bb.q Chicken announced the opening of its first-ever bb.q Smart Kitchen Model, also known as BSK, in Englewood, N.J. Customers at the brand-new location may order Korean Fried Chicken or other K-Food items online or by kiosk and pick up their food fresh from lockers.
The new BSK concept is perfectly designed for high-density areas where square footage is more expensive but foot traffic is high. All ordering will be electronic, and carryout orders will be placed in touchless lockers, allowing for faster service and helping staff focus on preparing orders instead of managing a take-out counter.
Bb.q Chicken (pronounced bee-bee-que) will add BSK to its existing portfolio of three distinct restaurant formats: bb.q Chicken Express, which offers takeout and delivery only; bb.q Chicken Café, a multi-concept café that features beer and the entire menu; and bb.q Chicken and Beer, which includes full dine-in and a bar, along with takeout and delivery. In a few of their Korean locations, bb.q is also testing robot servers, including an automated robot arm for frying.
The turnaround time to open a BSK concept is faster than the other bb.q concepts, due to less counter space and the smaller footprint at around 800 to 1,000 square feet, making it appealing for new and current franchisees who are looking to open more bb.q restaurants. “We’ve already had current bb.q franchisees asking us how they can open up their own BSK locations,” says U.S. CEO Joseph Kim. “I think we’re going to see a lot more BSK locations opening because it’s more convenient to build and it offers solutions to potential staffing challenges, with lower overhead costs.”
Bb.q stands for Best of the Best Quality and serves as a promise to always make Korea’s Finest Fried Chicken. Each location prepares and shares only the best flavors and uses the best ingredients for its signature item, Korean Fried Chicken, as well as K-Food items, such as ddeok bokki and kimchi fried rice. The method bb.q Chicken uses to fry its chicken makes a difference, too, resulting in a lighter, crispier and more delicious product compared to American-style fried chicken. Each restaurant offers both boneless and bone-in Korean Fried Chicken options with a variety of delicious sauces and flavors.
Authenticity is also at the core of everything bb.q Chicken makes. Korean Fried Chicken has gained popularity in America, and while many international food brands try to “Americanize” their food selections when they franchise in the United States, that is not the case for bb.q Chicken. bb.q Chicken’s authentic marinades arrive directly from South Korea and transport their customers’ taste buds back to Seoul with every bite.
