Franchising

Bonchon launching redesign, moving HQ to Dallas

Provided

November 20, 2020

New York City's Bonchon, which serves Korean fried chicken, is moving its headquarters by Jan. 1, 2021, to Dallas.

The restaurant, which is getting a new interior design and streamlined menu, will help the chain grow online ordering, which accounts for over 50% of its current revenue, according to a company press release. The Dallas move aligns with plans to build a bigger retail footprint in Texas as Bonchon will open its first company-operated Dallas restaurant in February in Addison and anticipates another three to four openings, including a delivery and carryout-only location, in Texas within the year.

"The shift to a new fast causal model combined with our corporate relocation to Dallas, will create an even stronger foundation for Bonchon's continued national growth along with our accelerated growth across Texas," CEO Flynn Dekker said in the release. "While harnessing our growing popularity in the United States, Bonchon has learned valuable lessons from the past few months. We have created an exciting and streamlined new design and a comfortable, sophisticated fast-casual experience for fans and initiates of our popular Korean fried chicken."

The transition of Bonchon's corporate office will result in a more centralized location to better serve franchise partners on both coasts while creating new opportunities for candidates in the Dallas region and also allow existing New York employees to transition to Dallas or work remotely. Bonchon has begun hiring in Dallas and expects to add about 20 team members, a number that is expected to grow over the next several years, in addition to the team members already added in the Dallas area.

The redesign
Bonchon's new design captures the energy and momentum the brand is experiencing amid an acceleration in business over the last few months. The cutting-edge new look melds eye-popping colors and modern furniture with urban design and bold street art inspired graphics, Dekker said.

Entering Bonchon, guests will glimpse photo murals reflecting stylized street scenes from Busan, South Korea, the restaurant's origin, and graffiti-inspired graphics showcasing the brand's process for preparing its fried chicken in an ambiance that honors their Korean heritage and culture. In addition, a newly condensed menu focuses on customer favorites as well as new recipes and menu enhancements stemming from innovative product testing within the corporate locations and the Busan global test kitchen — where all of Bonchon's signature sauces are produced, according to the release.

Born in Busan, South Korea, Bonchon has 106 locations in the U.S. and 250 restaurants throughout Asia and the Middle East.