BBQ opens first Mexico City outlet and plans third New Zealand location in Whangārei

BBQ has opened its first outlet in Mexico City and announced plans for another location in New Zealand. According to a report by iNews24 on 28 September 2026, BBQ opened its first Mexico City outlet in August, bringing its Latin American network to 20 locations. It also plans to open its third New Zealand outlet in Whangārei at the end of September. For franchise industry readers assessing the brand’s expansion, the key point is that it is entering new locations while adding outlets in countries where it already operates.

First Mexico City outlet joins Latin American network

The newly opened outlet is BBQ’s first in Mexico City. The report gives August as the opening date and says the addition brought the total number of Latin American outlets to 20. The first opening in Mexico City and the total number of outlets across Latin America refer to different geographical areas and should be read separately.

The figure of 20 outlets in Latin America does not mean there are 20 in Mexico alone. Nor does it mean that 20 outlets opened across Latin America at once. What is confirmed is that BBQ has opened its first Mexico City outlet, expanding its Latin American network to 20 locations. The report does not provide a country-by-country breakdown.

When assessing a South Korean brand’s overseas expansion, the opening of a first outlet is a concrete milestone marking the start of local trading. However, an opening alone does not establish local demand or long-term profitability. The report includes no figures for visitor numbers, order volumes, sales or profits and losses at the Mexico City outlet.

The significance of this announcement therefore lies not in any early judgement of performance, but in the addition of Mexico City as a new operating base within BBQ’s Latin American network. Franchisors and franchisees considering overseas expansion should likewise treat market-entry announcements and trading results as separate types of information.

Whangārei opening remains at the planning stage

The same report says BBQ will open its third New Zealand outlet in Whangārei at the end of September. While the Mexico City outlet had already opened, the Whangārei outlet was still awaiting its opening at the time of publication. Describing both as completed openings would misrepresent their different stages of progress.

The reference to a third New Zealand outlet shows that BBQ is pursuing further openings following its initial entry into the country. However, the information provided does not identify the locations or opening dates of the first two outlets, or the precise opening date for Whangārei. The outlet’s floor area, seating capacity, investment cost and operator are also unconfirmed.

It is therefore difficult to interpret the Whangārei plan as evidence of the success of a particular store format or investment model. The report alone does not establish the contractual arrangements with local partners or whether the outlet will be company-owned or franchised. The confirmed details available to franchise industry readers are the location, its position as the country’s third outlet and the planned opening period.

The two announcements illustrate different stages of overseas expansion. In Mexico City, the first local outlet has begun trading; in New Zealand, a third outlet is being prepared. They do not, however, provide a basis for comparing the commercial potential of the two markets. That would require operating results measured over the same period and on a consistent basis.

Around 800 outlets in 57 countries: keep the scope clear

According to the report, BBQ operates around 800 outlets in 57 countries, with a focus on North America, including the United States and Canada, alongside Latin America, Asia and other regions. The Mexico City opening and planned New Zealand addition were presented in the context of this growing overseas network, placing individual market developments alongside the brand’s overall scale.

However, the figure of around 800 outlets says nothing about individual outlet sales or average profitability. The information also lacks a detailed breakdown of outlet numbers and operating models by country. It should not be reinterpreted as the number of franchised outlets in a particular market or as a group of outlets operating under identical conditions.

Nor can readers assume that the planned Whangārei outlet is included simply because the total appears in the same report. The precise reference date for the outlet count and the treatment of planned openings are not explained separately. When quoting the reported scale, it is important to retain both the word ‘around’ and the date of the report.

An overseas footprint shows where a brand is active. Someone considering a franchise agreement, by contrast, needs information about the conditions under which their own outlet would operate. This report provides no basis for directly linking a broad international network to the expected sales or potential investment payback of an individual franchise in South Korea.

Global consumer sales are not the same as head-office results

iNews24 reported that BBQ’s global consumer sales, as recorded by its point-of-sale system, rose from around KRW 300 billion in 2023 to around KRW 450 billion last year. In a report published in September 2026, ‘last year’ means 2025. These figures should therefore not be presented as a comparison between 2023 and 2024.

A simple comparison gives an increase of around KRW 150 billion, or approximately 50%. As the original figures are estimates, the calculated change should also be understood as approximate. The figures show that sales increased between the two points, but do not describe the year-by-year trend.

Consumer sales must, in particular, be distinguished from head-office revenue or operating profit. A measure of sales to consumers at outlets cannot be read as the franchisor’s accounting results or franchisees’ net profit. Sales growth alone also does not establish that cost pressures have eased or that the way earnings are shared has improved.

The information does not separate changes in sales at existing outlets from the contribution of new openings. Nor does it break down performance by country or isolate exchange-rate effects. Further information would be needed to establish which regions and factors drove the growth in global consumer sales.

What franchise readers should check next

These overseas opening announcements show a South Korean brand expanding its network in different markets. However, the available information confirms only an opening, a planned opening, the overall scale of operations and a change in global consumer sales. It is too early to draw firm conclusions about local market acceptance or the commercial viability of individual outlets.

The next points to verify differ by location. For Mexico City, the focus is on operating performance since opening; for Whangārei, the first step is to confirm whether the outlet actually opened. If sales and operating data subsequently become available on a consistent basis, they will allow more meaningful comparisons than opening announcements alone.

The practical conclusion for prospective franchisees is straightforward. Use overseas outlet numbers and global consumer sales as background information on the brand’s expansion, but make any contractual decision only after separately checking the costs, catchment area and operating conditions of the outlet concerned.