Quarters Kbbq is a popular Korean barbecue restaurant chain with locations across the United States. Korean barbecue, also known as KBBQ, involves grilling thinly sliced cuts of meat and vegetables at the diner’s table. Quarters Kbbq is best known for its all-you-can-eat KBBQ dining experience. Customers pay a flat fee and can order unlimited proteins and banchan (small side dishes) to grill and enjoy family-style. With its growing popularity across the US, many diners are curious about who exactly owns this Korean barbecue brand.
Company History and Origins
Quarters Kbbq was founded in Los Angeles, California in 2014 by South Korean immigrant Jay Won. Jay Won immigrated to the United States in the 1980s and worked in the hospitality industry for years before opening up his own restaurant. The first Quarters Kbbq opened up in Koreatown in LA in 2014 and it quickly became popular with Korean barbecue lovers.
The name “Quarters” refers to the unique tabletop grills built into each table at the restaurant. These grills are sectioned into quarters, allowing different parties at one table to enjoy their own personal grill without intermingling flavors. Quarters Kbbq pioneered this interactive tableside Korean barbecue dining concept.
Rapid Expansion
After the success of the original LA location, Quarters Kbbq began rapidly expanding across California and the rest of the United States. New locations opened up in key markets like New York, Chicago, Atlanta, Dallas, and Las Vegas. Investors took note of the brand’s success, allowing founder Jay Won to aggressively open new locations to take advantage of growing interest in Korean cuisine.
By 2022, there were over 50 Quarters Kbbq restaurants operating across the United States. Even through the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021, Quarters Kbbq continued expanding by focusing on takeout and delivery. The brand’s footprint now spans both coastal and inland US states.
Franchise Model Fuels Growth
Much of Quarters Kbbq’s rapid expansion can be attributed to its franchising model. Instead of solely company-owned locations, Quarters Kbbq relied on franchising deals to put restaurants in the hands of entrepreneurial franchisees. This allowed the brand to scale up quickly without taking on all the risk and overhead costs.
Franchisees cover the costs of opening and operating their own Quarters Kbbq location in exchange for the branding, systems, and marketing support from corporate. Quarters Kbbq vets potential franchisees carefully to ensure they are qualified to represent the brand. The franchise model has accelerated the brand’s growth over the past 8 years.
Company Ownership and Leadership
Quarters Kbbq is a private company owned by founder Jay Won. He continues to hold a significant ownership stake and leads the company as CEO. While franchising has fueled the brand’s growth, Jay Won has maintained decision-making control rather than selling out significant equity to investors.
Jay Won immigrated to the US from South Korea and worked in various restaurants before launching Quarters Kbbq. His insight into Korean cuisine and the restaurant industry has been a key ingredient in the brand’s success. Even as CEO of a national chain, Jay Won stays involved in key decisions from real estate to menu development.
Headquarters and Corporate Operations
The Quarters Kbbq corporate headquarters is located in Buena Park, California, not far from where Jay Won opened the first location in LA’s Koreatown. This Orange County city has a high concentration of Korean residents and businesses, making it a fitting base for the brand.
Franchise operations, marketing, culinary R&D, accounting, and other corporate functions are centered in the Buena Park headquarters. Jay Won and his team oversee a nationwide chain of company-owned and franchised Quarters Kbbq locations from this nerve center.
While founders are often tempted to move corporate offices to flashier locations, Jay Won has kept things local. This allows him to stay connected to the brand’s roots and the Korean community that has fueled the success.
Restaurant Locations and Markets
As of 2022, there are over 50 Quarters Kbbq restaurants located across 14 different states. Here is a breakdown of how many locations are in each state:
| State | Number of Locations |
| California | 12 |
| Nevada | 6 |
| Arizona | 5 |
| Texas | 5 |
| Georgia | 4 |
| Washington | 3 |
| Illinois | 3 |
| Florida | 2 |
| Maryland | 2 |
| Pennsylvania | 2 |
| Colorado | 1 |
| Oregon | 1 |
| North Carolina | 1 |
| Virginia | 1 |
The company is strategically targeting states and metro areas with higher Asian populations. However, their popularity has also spread to markets without established Korean communities. Nevada, Arizona, Texas, and Georgia are among the states with the most Quarters Kbbq locations outside of the California home base.
