bb.q Chicken Rides America’s Appetite for Korean Culture

Korean culture continues to build in America. Andrew Lee, bb.q Chicken’s general manager, U.S. business development division, has definitely seen it across his six-and-a-half years at the growing chain.

A few years before COVID, the customer base was heavily Asian-American. But that’s since changed to a more diverse, suburban population. Markets in the Midwest and Southeast—particularly states like Oklahoma, Kansas, and Tennessee, where Asian populations are below 5 percent—are performing quite well relative to the rest of the system.

bb.q Chicken used to field a lot of questions around its menu. There were emails, Instagram DMs and reviews questioning what flavors to look forward to. Today, guests are demanding a more authentic experience.

“That really portrays the increase in demand and the awareness of Korean culture,” Lee says. ” … ‘Hey, I’ve had this in Korea or I’ve seen this in a Korean show. Can you guys offer this or can I order this in the United States, what I had in Korea?’ So that really showcases the increasing demand and increase in awareness in overall Korean cuisine.”

US expansion efforts

The chain now has approximately 250 U.S. locations, compared to roughly 160 stores three years ago. bb.q Chicken is in 35 states and has spent most of its recent development focusing on states without a notable Asian population.

The brand sees significant opportunity in Midwestern markets, where consumers often have limited Asian dining choices beyond Chinese fast-casual concepts or sushi restaurants. Lee says Korean cuisine fills a gap in those regions, and the concept has received encouraging interest from prospective franchisees and consumers.

Some of that could be innovative growth. In May, bb.q Chicken opened its second drive-thru location in Midtown Phoenix, with the first coming in Franklin, New Jersey, in late 2025. Thus far, the model has exceeded expectations and validated the fast casual’s ability to deliver its menu quickly.

The format caters primarily to individual diners seeking speed and convenience, and the company has achieved strong operational performance, with roughly 95 percent of orders completed within its three-minute service target. Drive-thru locations have also improved profitability by capturing off-premises occasions that previously flowed through delivery channels. The brand has multiple drive-thru restaurants under development across the Midwest and plans to open additional locations later this year.

“We are wishing and hoping to see more drive-thrus to play a vital role in the development for the United States,” Lee says.

Economic challenges

While Lee admits economic turmoil has impacted bb.q Chicken’s business, the company isn’t seeing a huge decrease in revenue; it’s more of a steady stalemate from a unit economic perspective, especially in metropolitan markets like New York, Baltimore, and Los Angeles. Other trade areas have fared better.

“Midwestern states or Texas, we’ve seen some revenue grow,” Lee says. “So I guess that really shows maybe we’re acquiring more consumers into the door, and in metropolitan areas, the consumer spending is decreasing due to the increase in public transportation, gas, rent—things of that nature. I do think they have a shallower pocket.”

Similar to many others, bb.q Chicken has turned to value to keep guests engaged. In a couple of test markets, the chain has rolled out a bundle deal—including drink and a side—for around $10 to $11, whereas typical Korean fried chicken offerings could cost $18 to $20. Lee says the promotion has performed well and that he expects more franchisees to adopt value bundles in the future.

Marketing initiatives

In terms of other marketing initiatives, Lee hints that bb.q Chicken is working with a major K-pop idol to be a global ambassador, including the U.S., Latin America, Europe, and Korea. It would be the chain’s first such partnership since Korean boy band BTS about a decade ago.

The brand also hopes to acquire more guests via its updated rewards program. Introduced publicly in March, the revamped platform features new rewards options that are expected to increase redemption rates and frequency. bb.q Chicken also lowered its highest point threshold from 70,000 points to 50,000, giving guests a greater opportunity to redeem rewards in fewer visits. Sometime in the future, the brand wants to add merchandise to the program.

“We are seeing some feedback on it, and we’ll continue to do our monitoring and reevaluation on our program,” Lee says. “We are foreseeing that we’ll be doing more, like gamification and increase in the offerings within our membership program.”

Circling back to expansion, Lee says franchisees are cautious about developing new restaurants, especially with raw materials costs up 20 to 25 percent. To mitigate inflation, operators often look at second-generation spaces to not only lower capex nearly 50 to 60 percent, but also enter a market at a much swifter pace.

Overall, Lee predicts bb.q Chicken will sign agreements covering 100 North American locations by Q1 2027.

“I think we’re seeing a healthy amount of interest in Korean cuisine and Korean fried chicken brands like bb.q in general,” Lee says. “We’re just in a fortunate position compared to other brands that are out there because I think from consumer perspective, they want to experience a unique dining experience that is not costing them too much. So maybe Korean food is authentic and unique enough for them to really dine out and worth a penny to experience it at least nearby their town. Not everyone can afford a trip to South Korea. So I think we’re really becoming the alternative there.”