JINYA Uses Soccer Season and Jim Beam to Push Summer Traffic

JINYA Ramen Bar is betting on soccer season to pull more diners into its full-bar locations. The chain launched the FT90, a limited-time cocktail made with Jim Beam Bourbon, pineapple, lemon, cinnamon demerara and hibiscus. The name refers to the 90 minutes of regulation time in a soccer match.

The drink is available only at participating JINYA locations that have full bars, a subset of the chain's roughly 80-plus restaurants. JINYA Holdings, founded by Tomo Takahashi in 2010, has been adding locations and concepts – bushi by JINYA, Robata JINYA, Saijo – with two new concepts scheduled for 2026.

Jim Beam is the official spirit partner of the U.S. Soccer Federation, so the tie-in gives JINYA a national sports marketing hook without the cost of a solo sponsorship. The cocktail is meant to pair with ramen and small plates, which creates a higher average ticket than ramen alone.

The FT90 runs for a limited time. If it drives repeat visits during the summer tournament window, JINYA could extend it or build a rotation of sports-season cocktails. If it fails to move check averages, the chain has other levers: franchise expansion, new concepts, and a growing delivery channel through JINYA Ramen Express.

For now, the bet is on a sweet, bourbon-based drink named after a soccer clock.