BBQ Ranked 2nd Fastest Growing Dining Brand in the US

Village on the Park BBQ store in Aurora, Colorado, USA.

[Asia Economy Reporter Moon Hyewon] Genesis BBQ has been ranked 2nd as the 'fastest-growing dining brand' in the United States.

According to BBQ on the 22nd, the global dining industry magazine Nations Restaurant News recently announced BBQ as the 2nd fastest-growing dining brand in the U.S. This ranking rose three places compared to the previous year, and its brand power among the top 500 brands increased by 43 places to 332nd.

First published in 1956, Nations Restaurant News is a dining industry newsletter with many subscribers and credibility. The magazine selected the top 25 fastest-growing dining brands in the U.S. based on year-over-year store count, sales, and sales per store. BBQ ranked 2nd, becoming the only domestic franchise expanding overseas to make the list.

BBQ currently operates in 19 states including major U.S. regions such as New York, New Jersey, California, Texas, Colorado, Massachusetts, and Hawaii. It runs about 150 stores in the U.S., and in North America including Canada, it operates or is preparing to open a total of approximately 250 stores.

With delivery demand continuously increasing due to COVID-19, BBQ has localized its BSK (BBQ Smart Kitchen) business model overseas based on its successful know-how as a delivery and takeout specialized store in Korea. Recently, it has gained popularity among aspiring entrepreneurs in North America including the U.S. and Canada, with about 100 stores currently preparing to open.

In particular, the Manhattan store in the U.S. has seen increased activation of the 'Grab & Go' system adopted for localization, aligning with the trend of contactless consumption. Unlike the traditional takeout method where customers wait for their food to be prepared, Grab & Go allows customers to select pre-prepared products displayed in warmers or refrigerators and purchase them immediately for consumption.