Popeyes' return to heat up competition among multinational franchises
Popeyes' new restaurant in Gangnam, Seoul / Courtesy of SillaBy Kim Jae-heunAmerican fried chicken franchise Popeyes is set to open a new store in southern Seoul next week, spicing up the competition between global chicken and burger restaurant chains here, according to industry officials, Friday.Silla, a deep-sea fishing company, said it signed a master franchise agreement with Restaurant Brands International to bring back the Louisiana-style chicken restaurant two years after the plug was pulled on its business here in December 2020. Popeyes Korea once operated nearly 200 restaurants in Korea, but after COVID-19 hit the country and competition in the local dining market intensified, the number of stores was reduced to 10 in the second half of 2020. Silla sees potential for Popeyes to regain its popularity, as fried chicken franchises are growing fast in the quick service restaurant sector. “Chicken is one of the largest and fastest-growing categories in the Korean quick service restaurant sector. We will provide the taste of memories and Louisiana's unique menu to customers w
