TaKorean Targets North Carolina for Expansion

TaKorean, the Korean taco grill, has begun expanding its brand, now targeting Charlotte, Raleigh and Durham, North Carolina, for new development. Though the brand would be new to the state, CEO Mike Lenard explains that its exciting offerings would make it a stand-out option in existing food scenes.

“From a competitive standpoint, and I think those places have great food, by the way, we’re going to be cool,” Lenard explained. “I’ve been to amazing restaurants in Charlotte, for example, but in terms of quick service, having a Korean-inspired quick service restaurant there gives you a big competitive advantage.”

It can be difficult to stand out in larger, crowded, cosmopolitan cities due to the incredibly high volume of restaurant choices available. However, in second and third-tier cities, there are still cool people and unique cultures, but the hustle and bustle is just a bit slower.

There are a lot of chef-driven concepts in bigger cities, and many smaller cities are left with mediocre concepts.

“When you go to some of these smaller places, you can really make a big splash and be super, super popular,” Lenard added. “I think that’s an opportunity for a concept like ours where we’ve got this Korean-inspired food, but it’s still pretty comfortable and approachable. We can be the coolest thing there.”

Continued labor and supply chain challenges have increased the simplicity of many menus, and that trend is expected to continue through 2022. However, TaKorean has long-embraced simplicity, leveraging a smaller number of colorful, delicious and well-made ingredients and allowing staff to turn the majority of their attention toward creating high-quality food rather than a little bit of everything.

Still, this approach has not hindered TaKorean’s operators or consumers as the build-your-own model allows guests to make a meal to their liking, combining ingredient selections to their liking. Among other restaurants that may be struggling to keep a range of menu items or customizations available due to supply chain issues and other niche concepts that aren’t quite as bold as TaKorean, the brand will be quick to stand out.

Lenard added that, with the right amount of research and careful real estate selection, the newness and excitement of the brand in these spaces could easily lead to the establishment of multiple high-volume units.

The total investment necessary to open a TaKorean franchise ranges from $306,000 to $757,500 for a TaKorean full restaurant or $186,500 to $484,000 for a TaKorean Food Court/Hall outlet. This includes a $30,000 franchise fee.