Global Franchise Weekly Briefing: November 10, 2025
A weekly briefing on global restaurant franchising, with takeaways for Korean franchisor headquarters
Global franchising, international restaurant news, franchise ERP, FDAM, overseas expansion, BBQ, restaurant trends, restructuring, franchise AI, HQ operations system
Weekly Briefing · 2025.11.10
Global Restaurant Franchise
Weekly Briefing
This week's keywords · US — Wendy's to close 200–350 stores vs. BBQ expands to its 33rd US state · China — Celebrity-backed grilled fish chain Shangshangqian down to one store; Yum China grows operating profit 8% with AI · Hong Kong & Vietnam — Café de Coral profit down 65–70%; Vietnam loses 50,000 outlets in the first half · Singapore — Chick-fil-A's first Asian store opens Dec 11 at Bugis+ · Taiwan & Canada — AI-driven chain-store forum; 24,000 new restaurant jobs |
This is our weekly briefing on international franchising and the restaurant industry for Korean franchisor headquarters. We have rounded up the latest news from 10 countries and regions, including the US, China, Japan, Europe and Southeast Asia. Take a look at the trends worth considering for your overseas expansion strategy and operating decisions.
Compiled by: FDAM, the ERP built for franchises
1. US | Wendy's to close 200–350 stores vs. BBQ expands to its 33rd US state
Wendy's announces hundreds of closures amid continued weak results
On Nov 7, US fast-food chain Wendy's announced it will close 200 to 350 stores nationwide. Interim CEO Ken Cook explained the restructuring by saying "consistently underperforming stores are dragging down overall results." Wendy's US same-store sales fell 4.7%, while competitors such as McDonald's, Burger King and Shake Shack posted positive results.
The closures will take place from late 2025 through 2026, following the closure of 140 stores last year. That said, Wendy's new chicken tenders, "Tendys," drew such a strong response that some stores sold out even before advertising began, hinting at a possible recovery.
BBQ enters South Carolina, reaching 33 US states
Korean chicken franchise Genesis BBQ opened new stores in Indian Land and Greenville, South Carolina, on Nov 5, marking its entry into a 33rd US state. Following Florida, Alabama and Georgia, BBQ is accelerating its expansion across the US Southeast.
"BBQ Indian Land" is a roughly 400 sq ft café-style store near a golf club, while "BBQ Greenville" focuses on delivery and takeout and sits near an airport and a university. Both stores sell Korean dishes such as fried rice and tteokbokki alongside chicken. Through its US subsidiary, BBQ aims to surpass 500 stores by 2026, and it ranked 180th on US restaurant trade publication NRN's "2025 Top 500 US Restaurant Franchise Brands," its fourth straight year of climbing the list.
Takeaways for Korean HQs The US market has reached a point where the answer is not more stores but store-level profitability. For Korean brands entering the market, too, the safer path is to build store-level P&L structures and HQ standardization capabilities alongside expansion speed. BBQ's strategy of separating café-style and delivery-focused formats while also serving Korean dishes is a good reference for format differentiation. |
2. China | Celebrity grilled fish chain Shangshangqian down to one store; Yum China grows operating profit 8% with AI
Celebrity grilled fish chain Shangshangqian down to a single store nationwide
On Nov 6, Shangshangqian (上上谦), a grilled fish chain backed by singer Joker Xue (薛之谦), announced the closure of its last Guangzhou store, leaving only its Shanghai Nanjing East Road location nationwide. Started in 2012 with CNY 600,000 and money from selling a home, Shangshangqian once ran 8 company-owned and 20 franchised stores and generated CNY 1.5 million in daily sales. But after Xue stepped away from management, it failed to sustain the business due to a lack of differentiated competitiveness and a customer base dominated by one-time "check-in" visitors.
Chen He's (陈赫) "Xianhezhuang (贤合庄)" has shrunk from 800 stores to 25, and Zheng Kai's (郑恺) "Huofengxiang (火凤祥)" is down to 31, as celebrity franchises across China lose steam.
Yum China's Q3 operating profit up 8%, driven by digital and AI innovation
On Nov 4, Yum China (百胜中国), China's largest restaurant group, reported Q3 results with operating profit up 8% to USD 400 million. Same-store sales rose 1% and transactions grew 4% for the 11th consecutive quarter, showing steady growth. As of the end of September it operated 17,514 stores in total (12,640 KFC and 4,022 Pizza Hut), opening 536 new stores in Q3 alone.
