pork. Incidentally, the tonkatsu is said to be one of Lawson's largest tonkatsu.


Tonkatsu sauce with ground sesame and mustard are served separately.


The tonkatsu is cut into 5 slices, and the batter is delicate, crispy, and savory. The meat is thick, plump and juicy. The meat is soft and tender, and the more you bite into it, the more the juices flow out of the meat.


The sweet and spicy sauce is flavored with a hint of sesame and assists the umami of the meat.


The glazed Niigata Koshihikari rice is topped with sesame seeds and pickled plums. A pinch of pickled plums between bites of pork cutlet will refresh your palate.


Pasta is not included like at 7-ELEVEN, but instead (?) two side dishes are served. Instead, two side dishes are served. This is a nice chopstick break!



The main dish is tonkatsu (pork cutlet), but it also comes with side dishes, giving the impression of a good overall balance.

FamilyMart "Yawaraka Roast Cutlet Bowl" and "Shiomai Lunchbox

The Yawaraka Loin Cutlet Bowl is a bowl of rice topped with pork loin and katsu tsuji (pork cutlet) with a hint of dashi (soup stock) and soy sauce. It is topped with onions and a soft egg.


The slightly sweet sauce combined with the richness of the oil is exquisitely delicious! The fluffy batter absorbs the broth and the fluffy, soft, juicy meat is enveloped by the mellow egg. The crunchy texture of the onion adds a nice accent.


Tonkatsu is delicious crispy deep-fried, but it is also delicious when it is soaked in broth.

The shioumai bento, on the other hand, is a similarly priced bento that includes six pieces of hearty shioumai, juicy chicken karaage, shakushaku bamboo shoots, fluffy egg crab cakes, and sweet and spicy ginger kelp tsukudani (food boiled down in soy sauce). The rice is topped with sesame seeds and pickled plums (soft small grain type).



In addition to the six siu mai that are the star of the dish, you can enjoy many different side dishes in small portions, satisfying both your taste buds and your stomach! The flavors change, so you won't get bored until the very end. It is like a makunouchi bento.

Ministop "Thick Cut Loin Pork Cutlet Bento

Bento with white rice and thick cut loin pork cutlet. It is served with pasta and oshinko (Japanese pickles). Tonkatsu sauce and mustard are served separately.



The tonkatsu is deep-fried slowly to lock in the flavor of the meat, making it just the right amount of chewy and tender.


The five slices of tonkatsu are about the same size and thickness as LAWSON's tonkatsu, but the color of the batter is a bit browned, as it is "slow-fried".


The savory flavor of the oil seeps out as you chew. The meat is crispy and chewy. The slightly sweet sauce and the savory flavor of the pork cutlet are a perfect match!

With only 773 calories per serving, the tonkatsu bento is a simple meal with white rice and almost no side dishes to accompany it. It was a simple bento with no side dishes.

This is the result of our research on the most expensive bento at each convenience store! How about on payday or when you want to recharge your batteries today! How about it on a payday or when you want a special power charge today?