Japanese convenience store operator Lawson Inc. will raise the prices of its beloved chicken nugget snack "Kara-age Kun” for the first time since it was introduced in 1986.
The price of the five-pack nuggets, sold in a paper envelope with a toothpick and a chicken illustration that’s instantly recognizable to anyone in the country, will increase 10% to ¥238 ($1.88), tax inclusive, from May 31, the company said in a statement Friday. Prices of some other fried and processed foods will also be increased about 6%, it said.
While fried chicken offerings are popular draws at convenience stores, Lawson’s "Kara-age Kun” reached new heights of fame when a space-friendly version was taken to the International Space Station by astronaut Soichi Noguchi in 2020.