wagamama vs Wasabi:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, wagamama had more branded searches than Wasabi among Asian restaurant chains in the United Kingdom. wagamama had about 301,000 branded searches, while Wasabi had 3,700. wagamama made up 65% of all Asian restaurant chain searches we track, and Wasabi accounted for 0.8%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about Asian restaurant chains, wagamama appeared in two of the three answers and Wasabi in one. wagamama was mentioned before Wasabi in every answer that named either.
Who do people search for more?
wagamama, about 81 searches for every 1 for Wasabi
Who does AI mention more?
wagamama, mentioned in 2 of 3 answers, Wasabi in 1
Who does AI recommend more?
wagamama, named ahead of Wasabi in 2 of 2 answers
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Top Asian restaurant chains in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions, wagamama was mentioned in two out of three: in two of the three ChatGPT answers. Wasabi was mentioned in one out of three: in one of the three ChatGPT answers. wagamama was listed before Wasabi in every answer that named either.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
See every answer about Asian restaurant chains
3 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best Asian restaurant chain in the UK?”
Asked ChatGPT
“Which UK chain has the best sushi?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the most popular noodle and sushi chains in the UK?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“sushi”
Google showed no AI Overview for this search.
Searched Google, AI Overview
“asian restaurant”
Google showed no AI Overview for this search.
Not named in any answer:
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in United Kingdom on October 23, 2026.
Is wagamama or Wasabi more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for wagamama and Wasabi by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all six Asian restaurant chains we track, month by month, from searches in United Kingdom.
Share of searches by month for wagamama, Wasabi. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | wagamama | itsu | YO! Sushi | Tampopo | Wasabi | Banana Tree |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 68% | 20.4% | 9.1% | 1.5% | 0.65% | 0.36% |
| Nov 2025 | 64.4% | 23.6% | 8.7% | 2.1% | 0.61% | 0.51% |
| Dec 2025 | 66.4% | 19.8% | 10.9% | 1.8% | 0.63% | 0.43% |
| Jan 2026 | 63.6% | 19% | 12.8% | 2.6% | 1.6% | 0.5% |
| Feb 2026 | 66% | 19.7% | 10.9% | 2.2% | 0.77% | 0.43% |
| Mar 2026 | 63.2% | 23.1% | 10.4% | 2.1% | 0.9% | 0.4% |
| Apr 2026 | 68.3% | 16.8% | 11.2% | 2.2% | 0.98% | 0.43% |
| May 2026 | 64.1% | 19.3% | 12.9% | 2.1% | 0.96% | 0.63% |
| Jun 2026 | 65.7% | 19.8% | 10.8% | 2.2% | 0.99% | 0.51% |
| Jul 2026 | 64.2% | 19.3% | 12.9% | 2.1% | 0.89% | 0.63% |
| Aug 2026 | 66.8% | 16.4% | 13.4% | 1.8% | 0.93% | 0.64% |
| Sep 2026 | 65% | 16% | 16% | 1.7% | 0.8% | 0.52% |
How has the wagamama and Wasabi comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- wagamama was ahead of Wasabi in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, wagamama’s share of searches among Asian restaurant chains in the United Kingdom moved from 68% to 65%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 450K to 301K.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Wasabi’s share of searches among Asian restaurant chains in the United Kingdom moved from 0.65% to 0.8%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 4.3K to 3.7K.
How did search popularity change for United Kingdom Asian restaurant chains in September 2026?
2 changes
In September 2026, wagamama lost share of searches among Asian restaurant chains in the United Kingdom, from 66.8% to 65%.
Estimated monthly branded searches for Wasabi in the United Kingdom fell 14% over 12 measured months, from 4.3K to 3.7K in September 2026.
How are branded searches counted?
3 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using wagamama’s and Wasabi’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
Other head-to-heads among Asian restaurant chains
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