Lawson is catching onto the one-cup mini diet meal trend
Search for "bringing lunch" or "bringing lunch to work" on Xiaohongshu, and you'll find countless bloggers documenting their simple one-cup mini meals. These meals are typically designed to "just keep you alive." They are usually said to be diet meals aiding weight loss, while others are just in it for the novelty. Either way, this "Tiny Kingdom" lunch trend has become quite popular on social media.
Notes about one-cup mini lunch on Xiaohongshu
Typical one-cup mini lunch. Image: Xiaohongshu @金闪闪的小日子 @像我这样
Lawson seems to have caught onto this trend. Recently, the convenience store chain launched a new bento box that quickly became a social media sensation. However, it wasn't its taste that drew attention but its remarkably small portion size. This new Lawson bento box is surprisingly tiny, with the container divided into two sections: one for rice and one for a small amount of chicken or other meat. This mini bento allows consumers to customize their meals with additional side dishes to suit their tastes and needs, offering a more personalized dining experience.
Mini bento meals offered by Lawson. Image: Xiaohongshu @砂糖不吃葱
The increasingly diverse mini bento boxes has become a godsend for those with "bird-like appetites." They are competing with traditional diet and fitness meals. Compared with plain boiled cabbage and shrimp, these mini bentos look appealing since they include valuable carbohydrates and a variety of flavourful seasonings—be it salty, spicy, or sweet and sour. Besides, each box costs no more than ￥10 ($1.40), making a high value-for-money choice for diet meal.