Digital orders accounted for 95% of total sales, and delivery sales grew 32% to reach 51% of the total. KFC's coffee brand K Coffee (肯悦咖啡) passed 1,800 stores, establishing itself in the coffee market, and Yum China won the Harvard Business Review Ram Charan Management Practice Award for its AI-powered workforce management and operational innovation, earning recognition for technology-led growth.
Takeaways for Korean HQs Brands that rely solely on celebrity marketing or social media "check-in" demand cool off quickly, while companies like Yum China that have digital and AI infrastructure built on operating data continue on a steady growth curve. The standards by which an HQ accumulates its operating data become a deciding factor in long-term growth. |
3. Japan | McDonald's drops paper straws as alternative materials spread
On Nov 4, McDonald's Japan announced it would stop using paper straws and introduce alternative materials, a change now spreading across the restaurant chain industry. Paper straws were praised as eco-friendly, but consumers kept complaining that they get soggy in drinks and feel unpleasant to use. McDonald's and several other chains are switching to straws made from new materials such as bioplastics and biodegradable plastics that balance function and environmental impact.
Japanese fried chicken franchise "Torisho (鶏笑)" announced it will open a new store in Takashimadaira, Tokyo, on Nov 11. A brand under SRS Holdings, it is expanding quickly across Japan and winning over local residents with reasonable prices and quality.
Takeaways for Korean HQs It is time for Korean HQs to take packaging and consumables policies that weigh both ESG and customer experience seriously. When decisions that franchise stores used to make on their own move to HQ standards, brand consistency and environmental value are managed together. |
4. Hong Kong | Café de Coral issues third straight profit warning; half-year net profit down 65–70%
On Nov 9, Café de Coral (大家樂), Hong Kong's leading fast-food chain, issued its third consecutive profit warning, forecasting that net profit for the half-year through September will fall 65–70% year on year. Café de Coral runs 566 stores; dividing its estimated half-year net profit of HKD 46.8 million across those stores works out to an average monthly net profit of only about HKD 13,800 (about KRW 2.4 million) per store.
The main causes cited are "northbound consumption" (Hong Kong residents spending in mainland China), lower tourist spending, and intensifying competition from low-priced "two-dish rice" (两餸饭) shops. Café de Coral said "a business model based on economies of scale and high turnover is being challenged by changing consumption patterns" and laid out four reform directions, including store consolidation, menu simplification and supply chain upgrades.
Takeaways for Korean HQs Even with many stores, the entire HQ is shaken if per-store profitability does not hold up. Café de Coral's strategy of "defending the flagship brand while expanding segmented subsidiary brands" is worth considering when Korean HQs look at reducing their dependence on a single brand. |
5. Vietnam | 50,000 outlets close in H1 2025 as the restaurant industry restructures
Vietnam's restaurant industry went through an unprecedented restructuring in the first half of 2025, with more than 50,000 outlets closing. The closures result from rising food, labor and rent costs combined with slowing consumer demand. First-half revenue in Vietnam's F&B market was VND 406.1 billion, only 58.9% of the full-year 2024 figure, and the number of outlets in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City fell by more than 11%.
Vietnam now has about 299,000 restaurant outlets in total, down 7.1%, and with only 5,000 modern chain stores the market remains dominated by small independents. Still, foreign brands such as China's CHAGEE, Korea's The Venti and Japan's Saizeriya keep entering, and analysts continue to note that "clear positioning, differentiated products and a loyal customer base are the keys to survival."
Takeaways for Korean HQs Vietnam is moving past a shakeout of small independents into a phase where opportunities for chains are opening up. Rather than simply entering the market, Korean HQs can expand reliably only if they prepare clear positioning, a differentiated product lineup, and a system that lets HQ standardize and manage store operating data. |
6. Singapore | Chick-fil-A makes its Asian debut, opening Dec 11 at Bugis+
On Nov 3, Chick-fil-A, the third-largest fast-food chain in the US, announced it will open its first Asian store at Bugis+ in Singapore on Dec 11. Chick-fil-A is entering Singapore with a USD 75 million investment over 10 years, and in keeping with founder Truett Cathy's tradition, it will be closed on Sundays.
The store will sell signature items such as the Chicken Sandwich (pressure-cooked chicken with dill pickles) and the Spicy Deluxe Sandwich, plus a Singapore-exclusive "Spicy Chili Sauce." Chick-fil-A donated SGD 25,000 to Food Bank Singapore and plans to donate the same amount each time it opens a new store. It will also run its "Shared Table" program, donating surplus food to nonprofits.
