COMING ATTRACTIONS
Beloved Korean fried chicken chain Bonchon eyes San Antonio debut

Bonchon aims to expand to San Antonio in 2026.
Wildly popular fast-casual restaurant Bonchon is finally gearing up for a San Antonio debut. Via a release, the Korean fried chicken chain announced that Alamo City is one of four U.S. cities it is targeting for expansion in 2026.
Bonchon is hardly a stranger to the Texas market. It first introduced itself to the state in December 2013, pulling out less than a year later due to what the franchise owner dubbed a “premature” entry into the market. In 2016, it made a move in Houston and has opened several restaurants since. The chain even moved its U.S. headquarters from New York City to Dallas in 2020.
In the summer, Bonchon CEO Suzie Tsai identified San Antonio as one of 15 metros it was eyeing for growth, but its newest release was the first time the chain gave a solid timeframe. It’s unclear what areas of the city Bonchon will focus on for new sites.
The franchise was founded in Busan, South Korea, before making a splash on the East Coast with several locations in the Washington, D.C., and New York City areas. Today, there are almost 500 global outposts, with more than 150 spread across the U.S.
Bonchon’s specialty is Korean fried chicken (winkingly called KFC). The crispy treat comes in five flavors (soy garlic, spicy, Korean barbecue, classic crunch, and yangnyeom — a traditional sweet-savory sauce) and is available in wings and strips.
In addition, Bonchon offers several other Korean faves like bibimbap, japchae, and tteokbokki (spicy stir-fried rice cakes). The chain adds a few pan-Asian dishes, like shrimp shumai dumplings and udon soup, and fusion specialties like Korean tacos and bulgogi fries. Sides run the gamut from fries and onion rings to pickled radish and kimchi.
The San Antonio expansion might mean more than one area storefront. Bonchon has ambitiously stated it will double its footprint over the next five years. A request for more information was not immediately returned.
