The KFC boom is coming back to New York in full swing, and no, it’s not that kind of KFC.
Bonchon is the city’s premier fast-casual Korean Fried Chicken restaurant. Translated into English as “My hometown,” Bonchon was established in South Korea in 2002 by ofounder Jinduk Seo, who dreamed of sharing his hometown’s favorite flavors with the rest of the world. After years of obsessively perfecting Bonchon’s signature sauces and fried chicken, Seo brought Bonchon’s first US expansion to New York in 2006, kickstarting the city’s Korean Fried Chicken Boom.
Today, 20 years after launching their first restaurant in Korea, Bonchon is now recognized as one of the world’s fastest-growing fast-casual Asian-fusion chicken chains. Bonchon currently operates over 390 locations across the world, and more than 114 restaurants in New York alone. Recognized by Business Insider as “the gold standard for fried chicken”, Bonchon currently operates five locations in New York, and has begun an ambitious expansion strategy to franchise their popular restaurant and bring more brick-and-mortar stores to hungry customers across the region.
Bonchon has just struck a deal with franchising group YCY International FB1 to open up five new locations across New York and New Jersey through 2023. Plans are currently in place to open up new restaurants in Kings County, New York County, Queens County, and Middlesex and Bergen Counties in New Jersey.
Greg Buchanan, Bonchon’s Chief Administrative Officer, said of the deal that “Expanding further into New York and New Jersey is a major priority for our ongoing development. As we broaden the communities we serve and grow our fanbase, we look to the talented franchisees behind this momentum,” adding that they are “looking forward to seeing Bonchon’s success in these new markets and continuing to bring our unique, flavorful menu to the neighborhoods around the world.”
For more updates, you can follow Bonchon on Instagram for information on all of their latest expansion plans.