Takeaways for Korean HQs Chick-fil-A's entry is a package of "a 10-year long-term investment + local menu items + ESG activities, all at once." For Korean HQs expanding into Southeast Asia, too, designing community relationships from the first year of entry is becoming more important than short-term store expansion. |
7. Taiwan | AI meets chain retail at the 2025 Chill Go forum
On Oct 31, the Taiwan Chain Stores and Franchise Association (TCFA) announced it will hold the "2025 Chill Go: Brand Convergence, AI-Driven Local Service Upgrades" forum and exhibition on Nov 13 at the international conference center of Taipei Medical University Hospital. More than 30 national chain brands and smart technology partners will take part, discussing "smart, sustainable and localized" as the core themes.
Taiwan's chain industry produces more than TWD 3 trillion in annual output, half of all retail and restaurant output. The total number of chain outlets passed 118,000 in 2025, and the TCFA urged the industry to pursue digital transformation and sustainability, saying "AI is not an efficiency tool but a thinking engine for brand innovation, and ESG is not just social responsibility but an international language of corporate coexistence."
Takeaways for Korean HQs Taiwan is defining AI and ESG as core agenda items for the chain industry at the government level. As similar evaluation criteria may apply to Korean HQs in future support programs or overseas expansion, it is becoming increasingly important to accumulate clean operating data with an HQ ERP that includes an AI assistant. |
8. UK | A rush of major restaurant openings in November, led by Bonheur and Mezzogiorno
London is seeing a wave of major restaurant openings in November. Former Gordon Ramsay chef Matt Abé is opening "Bonheur by Matt Abé" in the former Le Gavroche site in Mayfair, offering Journey (5 courses, £195) and Dream (7 courses, £225) tasting menus. Italian chef Francesco Mazzei is opening "Mezzogiorno" at the Corinthia hotel, serving tortelli, fregola and bistecca.
US brand Velvet Taco is opening its first UK store at Broadgate Circle, selling global-flavor tacos. Competition in London's restaurant scene is intensifying as a wide range of new brands enter, from high-end fine dining to global fusion concepts.
Takeaways for Korean HQs London is a market where chef IP and global fusion brands can both establish themselves. For Korean brands entering the UK, a phased approach of "chef IP or flagship + casual expansion" works better than betting on a single category. |
9. Canada | Restaurant industry adds 24,000 jobs; sales growth forecast at 5.4%
According to a Q3 report released by Restaurants Canada on Nov 3, Canada's restaurant industry created 23,600 jobs in the first nine months of 2025, more than the entire private sector (21,200). Commercial foodservice sales are expected to grow 5.4% in 2025 before inflation, above the previous quarter's forecast (2.7–3.7%).
After adjusting for inflation, real growth is expected to be only 2.1%. 74% of Canadians are cutting back on dining out and delivery due to the rising cost of living, and restaurants face increases of 14% in insurance, 13% in food costs and 11% in labor costs. High upfront costs (51%) and uncertain ROI (43%) are acting as barriers to technology adoption.
Takeaways for Korean HQs Canada is a market where jobs are growing but cost pressure is intense. For Korean HQs entering the market, the first things to check are a menu structure that can withstand swings in labor and food costs and a standardized HQ ordering and logistics system, rather than simply expanding the store count. |
10. Indonesia | "SIAL Interfood 2025" opens Nov 12, a chance to source F&B and find franchise partners
"SIAL Interfood 2025" runs Nov 12–15 at JIEXPO in Jakarta. Ingredients, processing, packaging and HORECA solutions all come together in one place, making it a good fit for overseas brands looking for local distribution and cold-chain partners.
Takeaways for Korean HQs To secure local cost competitiveness, a practical approach for Korean HQs is to explore a "local ingredient sourcing + OEM processing" route and to test chicken, Korean street food and café formats with delivery- and takeout-only SKUs. |
This week's insight
This week's global restaurant market can be summed up in one phrase: a crossroads of restructuring and opportunity. Brands like Wendy's in the US, Café de Coral in Hong Kong and the 50,000 outlets in Vietnam show that even many stores lead to restructuring when store-level profitability does not hold up, while brands like Yum China and BBQ, with digital and AI infrastructure and standardized operating capabilities, are on a growth curve in the same markets.
Taiwan is defining AI as a core agenda item for the chain industry at the government level, and Chick-fil-A is entering a new market with a package of 10-year investment and ESG. Here are the trends Korean HQs should review.
Four trends for Korean HQs to review ① Store-level profitability — per-store P&L, not store count growth, as the key metric for HQ decisions ② HQ standardization — accumulating menu, ordering, staffing and inspection data on the same standards ③ Digital and AI infrastructure — going beyond POS and ERP to apply AI to HQ operating data ④ Long-term expansion design — designing community relationships from year one rather than chasing store count |
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