Simple. Flavorful. Portable. Inexpensive. Quick. Casual. Fun. Quick-service menu-development professionals know they’ve hit pay dirt when they’re able to devise that rare item that boasts all of these qualities. So what if I was to tell you that somewhere out there in the world, the streets are, quite literally, lined with such ideas?  Would you be able to finish the sentence before booking your flight?

Turns out such places do exist. Many of them are in Asia, and you don’t even need to waste those hard-earned frequent-flier miles to get there. The foods I’m speaking of are readily available here in North America, though not in standard quick-service settings.

Asian street foods—the tasty, if humble, handheld staples on which urbanites from Seoul to Shanghai and Manila to Macau have subsisted for ages—are everything menu developers crave: distinctive, delicious, quick to prepare, easy to eat, cheap to serve, and different without being too out there. Though typically sold from roadside carts, many of these entries might have what it takes to make the jump to the modern quick-service menuboard.

What follows are a few Asian street-food traditions which, in either pure or slightly altered forms, might provide ample fodder for your next ideation session.

Inside-the-box thinking. The typical Japanese bento box is a small tray divided into four sections that house various combinations of rice, meat, fish, noodles, salad, or condiments. But the very nature of the basic bento box formula lends itself to endless reinvention. A compartmentalized box of various treats could also work in a pizza quick-service establishment, where the trays might include miniature pizza squares, a stuffed breadstick, salad, and perhaps some sort of Italian sweet cookie. Placing a variety of textures, flavors, and portions in the context of one meal might also be ideal for guests who want to sample widely from a burger or sandwich chain’s diverse menu.