The restaurant chain is also focused on large metropolitan regions with Millennial and Gen Z diners interested in Asian cuisine. Markets like Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Seattle, and Las Vegas have been key targets for expansion. Quarters Kbbq has located restaurants near college campuses and in shopping/entertainment districts in these urban markets.
Menu Offerings and Dining Experience
The main draw of Quarters Kbbq is the interactive, all-you-can-eat Korean barbecue dining experience. The DIY tabletop grills are the centerpiece. Parties order plates of uncooked meats like beef bulgogi, spicy pork, chicken, and shrimp to cook themselves on the built-in grill.
The all-you-can-eat menu means guests can order unlimited proteins and banchan. Prices range from $29.99 – $39.99 depending on the location. Kids ages 7-12 dine for half price.
Popular meat choices include KBBQ favorites like:
- Beef bulgogi
- Spicy pork bulgogi
- Chicken bulgogi
- Marinated short ribs
- Shrimp
- Squid
- Spicy pork
Complimentary banchan options include:
- Kimchi
- Potato salad
- Coleslaw
- Korean rice cakes
- Fried tofu
Each location also offers a full bar with Korean soju, beer, and other beverages. For dessert, popular items include red bean ice cream and Korean fried donuts.
The interactive, cook-it-yourself grilling concept has proven appealing to Millennials, Gen Zers, and anyone seeking a unique dining experience. Servers assist customers with grilling tips and orders. Quarters Kbbq provides the proteins and tools for an authentic, DIY Korean BBQ meal.
Franchise Owner Profile
To better understand who owns and operates Quarters Kbbq franchises, here is a profile of the typical franchisee:
- Owns 1-3 locations, planning to expand
- Net worth of $1 – $5 million
- Often Korean American, but not exclusively
- Already successful entrepreneur or business executive
- Looking to diversify holdings with a proven restaurant concept
- Attracted to a popular niche cuisine (Korean barbecue)
- Impressed by corporate team’s restaurant experience
- Willing to invest $500K – $1M to open each location
Quarters Kbbq specifically seeks out qualified franchisees that meet their financial requirements and have restaurant management experience. The typical franchisee owns multi-unit franchises or other businesses and has the resources to open several locations.
They are drawn to Quarters Kbbq as a concept with proven profitability and room for more growth nationwide. The niche cuisine also helps attract entrepreneurial franchisees interested in ethic food trends.
Costs and Revenue
Opening a Quarters Kbbq franchise requires a significant upfront investment and ongoing costs. The startup investment to open a single Quarters Kbbq location ranges from $600,000 to $900,000. This includes:
- Franchise fee – $50,000
- Real estate and build out – $300,000 – $500,000
- Working capital/inventory – $100,000
- Opening marketing – $150,000
Quarters Kbbq also charges a 6% ongoing royalty fee on gross sales. Additional fees include a 2% marketing fee and 1% technology fee. Franchisees pay these fees to access the brand name, marketing support, and systems.
In exchange, Quarters Kbbq franchisees have access to a growing, profitable niche concept. The average unit brings in $1.6 million to $2.5 million in annual sales. After expenses and royalties, successful franchises achieve 15-20% profit margins, providing $250,000+ in potential annual owner income per location.
Quarters Kbbq’s corporate team provides site selection, opening support, and ongoing training and guidance to help franchisees generate these strong returns. They look for franchisees able to make a sizable upfront investment for long term rewards.
Future Expansion Plans
Quarters Kbbq has ambitious plans to continue growing in new markets across America. Their stated goal is to open over 500 total locations in the next 5-10 years.
