Bonchon operates an approximate total of 500 stores in over ten different nations and territories. The United States is the company's primary market, generating more than 60 percent of its worldwide revenue, with more than 150 stores spread out in major cities such as New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Dallas. In the plan for its future geographical development, Bonchon plans on opening up new stores in Puerto Rico by 2026. To fully concentrate on expanding internationally and avoid oversaturation in its own home market, Bonchon stopped all retailing in South Korea by the end of 2016.
Apart from the US, Bonchon has expanded outside its borders mainly due to franchising deals. For instance, in the Philippines, the chain entered the market in 2010 through a master deal with Scotland Food Group, resulting in 180 franchise restaurants based on the localized family-oriented fast-casual concept. In Thailand, the operations are run by Minor International and operates over 110 Bonchon locations, relying on digital delivery systems.
Bonchon uses a number of architectural and operational formats for its restaurant stores depending on the real estate market conditions. While older restaurants used a fine-casual sit-down concept with a bar in their premises, new franchises use a fast-casual concept featuring smaller menu selection, counter service, and a reduced property footprint. As part of efforts to diversify the format, in 2023, Bonchon started to introduce alternative store types such as ghost kitchens and locations at hotels and airports.
As of recent company data, Bonchon operates globally across North America, Asia, the Middle East, Oceania, and Europe. Its densest markets are currently the Philippines, the United States, and Thailand.
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North America
United States: 150 stores
Asia
Philippines: 180 stores
Thailand: 110+ stores
Cambodia: 12 stores
Myanmar: 7 stores
Vietnam: 24 stores
Singapore: 6 stores
Taiwan: 7 stores
Laos: 2 stores
South Korea: 1 sauce manufacturing facility
Middle East
Kuwait: 2 stores
Bahrain: 2 stores
Oceania
Australia: 2 stores
Europe
France: 2 stores
Products
Cooking methods and sauces
The cooking methods used by Bonchon involve its own recipe that requires cooking the chicken in two steps. In the first step, the chicken is cooked until the fat from the skin is cooked off and the moisture is maintained within the meat. It is then allowed to rest before being cooked a second time. Through this dehydration process, a thin and crispy shell forms around the chicken, forming a protective layer to prevent moisture from entering. After frying, the chicken is manually brushed with sauce rather than tossed in containers; this process is intended to distribute the seasoning evenly without compromising the texture. The two original sauces offered at Bonchon include Soy Garlic, which uses Daseo-jong garlic, and Spicy, which involves using dried Gochugaru chili pepper.
Menu offerings
In addition to its core fried chicken, a portion of the usual menu offerings in Bonchon is composed of common Korean comfort food, such as bibimbap, japchae (stir-fried Korean glass noodles), and bulgogi. Other menu items available in Bonchon are Korean fusion foods, which consist of bulgogi fries, Korean tacos, bao buns, and the MoPo Corn Dog (mozzarella sticks encased in a potato batter).
The master franchisee for the international market has been permitted to make alterations to the menu offerings according to regional preferences to cater to customers seeking a full meal. Examples of menu offerings available in the Philippines include the Creamy Rose Tteokbokki, Sizzling Bibimbowl, and Cafe Koreano (coffee and snow ice). Similarly, Thai locations operated by Minor Food Group have adapted their offerings by introducing single-serving meal sizes alongside regional dishes like spicy seafood soup.
Menu highlights
Bonchon serves Korean food favorites, and orders can be placed in restaurant, online at Bonchon.com, through the Bonchon app, or third-party delivery services. Menu highlights include:
Korean Fried Chicken - Wings, Drumsticks, Strips, and a Chicken Sandwich with signature sauces of Soy Garlic, Spicy, Korean BBQ, and Yangnyeom.
Korean Dishes - Bibimbap, Japchae, Tteokbokki, Bulgogi, and more.
Side Dishes - Kimchi, Pickled Radish, Coleslaw, Korean Street Corn, and more.
Korean Donuts - Traditional soft and fluffy Korean donuts coated with cinnamon and sugar on the outside, served with a sweet cream dipping sauce.
Marketing
Bonchon’s marketing campaigns frequently emphasize the brand’s South Korean origins. The marketing strategy of Bonchon includes multimedia campaigns like "Crunch Out Loud," which utilizes ASMR-style audio formats to highlight the audible texture of its fried chicken. In Asian markets, Bonchon relies on its own brand ambassadors to target the younger generation of consumers, especially the Generation Z group. For instance, in Thailand, the brand’s master franchisee, Minor Food Group, engaged Thai actor and singer Vachirawit Chivaree as its first-ever brand ambassador to increase youth market penetration.
Brand perception
An empirical study conducted by sociologists at Chulalongkorn University in 2022 regarding Generation Z consumers in Thailand revealed that although the target audience held positive perceptions about Bonchon as comfort food, they did not relate the brand with broader Korean pop culture (K-pop). According to the research, past advertising efforts had emphasized the product quality more than the lifestyle aspects of the brand.
Digital platforms
The brand has been incorporating advanced technological tools in its marketing strategy to help in promoting the e-commerce business, which contributes to more than fifty percent of the firm's income from the leading markets. Bonchon uses mobile apps and social media sites such as Facebook to communicate promotions, menu updates, and facilitate quick ordering. The company also runs a membership club named 'Crunch Club.'
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