Bonchon Chicken ({{Korean|hangul = 본촌치킨|hanja=本村치킨}}) is a Dallas-based international Korean fried chicken restaurant franchise.{{cite news|first=Julia|last=Moskin|date=February 7, 2007|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/07/dining/07fried.html|title=Koreans Share Their Secret for Chicken With a Crunch|website=The New York Times}}{{cite web | last=Gubbins | first=Teresa | title=Bonchon Chicken Dallas gives Greenville Avenue the bird | website=CultureMap Dallas | date=January 23, 2015 | url=http://dallas.culturemap.com/news/restaurants-bars/07-22-14-bonchon-chicken-greenville-avenue-closing/ | access-date=March 22, 2015}} It is one of the largest Asian restaurant chains by sales in the United States.{{cite web |title=Leading Asian restaurant chains in the United States in 2021, by systemwide sales |url=https://www.statista.com/statistics/1115890/asian-restaurant-chains-highest-sales-us/ |website=Statista |location=Hamburg, Germany |publisher=Ströer}}{{cite magazine |date=May 13, 2020 |title=The largest Asian chains in the U.S. |url=https://www.restaurantbusinessonline.com/financing/largest-asian-chains-us |magazine=Restaurant Business |location=Washington D.C., USA |publisher=National Restaurant Association}} According to the company, Bonchon is a Korean word meaning "My Hometown".

History

The Bonchon Chicken restaurant began in 2002 in Busan, South Korea. The first location in the U.S. was in Fort Lee, New Jersey.{{cite web |title=Press Kit 2017 |url=http://pc1t1altvxof3uw1gd8yvtow-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Press-kit_2017-v072517.pdf |publisher=BonChon Chicken |access-date=October 26, 2018 |page=2 |archive-date=October 26, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181026064734/http://pc1t1altvxof3uw1gd8yvtow-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Press-kit_2017-v072517.pdf |url-status=dead }} It later spread to California, New York, Connecticut, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, Virginia, North Carolina, Florida, Texas, Delaware and Washington state.{{cite web|url=http://sidedish.dmagazine.com/2013/08/22/bonchon-chicken-to-open-at-greenville-and-lovers-lane-in-dallas/|title=BonChon Chicken to Open at Greenville and Lovers Lane in Dallas|access-date=19 February 2018}}{{cite web|url=https://www.delawareonline.com/story/life/food/2022/07/12/bonchon-korean-fried-chicken-restaurant-comes-to-newark-delaware/65370737007/|title=Bonchon Korean Fried Chicken restaurant opens in Newark|access-date=12 July 2022}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.qsrmagazine.com/news/bonchon-keeps-growing-virginia|title=Bonchon Keeps Growing in Virginia|website=QSR magazine|date=23 November 2022 }} The Korean fried chicken franchise currently operates in 21 states in the U.S. and 8 countries internationally.

Jinduk Seo is the founder of Bonchon Chicken and Bryan Shin is currently the CEO.{{cite web |title=Bonchon names Bryan Shin its U.S. CEO |url=https://www.restaurantbusinessonline.com/leadership/bonchon-names-bryan-shin-its-us-ceo#:~:text=Bonchon%20on%20Tuesday%20said%20it,CEO%20of%20Shipley%20Do%2DNuts. |website=Restaurant Business |access-date=29 July 2023 |language=en}}

In 2021, Bonchon moved its global headquarters to Dallas, Texas.{{cite press release | url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/bonchon-relocates-global-headquarters-to-dallas-texas-and-introduces-new-fast-casual-restaurant-model-301177374.html | title=Bonchon Relocates Global Headquarters to Dallas, Texas and Introduces New Fast-casual Restaurant Model }}

In 2023, Thai artist Vachirawit Chivaaree was announced as the first brand ambassador of Bonchon.{{cite web |title="Bonchon" reveals strong growth over the past four years and announces its readiness to conquer 2023 |url=https://destinationthailandnews.com/bonchon-reveals-strong-growth-over-the-past-four-years-and-announces-its-readiness-to-conquer-2023/ |website=Destination Thailand News |access-date=29 July 2023 |date=24 January 2023 |archive-date=14 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230414034908/https://destinationthailandnews.com/bonchon-reveals-strong-growth-over-the-past-four-years-and-announces-its-readiness-to-conquer-2023/ |url-status=dead }}

Locations

=Asia=

South Korea: 1 sauce manufacturer{{cite web |title=BonChon at Promenade Bolingbrook |url=https://www.shoppingpromenade.com/store/BonChon/2138960009/ |website=Promenade Bolingbrook |access-date=29 July 2023 |language=en}}
Cambodia: 12 stores{{cite web |title=Bonchon Cambodia :: The Original Korean Fried Chicken Secret |url=https://www.bonchon.com.kh/ |website=Bonchon |access-date=29 July 2023}}
Myanmar: 7 stores{{cite web |title=Restaurants Directory - MYANMORE YANGON |url=https://www.myanmore.com/restaurant-directory/listing/bonchon-myanmar |website=MYANMORE |access-date=29 July 2023}}
Philippines: 170 stores{{Cite web|title=Locations|website=BonChon Chicken Philippines|url=http://bonchon.com.ph/locations/|access-date=2022-11-25|language=en-US|archive-date=2022-11-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221125045837/http://bonchon.com.ph/locations/|url-status=dead}}
Singapore: 6 stores{{Cite web|title=Bonchon|url=https://bonchon.sg/|access-date=2020-12-02|website=Bonchon Singapore|language=en-US}}
Taiwan: 2 stores
Thailand: 101 stores{{cite web |title=Bonchon Thailand |url=https://www.bonchonthailand.com/ |website=www.bonchonthailand.com |access-date=29 July 2023}}
Vietnam: 7 stores{{cite web |title=BONCHON VIỆT NAM Trang chủ |url=https://bonchon.com.vn/ |website=bonchon.com.vn |access-date=29 July 2023}}
Laos: 2 stores{{cite web |title=BONCHON CONTINUES MOMENTUM ANNOUNCING STRONG FIRST QUARTER |url=https://www.bonchon.com/news-page/bonchon-continues-momentum-announcing-strong-first-quarter/ |date=April 17, 2024 |work=Bonchon Chicken}}

=Oceania=

Australia: 2 stores{{Cite web |title=Bonchon Australia |url=https://bonchon.com.au/ |access-date=2022-10-29 |website=Bonchon Australia |language=en-AU |archive-date=2022-10-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221026204127/https://bonchon.com.au/ |url-status=dead }}

=Middle East=

Kuwait: 2 stores
Bahrain: 2 stores

=North America=

United States: 114 stores{{cite web |title=Bonchon to double US presence within 5 years |url=https://www.restaurantdive.com/news/franchise-spotlight-bonchon-100-unit-US-pipeline/644078/ |website=Restaurant Dive |access-date=29 July 2023}}