Target expansion states for new franchises include:
- Utah
- Kansas
- Missouri
- Tennessee
- Ohio
- Indiana
- Alabama
- Louisiana
- Kentucky
- New Mexico
These targets demonstrate Quarters Kbbq’s plan to expand beyond coastal metro areas into smaller inland cities and college towns. Their growth model relies on finding franchisees excited to bring Korean barbecue to their local community.
Internationally, Quarters Kbbq plans to expand first into Canada, with Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal as likely target markets. The brand sees similar potential to captivate Millennial foodies abroad with DIY, interactive KBBQ.
Competition
The Korean barbecue niche has been growing rapidly since Quarters Kbbq launched in 2014. As a result, the brand faces increasing competition from other Korean barbecue franchises.
Main competitors in the space include:
- Gen Korean BBQ
- Here’s looking at you
- Breakers Korean BBQ
- Daebak Korean BBQ
- Sura Korean BBQ
- Hae Jang Chon Korean BBQ
- Honey Pig Korean BBQ
- Local mom & pop KBBQ restaurants
Most of these competitors are smaller regional chains, not nationwide operators like Quarters Kbbq. Being first to market allowed Quarters Kbbq to become the largest Korean barbecue franchise. However, the increasing competition forces the brand to stay innovative with its menu and service model.
Quarters Kbbq also competes with the wider $780 billion US restaurant industry. Consumer preference for Korean cuisine gives them an advantage relative to burger, pizza, and sandwich concepts. But ongoing innovation around the diner experience remains necessary.
Advantages Over Competitors
As the largest Korean barbecue franchise, Quarters Kbbq enjoys several competitive advantages:
- Brand recognition – Early market entry allowed Quarters Kbbq to build widespread brand awareness nationally.
- Buying power – As the largest buyer, Quarters Kbbq can secure wholesale deals on high volumes of meat and supplies.
- Real estate – An established brand opens more doors for prime retail locations.
- Technology – Custom enterprise systems for ordering, inventory, etc. not easily replicated.
- Marketing funds – Collects over $20 million in annual ad fees from franchises to promote the brand.
- Purchasing co-op – Coordinates group discounts on equipment and supplies for franchisees.
These advantages make it difficult for newer competitors to catch up to Quarters Kbbq’s market position. The brand also stays focused on consistency and innovation to maintain its leadership in the space.
Response to COVID-19 Crisis
The coronavirus pandemic in 2020 and 2021 posed major challenges for dine-in restaurant chains like Quarters Kbbq. Mandated closures and reduced capacity restrictions significantly impacted sales. In response, Quarters Kbbq implemented a number of changes:
- Accelerated online ordering platforms and contactless payment
- Promoted takeout and delivery options
- Negotiated lease concessions from landlords
- Deferred franchise royalty payments for struggling locations
- Suspended new franchise sales while focusing on supporting existing units
- Developed DIY barbecue meal kits for takeout and delivery
- Opened ghost kitchens for delivery-only service
These initiatives allowed Quarters Kbbq to pivot and stay solvent through the worst months of the pandemic. Franchise owners appreciated the corporate support during unprecedented challenges.
As conditions improve, Quarters Kbbq is well positioned to keep gaining market share in the post-pandemic economy based on these quick adaptations. The changes opened new off-premise revenue streams that will continue complementing their dine-in business.
Conclusion
Quarters Kbbq has become America’s largest Korean barbecue franchise through steady expansion since 2014. Founder Jay Won continues leading the California-based company toward ambitious growth goals. While the niche has become more competitive, Quarters Kbbq enjoys the first-mover advantage along with economies of scale.
Their innovative, interactive barbecue dining experience appeals to a wide demographic seeking culinary experiences. Quarters Kbbq has cultivated a loyal following through consistent execution. At the same time, the franchise model allows for rapid expansion through qualified owners investing in each new market. Quarters Kbbq’s future looks bright as they stay ahead of dining trends and bring Korean barbecue to communities across America.