Bonchon celebrated a number of milestones in 2022, including the twentieth anniversary of the brand’s now 400-unit chain. The Korean chicken concept attributes its success in the past 12 months to a strategic menu approach combating inflation and creative marketing campaigns reaching new consumers. This is evident with its 24.7 percent increase in AUV over the last few years. 

Bonchon has grown domestic units by 10 percent in 2022 and plans to more than double unit growth in 2023. The brand is prioritizing expanding in key markets like the Dallas-Fort Worth area. A fourth location opened in November 2022 and several are scheduled to open throughout Texas before the end of 2023. But Bonchon isn’t just developing in the south, it’s also continuing to grow its footprint in the Midwest (Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, and Minnesota), as well as on the East and West coasts in states like California, Colorado, Arizona, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York.

As the crunchy chicken concept rolls out new locations, the brand has received recognition for its growth and strategic approach to drive sales. Nation’s Restaurant News noticed Bonchon for its menu innovation to combat inflation and ranked it No. 181 on its Top 500 Restaurants list. This adds to Bonchon’s spot on the list of brands projected to make the QSR 50 in the coming years.

With inflation driving food prices higher in 2022, Bonchon focused on finding a solution for both franchisees and consumers. It prioritized sourcing ingredients domestically to decrease overseas shipping costs. The brand also introduced the Crunchy Chicken Bowl, an LTO that outperformed Bonchon’s bibimbap, which is an item on its menu that featured similar ingredients and was on 5 percent of all checks. This bowl was created out of existing ingredients on the menu—cutting food costs for franchisees and allowing it to be offered to consumers at an affordable price. 

“Our attention remains on strategically strengthening our menu and satisfying our loyal customers,” says Flynn Dekker, CEO of Bonchon. “We value franchisees who represent our brand’s mission to deliver top-tier customer service. That’s why we are concentrated on finding franchisees who are committed to customer service, product quality, and operational excellence.”

As chicken concepts continue to pique franchise interest, Bonchon brings a strong presence through unique positioning in the chicken segment, an innovative menu, expansion in key territories and customer-focused mentality. The brand’s marketing strategy and operational adaptations drive the brand’s mission forward: to share the joy of Korean comfort food around the world. 

For more on franchising with Bonchon, visit franchising.bonchon.com.