Global Restaurant Franchise Weekly Briefing: Nov 3, 2025
A weekly briefing on global restaurant franchising and what it means for Korean headquarters
Global franchising, international restaurant news, franchise ERP, FDAM, overseas expansion, format refresh, experiential dining, restaurant trends, snacking trends, HQ operating systems
Weekly Briefing · 2025.11.03
Global Restaurant Franchise
Weekly Briefing
This Week's Keywords · US and China — Outback closes 41 more stores; Saizeriya's big-city sales fall by double digits · Japan and Hong Kong — Autumn seasonal fairs and luxury dining compete on "experience and artistry" · Vietnam and Philippines — "Asia's best culinary destination" title and more Michelin awards elevate dining · Singapore and Thailand — A ramen revival; Makro's "HoReCa 2025" expands its B2B food platform · France and UAE — Healthy snacking and destination dining at the Michelin food festival |
This is a weekly briefing on international franchising and the restaurant industry for Korean franchisor headquarters. We've gathered the latest issues from 10 countries and regions, including the US, China, Japan, Europe, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East. Take a look at the trends worth considering for your overseas expansion strategy and operational decisions.
Compiled by: FDAM, the ERP built for franchises
1. US | Outback Steakhouse Closes More Stores, Accelerating Profit-Focused "Portfolio Slimming"
Bloomin' Brands is closing another 41 underperforming US stores, making clear a strategy of "decisively closing loss-making stores → refreshing formats → efficiency in mature markets and selective openings in new ones." From an HQ perspective, the key points are performance management at the store P&L level, structural refreshes of outdated formats and locations, and written investment and exit principles in HQ–franchisee contracts.
Takeaways for Korean HQs As profitability gaps widen among multi-unit franchise stores, Korean headquarters can also reduce risk by pairing "exit design (closure guidelines)" with investment in format upgrades. A system that lets HQ compare and manage store-level P&L on the same standard is the starting point for these decisions. |
2. China | Saizeriya (萨莉亚) Sees Sharp Big-City Sales Drop, Recalibrates Its Low-Price, High-Value Strategy
According to Chinese media, Saizeriya's same-store sales in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou (北上广) fell by double digits, exposing the limits of its "uniform pricing, low-price high-quality" strategy amid rent, labor, and inflation pressures in major cities. At the same time, there's a push to globalize regional cuisines such as Sichuan food (the World Sichuan Cuisine Competition, 世界川菜大会).
Takeaways for Korean HQs For headquarters operating in China, it's time to consider at once a two-tier pricing strategy for tier 1–2 cities versus tier 3–4 cities, a structure that defends costs through central kitchen and logistics efficiency, and optional menu designs, such as sets and mini sizes, that lower perceived prices. |
3. Japan | A Rush of Autumn Promotions Tied to Seasonal Fairs and Regional Specialties
On Japan's PR TIMES, restaurant chains launched one autumn fair after another. A clear pattern is creating reasons to visit with "seasonal limited editions × regional stories," such as steak, desserts, and tie-ins with local specialties. Chains are balancing table turnover and dwell time with short-run limited menus, while running joint promotions with local farms and tourism and packaging visuals designed for social media virality.
Takeaways for Korean HQs Korean headquarters can also boost in-store execution by standardizing quarterly seasonal kits (POP materials, photo assets, recipe guides) at HQ and distributing them to franchise stores. A digital channel through which HQ can send consistent materials to stores is the foundation of seasonal marketing. |
4. Hong Kong | Luxury Restaurants Compete on "Experience and Artistry," Differentiating With High-Experience F&B
The SCMP reported that Hong Kong fine dining is opening the wallets of high earners by combining art, performance, and spectacle. With strong pressure to raise prices, a strategy of stimulating willingness to pay through experiential value is taking hold.
Takeaways for Korean HQs The insights are turning flagship stores into "brand museums," running pop-ups and collaborations by season, and having HQ directly operate premium lines (chef's tastings). A "two-track" structure, where franchise stores handle standard operations and HQ runs experiential flagships, suits Korean headquarters as well. |
5. Vietnam | Named "Asia's Best Culinary Destination 2025," a Boost for Both Tourism and Dining
Tuổi Trẻ reported that Vietnam was named "Asia's Best Culinary Destination" at the World Culinary Awards. Hotel F&B competitiveness is strengthening as well, with recognition for brunch spots in Hanoi and more.
