bhc opens second outlets in Vietnam and the Philippines with menus tailored to malls and airports

bhc has expanded its Southeast Asian presence by opening a second outlet in both Vietnam and the Philippines. In Vietnam, it has introduced chicken-and-rice options at a major shopping mall, while its new Philippine outlet at an international airport focuses on individual chicken pieces and combo meals. For franchise operators and prospective investors assessing these markets, the key point is not simply the new openings, but how the brand has adapted its menus to each location.

Vietnam: a second outlet roughly a month after the first

According to reports on 28 October, bhc, part of Dining Brands Group, added its second Vietnamese outlet roughly a month after opening its first in Ho Chi Minh City in September. The second outlet is in the shopping mall at Landmark 81, Vietnam’s tallest building. It covers 126 m² and has 42 seats.

Although the two openings were close together, this should not be taken as evidence of profitability or long-term growth in the local business. What has been confirmed is that an additional outlet opened following the brand’s market entry, along with its location, floor area, seating capacity and menu. The pace of expansion needs to be considered separately from individual outlet performance.

The Vietnamese menu caters to local eating habits, including a preference for individual chicken pieces and chicken served with rice, known in Korea as ‘chibap’. Signature chicken dishes such as Bburinkle and Macho King are offered alongside plain rice, tteokbokki (rice cakes in a spicy sauce) and kimchi fried rice. The approach retains the brand’s core chicken range while adding rice dishes and sides.

The notable feature is that chicken is not presented solely as a standalone dish. Signature flavours remain central, but customers also have options for eating the chicken as a meal with rice. This combines the Korean brand’s menu identity with local dining habits.

However, a broad menu does not establish the popularity of any particular dish or its contribution to sales. When assessing localisation, it is important to distinguish between what is offered and what actually sells, and in what quantities. These opening announcements provide information about the menu and operating approach, rather than sales performance.

Philippines: an airport outlet focused on chicken pieces and combos

The second Philippine outlet is in Terminal 3 of Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila. It covers 162 m² and has 68 seats. Whereas the second Vietnamese outlet is in a shopping mall, the Philippine outlet’s operating format reflects its airport setting.

bhc has streamlined the menu at this outlet, focusing on individual chicken pieces and combo meals. Compared with the Vietnamese outlet’s combination of chicken and a wider range of meal options, the Philippine airport outlet places greater emphasis on a tighter selection. The same brand has adopted different product ranges according to location.

The two outlets also differ in floor area and seating capacity. The Philippine airport outlet is larger and has more seats than the Vietnamese mall outlet. However, neither measure alone indicates which will generate higher sales. Physical capacity is one operating condition, not a substitute for sales or table-turnover data.

Likewise, menu simplification describes an operating decision; it does not establish that waiting times or labour costs have fallen. The confirmed change is a menu built around chicken pieces and combos for an airport setting. When drawing lessons from overseas outlets, it is important to distinguish between the measures taken and their results.

54 outlets across 10 overseas markets, with Southeast Asian expansion this year

At the time of reporting, bhc operated 54 outlets across 10 overseas markets: Vietnam, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, the United States and Canada. This year, it has been expanding its Southeast Asian presence, with a focus on Vietnam and the Philippines.

These second-outlet openings differ from an announcement of entry into a new country. Their significance lies in continued expansion within markets where the brand has already opened its first outlet. In Vietnam in particular, bhc increased its local network with another opening roughly a month after its debut.

The number of markets and the number of outlets reveal different aspects of international expansion. Market count indicates geographical reach, while additional openings within a market show expansion there. This announcement provides both an overview of bhc’s overseas scale and evidence of follow-up openings in individual markets.

Overseas interest in Korean fried chicken was also cited as context. In the 2025 overseas Korean food consumer survey by South Korea’s Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and the Korean Food Promotion Institute, Korean fried chicken was the most frequently named Korean food eaten most often over the preceding year, at 28.3%. However, this finding concerns Korean fried chicken as a category. It does not directly indicate preference for bhc or demand at the two new outlets.

Operating differences for franchise businesses to consider

The practical lesson from these openings is that different menus can support the same objective of overseas expansion. The Vietnamese mall outlet combines signature chicken with rice and Korean snack dishes, while the Philippine airport outlet uses a streamlined menu centred on chicken pieces and combos.

Franchisors preparing to enter overseas markets can use this example as a prompt to assess location and menu together, rather than treating any particular dish as a formula for success. Beyond choosing a country, this means examining the type of premises, the meal formats to offer and the breadth of the menu.

Franchisees and prospective business owners should also distinguish overseas expansion news from the commercial prospects of outlets in South Korea. An increase in overseas outlets alone does not justify expectations of higher sales or profits for Korean franchisees. The scale of international operations, local menu choices and Korean franchise terms each require separate assessment.

Practical takeaway: bhc’s two new outlets illustrate contrasting approaches: meal-focused options in a shopping mall and a streamlined menu at an airport. When assessing international expansion, look beyond outlet numbers to location, menu and seating capacity, and distinguish confirmed openings from demonstrated profitability.