"Frying Chicken, Earning 3 Billion KRW a Year"... Secrets of BBQ's Top Franchise Owner

BBQ Boramae Park Branch Ranks No. 1 in Nationwide Franchise Sales
A Decade of Sticking to the Recipe and Principles
Winning with Honest Cooking, Resisting the Temptation to Cut Costs
Quality Strategy Pays Off After 'Nego King'... Sales Rise

Located in a residential alley near Boramae Park in Dongjak District, Seoul, the Boramae Park branch of BBQ Chicken spans 99.1 square meters (about 30 pyeong). Last year, this store recorded annual sales exceeding 3 billion KRW, with daily sales surpassing 10 million KRW, making it the top-performing BBQ franchise nationwide. Kim Iltae, the 55-year-old owner who has managed the store for a decade, remains modest about his success. On the 17th, he said, "There is no special secret," adding, "I simply stick to the recipe, change the oil on time, and follow the principles."

Kim Iltae, the owner of the Boramae Park branch of BBQ Chicken, which ranks first in nationwide franchise sales, is taking a photo.
[Photo by Genesis BBQ]

Kim first became involved with Genesis BBQ in 2016, after leaving his office job and running another chicken brand for five years before closing it down. He explained, "Office work just wasn't for me," and added, "Franchising can be an alternative for people like that." Searching for a business that would still be around in ten years, Kim chose BBQ Chicken because of its emphasis on education, and prepared for a fresh start by taking courses at Chicken University.

There are currently 12 restaurants operating near the BBQ branch. Over the past decade, more than 60 businesses have opened and closed in the area, but only a few have survived. Kim said, "Only the owners who took control of the kitchen managed to endure." He strictly follows the headquarters’ manual: changing the oil five to six times a day and never using leftover stock. He also insists on using only fresh meat supplied daily from headquarters. Kim emphasized, "The moment you stop following the principles, the taste collapses."

Another strength he highlights is his staff. Currently, 13 employees work at the store. He said, "Timing is crucial in frying, and if the staff is reduced, you miss the right time to change the oil, which immediately affects the taste," adding, "I maintain the workforce by providing welfare and incentives to employees." Profit sharing is also clear. Kim explained, "It is known that the average net profit for self-employed business owners is about 10 percent of sales," and added, "I return 30 percent of the owner's profit to the staff."

In 2020, BBQ Chicken collaborated with the YouTube content 'Nego King' for a large-scale discount event. Orders surged, but Kim did not try to expand volume excessively. He recalled, "Orders poured in like water from a faucet, but I intentionally set limits," adding, "I decided to serve only the highest-quality chicken." The outcome was unexpected. While many stores saw a sharp drop in sales after the event ended, the Boramae Park branch experienced almost no decline. New customers who experienced the quality became regulars. Kim smiled as he said, "Some customers even come all the way from Doksan-dong."

The Boramae Park branch is equipped with a storage room and refrigeration facilities spanning over 10 pyeong. Kim noted, "The unseen storage space is more important than the visible hall," and added, "A logistics center-like system is essential to maintain quality even with large orders."

Maintaining cleanliness is also a core principle. When staff arrive for their shift at 4 p.m., their first task is cleaning the store. He does not allow even a trace of seasoning to get on the packaging boxes. He said, "If a customer orders fried chicken and finds seasoning stains, it ruins their experience," adding, "Cleanliness is directly linked to sales."

Although sales have grown more than tenfold over the past decade, Kim's recent concern is delivery platform fees. He lamented, "We survived COVID-19, but delivery platforms are even tougher," explaining, "With both the commission and delivery fees now falling on the business owner, my perceived profit has dropped by nearly 30 percent." He also called for action from headquarters, saying, "It is difficult for individual franchisees to stand up to large platforms alone," and added, "Headquarters needs to speak out on behalf of the industry."