bhc Chicken Franchise Cost: US vs Korea (2026)
bhc Chicken, founded in 2004 and operated by Dining Brands Group from Seoul, is one of South Korea's largest fried-chicken franchises, best known for flavored lines such as Bburinkle. The brand counts roughly 2,223 stores worldwide, including about 46 outlets across 9 overseas markets spanning the US, Canada, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Southeast Asia [3]. If you are comparing Korean fried-chicken franchises, bhc publishes cost information in two very different regulatory systems: the US Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) and Korea's KFTC franchise disclosure registry. This guide lays out what each discloses — and why the two markets are not directly comparable.
bhc at a glance
- Founded 2004; operated by Dining Brands Group, headquartered in Seoul [3]
- Roughly 2,223 stores worldwide, with about 46 overseas across 9 countries [3]
- Overseas growth mixes master-franchise agreements with single- and multi-unit franchising in the US [3]
- Notable overseas deals: a 2024 Taiwan master franchise with Hutong Group (Taipei Dome and ATT 4 FUN flagship sites) and a Vietnam master franchise with Hao Open Foods targeting 50 stores over 10 years [3]
US franchise costs
In the United States, bhc's costs come from its 2025 US FDD [2]. Item 7 discloses a total initial investment ranging from $391,838 [2] to $805,188 [2] — a spread that typically reflects location size, market, and build-out condition, so where a specific project lands depends heavily on real-estate and construction quotes.
The initial franchise fee is $40,000 [2]. Ongoing fees are percentage-based: a royalty of 5% of monthly sales [2] and an advertising contribution of 3% of monthly sales [2]. The same profile lists minimum liquid capital of $100,000 [2] — the cash a candidate is expected to have available, separate from what the project ultimately costs.
Korea franchise costs
In Korea, franchise costs are disclosed through the KFTC's mandatory information disclosure system (정보공개서). Per the 2024 disclosure figures as reported by Busan Ilbo, the domestic franchise fee (가맹비) is ₩11,000,000 [1] — with a separate training fee (교육비) of ₩2,420,000 and a deposit (보증금) of ₩10,000,000 itemized apart from it in the same reporting [1].
The total franchisee burden is reported at ₩90,030,000 [1], and — critically — that figure excludes the premises lease deposit and key money (권리금), which in Korea are often the single largest outlay and vary enormously by neighborhood.
US vs Korea: side by side
| Cost item | United States (2025 FDD) | South Korea (KFTC disclosure, 2024) |
|---|---|---|
| Initial franchise fee | $40,000 [2] | ₩11,000,000 [1] |
| Separate training fee | Not itemized here | ₩2,420,000 [1] |
| Deposit | Not itemized here | ₩10,000,000 [1] |
| Total initial investment (low) | $391,838 [2] | ₩90,030,000 [1] |
| Total initial investment (high) | $805,188 [2] | Not separately disclosed |
| Ongoing royalty | 5% of monthly sales [2] | Not cited here |
| Advertising | 3% of monthly sales [2] | Not cited here |
| Liquid capital required | $100,000 [2] | Not cited here |
How to read these numbers
Three caveats before comparing across the table:
- The scopes differ. The Korean burden figure of ₩90,030,000 [1] excludes the premises deposit and key money; US FDD Item 7 ranges also treat real estate variably. Neither number is "everything you will spend."
- The formats differ. Korean bhc stores are typically smaller delivery-oriented formats, while US builds are often larger footprints — a structural reason the US totals ($391,838 [2] to $805,188 [2]) run far higher than the Korean burden figure.
- The vintages differ. The US figures come from a 2025 filing [2]; the Korean figures from 2024 disclosure reporting [1]. Figures change with each annual filing, so re-check both against the latest documents.
Other markets
Beyond the US and Korea, bhc expands through master-franchise partners — Taiwan (Hutong Group, 2024) and Vietnam (Hao Open Foods, 50 stores over 10 years) among them — with master franchising prioritized in Southeast Asia and single-/multi-unit franchising in the US [3]. Costs for those arrangements are negotiated case by case and are not published in the disclosures cited here.
How to verify
Before making any decision, confirm every figure directly in the franchisor's current disclosure document: in the United States, request the latest bhc FDD and read Items 5-7 for fees and initial investment; in Korea, pull Dining Brands Group's current 정보공개서 from the KFTC franchise disclosure system. Third-party summaries — including this guide — can lag the most recent filing, and the only binding numbers are those in the disclosure document and franchise agreement you are actually offered.
Figures are historical, come from the named source, and are not a promise or projection of your results. Costs and outcomes vary by market, site and operator.
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This website is not an offer to sell a franchise. We are an independent consultancy, not a franchisor, and we do not offer or sell franchises. A franchise is offered only through the franchisor's own disclosure document in jurisdictions where such documents are required. Investment figures are compiled from the named public sources; costs and results vary.