Takeaways for Korean HQs For Korean headquarters, effective strategies include using Vietnam as a test bed for localizable bunsik (Korean snack food), chicken, and café formats, running pop-ups and limited menus tied to culinary tourism, and K-content collaborations (merchandise, photo spots). Opportunities to open in airports and commercial districts in Hanoi and Da Nang are also emerging. |
6. Singapore | A "Ramen Revival" Driven by Regional Character, Value, and Localization
The Straits Times reports that Singapore's ramen market is making a comeback through regional identities like Osaka and Niigata, reasonable prices, and Singapore-style twists (such as dry ramen). New brands and local startups are growing together.
Takeaways for Korean HQs Like the "Japanese regional story" approach, Korean headquarters can plan export formats around regional ingredient and recipe motifs, value sets, and fusion with local food cultures (halal, spice). Whether a single category can carry variations on regional identity is a deciding factor for entering Southeast Asia. |
7. Philippines | More First-Time Michelin Stars and Bib Gourmands Drive Brand Upgrades
Philstar reported on the growing number of Michelin awards for Philippine restaurants. Local dining is becoming both more upscale and more diverse, intensifying competition on F&B quality and experience in shopping malls and tourist districts.
Takeaways for Korean HQs It's time for Korean headquarters to evaluate a phased entry that moves from pop-ups with mall developers to permanent stores, small formats designed for the Philippines' labor and rent structures, and the expansion potential of K-brand collaborations (chicken, cafés). |
8. Thailand | Makro Hosts "HoReCa 2025," Supporting Restaurants as a B2B Food Platform
The Nation reported that "Makro HoReCa 2025," themed "FOOD INFINITY," brought together restaurant and hospitality operators to offer solutions, products, and inspiration. The event clearly shows Thailand's restaurant market being reshaped on the B2B infrastructure side.
Takeaways for Korean HQs For Korean headquarters, opportunity areas include joint promotions with Thai B2B distributors, institutional catering and brunch line proposals for hotels and resorts, and menu development in collaboration with local chefs. Through the exhibition, they can also scout import agents and prepare logistics tests (frozen and ambient). |
9. France | 2025 Snacking Trends: Healthy Snacks, Light Meals, and Takeout Gain Ground
Snacking.fr reports that French snacking and fast casual are quickly being reshaped around "healthy, light, and mobile." Salad, bowl, and bakery hybrids, premium takeout, and creating a mid-peak in the afternoon (2–5 p.m.) are emerging as key themes.
Takeaways for Korean HQs Korean headquarters can lift average order value with "rice + salad" hybrids, off-peak sets, and brunch and teatime specials. Menu lines that raise the sales curve outside lunch and dinner hours become a new growth driver. |
10. UAE | "Michelin Guide Food Festival" Held in Abu Dhabi
The "Michelin Guide Food Festival" opened in late October at Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi. It features experiential formats such as live demos, collaboration dinners, and kids' classes, with Michelin-starred and Bib Gourmand-level chefs taking part. Backed by recovering tourism and luxury spending, the UAE is seeing growth in "destination dining" and mixed-use dining venues such as beach clubs and J1 Beach.
Takeaways for Korean HQs Korean headquarters may want to consider, in phases: ① raising brand awareness through pop-ups and chef collaborations before converting to permanent stores, ② embedded dining inside luxury hotels and resorts, and ③ localizing visuals and service experiences for Middle Eastern tastes. |
This Week's Insight
This week's global restaurant market can be summed up as "slimming down and moving upscale" at the same time. Underperforming stores are being closed quickly, as with Outback in the US, and low uniform-price strategies are showing their limits, as with Saizeriya in China. Meanwhile, in Japan, Hong Kong, and the UAE, seasonal fairs and the fusion of experience and art are increasingly being used to raise average spend.
In Southeast Asia, dining is moving up a level, with Vietnam named "Asia's Best Culinary Destination" and the Philippines earning more Michelin awards. Here are the trends Korean headquarters should review.
Four Trends for Korean HQs to Review ① Store-level P&L management — Bring to light the store-by-store profitability hidden behind HQ averages ② Format and seasonal standardization — HQ distributes standard seasonal kits, POP materials, and recipes to secure store execution ③ Flagship vs. franchise two-track — HQ runs experiential stores while franchise stores handle standard operations ④ Phased overseas expansion — Enter in stages: pop-up → permanent store → group partnership |
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