TaKorean Brings a Refreshing Spin on Korean Food to the Restaurant Space

TaKorean, the restaurant franchise offering Korean flavors with a Latin-American twist, is emerging as one of the most novel and sought-after concepts in foodservice franchising. Founded just over a decade ago, TaKorean has already experienced substantial growth, evolving from a local food truck to a chain of quick-service restaurants. Now, the brand is looking to expand into new markets across the U.S.

TaKorean was founded in 2010 after a bit of lighthearted Ebay bidding resulted in founder Mike Lenard buying a food truck. For years, Mike had wanted to develop a mobile vending business, but he had yet to fully develop the concept. This half-accidental food truck acquisition was just the push he needed.

“I started bidding on this food truck, not really thinking I was going to win it. I had this thing in the back of my head like, ‘Oh, maybe I’ll do a food truck or something,’ and I remember sitting there, and all of a sudden I had won it,” Mike explained. “I did a lot of research on what I thought was lacking in the DC and East Coast food scenes. In LA, they were doing Korean tacos, and I thought that was really interesting, so I started researching and recipe testing."

Mike says his inspiration for TaKorean was a viral LA food truck called Kogi BBQ, opened by Chef Roy Choi in the mid-2000s. TaKorean takes this traditional street food inspiration and lightens it up, creating a sort of everyday model that’s light and clean. All of the TaKorean’s menu items are made from scratch with fresh ingredients, Mike says. “That’s what really sets us apart. It’s not easy to find colorful, fresh and wholesome dining options that still feel exciting and bold like TaKorean does,” he said.

Still, “There’s not much like us,” Mike said. “There have been some Korean bowl concepts that also serve tacos, but they fall a little flat.”

Mike’s food truck was an immediate hit, earning long lines of hungry professionals at lunch time in busy downtown DC. Before long, Mike saw an opportunity to expand, but instead of continuing with food trucks, he decided to bring TaKorean to a permanent brick-and-mortar location. Then a second.

After years of successful operations at both locations, the TaKorean team saw another opportunity to expand, this time through franchising. That decision, Mike said, was born out of the same opportunity he had originally identified when starting his food truck: to fill a gap in the DC and East Coast food scenes. Outside of DC, there was little direct competition for a concept like TaKorean, but plenty of demand.

Mexican and Asian cuisine represent the first and second most popular ethnic food categories in the U.S., respectively, according to Statista. Moreover, younger consumers are gravitating towards fusion cuisine, making it one of the hottest categories in the industry. 

According to On The Line, 72% of diners identified quality food as the most important factor they consider when choosing a restaurant to visit, and that can be difficult to find in the franchise restaurant space.

How TaKorean Stands Out in the Franchise Restaurant Field

“TaKorean is one of the few fusion concepts that actually tastes good and is consistent, and it’s one of the few options that is Korean-esque without being 100% Korean, and it hits really hard in terms of food preferences,” explained Eric Lenard, TaKorean’s director of Development.

The restaurant manages to be original without intimidating those who have never tried Korean flavors, and it provides a refreshing option amidst countless corporate restaurants. While TaKorean’s concept has allowed them to carve out their own spot within their industry, their operational simplicity and support models also create an undeniable advantage for franchisees.

“Our operational simplicity and availability to open second-generation stores make TaKorean a great fit for all operators and owners looking to add a great franchise to their portfolio,” Umana explained. “We believe so deeply in our systems and company culture that we are confident we can train any and all franchisees and their teams to run highly successful and profitable businesses that our communities will be proud of.”

The innovation that has been incorporated into the brand’s menu and other offerings makes it accessible to just about anyone. Many Asian concepts require specialized equipment and training to produce authentic flavors, and TaKorean simplifies this without hindering the dining experience. With just 45 items on inventory, guests are able to build  a variety of combinations to their liking by making simple adjustments like switching the flavor of slaw or choosing a taco rather than a bowl.

Furthermore, Mike says TaKorean has optimized its operating model by prioritizing cutting-edge technology that streamlines everything from accounting to inventory, freeing the team to focus on the food and guest experience.

Why You Should Invest in a TaKorean in 2022

“You’ve got to get down on the ground level because this thing is great. We’re going to take off, and you’ve got to be an early adopter,” Mike said.

Mike says many of the restaurant franchise options currently available do not have leadership that is as concerned with healthy growth and staying true to the culture. Rather than a group of franchise investors simply looking to create more units and grow revenue, Mike says the TaKorean team is truly passionate about what they have created and are interested in growing with people who can embody the brand. That team continues to run and grow the brand’s original two corporate locations with more on the way, ensuring that they are fully immersed in the same operational concerns their franchise owners will experience.

“This is a concept that matches very well with the coming demographic of young consumers. People in middle school through people in their 20s spend an extraordinary amount of money going out to eat,” added Eric. “TaKorean has a proven track record of operating at a really favorable food cost and labor cost margin, the barrier to entry is relatively low for a restaurant concept and it’s really easy to maintain and grow.”