Bonchon is Bringing the Crunch to Melrose Park
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Bonchon is Bringing the Crunch to Melrose Park

Popular U.S.-Based Korean Fried Chicken Signs Lease; Calling on Melrose Park to Join the ‘Crunch Out Loud’ Movement

September 30, 2022 // Franchising.com // MELROSE PARK, Ill. - Hear that crunch? It’s the sound of the Korean fried chicken wave closing in on Melrose Park as a surge of the Hallyu movement is sweeping through the nation.

Bonchon, the wildly popular Korean fried chicken restaurant concept with over 115 U.S. locations, announced today that it has signed a lease to open a 2,800 square foot location at 900 W North Avenue within the Winston Plaza shopping center. The forthcoming restaurant will bring the brand’s world-famous signature menu to the market, which includes hand-battered, double-fried, crispy Korean fried chicken.

Suleman Merchant and Sadaf Siddiqui are the Chicago-based entrepreneurs and experienced operators spearheading the new Melrose Park location.

“Chicagoland has already shown it loves Bonchon, so we’re confident that the new Melrose Park location will become a mealtime destination for even more local residents,” said Greg Buchanan, chief administrative officer at Bonchon. “Continuing to add talented operators like Suleman and Sadaf to the Bonchon family is at the core of our growth as we tap into more communities that crave our delicious Korean food. With more restaurant operators joining the Crunch Out Loud movement every day, demand for Bonchon continues to be at an all-time high.”

The Melrose Park Bonchon location marks the brand’s 8th restaurant to open in Illinois, which includes the upcoming opening in Skokie and Aurora locations. This lease announcement comes during an exciting growth era for the brand, which has 385-plus units worldwide including in the countries of Cambodia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Australia, Thailand and Vietnam. Bonchon also recently announced it is ramping up its growth initiative in key cities across the United States.

In addition to the brand’s growth across the nation, there are several other factors driving Bonchon’s impressive momentum, such as reaching a 21%* five-year growth rate and securing several commitments from franchise groups. Also notable, current average unit volume has reached $1.57 million** and according to Black Box Intelligence™ data, Bonchon has consistently outperformed all other segments and cuisines in its two-year metrics (2021 vs. 2019) with positive 23% same store sales as of Dec. 25, 2021. The brand has displayed its perseverance and the ability it has to thrive in all market conditions.

As its unwavering commitment to strategic expansion continues and as Bonchon locations sustain consistent sales growth, multi-unit operators have placed a high priority on adding the concept into their portfolios. An ideal Bonchon franchise candidate has restaurant experience, is dedicated to operational excellence and maintains a commitment to customer service and product quality.

Bonchon, which translates from Korean to English as “my hometown,” is known for its signature Korean fried chicken that is hand battered, double-fried to achieve its signature, crave-worthy crunch. Every piece of chicken is hand brushed to make each bite perfectly flavorful. Born in Busan, South Korea in 2002, Bonchon’s founder Jinduk Seo dreamed of sharing his favorite flavors with the world. In 2006, U.S. fans were able to Crunch Out Loud with the global sensation as the brand continued to expand across the country.

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

About Bonchon

Bonchon is a global brand of fast-casual dining restaurants known for distinctive Korean double-fried chicken, Asian fusion cuisine, and Korean specialties. Born in Busan, South Korea in 2002, the concept was established in the heart of New York City in 2006. Bonchon sets out to have its fans “Crunch Out Loud” by sharing the joy of hand-battered, double-fried, crazy crispy Korean fried chicken with the world.

The brand has earned several accolades – it was recognized by Business Insider as “the gold standard for fried chicken” as well as included on Nation’s Restaurant News 2021 “Top 500 Restaurants”, Fast Casual Magazine’s 2021 “Top 100 Movers & Shakers” and Entrepreneur’s 2021 “Franchise 500 List.” Bonchon is positioned for strategic growth and has outlined an aggressive five year expansion plan, aimed at having 400 locations in the U.S. by 2026.

For more information about Bonchon, visit bonchon.com. To learn more about its franchise opportunities, visit franchising.bonchon.com.

*5 year growth rate is based on number of units for the year ended December 31, 2021.

**This amount reflects the average annual gross revenues for 100 franchised Bonchon Restaurants in the system that were open from January 1, 2021 through December 31, 2021, as published in Item 19 of our March 4, 2022 Franchise Disclosure Document.

SOURCE Bonchon

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Media Contacts:

Paige Ward
All Points PR
Cell: 224-545-2624
pward@allpointspr.com

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