Fayetteville Getting New-to-Market Korean Fried Chicken Chain, Bonchon

New chicken chain enters metro market. 

Bonchon, a growing Korean fried chicken franchise, has secured a lease for its first location in Georgia.  Located in Fayette Pavilion in Fayetteville, the new Bonchon will occupy a 3,600 square foot space in phase one of the center, near Rack Room Shoes.  

If you are not familiar, Fayetteville is south of Atlanta, about 30 minutes from Hartsfield.  

My Fayetteville area tipster and I were rather perplexed by the choice of location, but perhaps the company is banking on area diners' willingness to try new things.  

Bonchon is known for its Korean fried chicken, which it offers as wings, drums and strips in assorted signature spices. The restaurant also offers other Korean favorites like Bibimbap, Chicken Katsu and pork buns.  

Although a menu for the Fayetteville location is not yet available on its website, I reviewed the menus of other locations for an idea of what locals could expect.  Small (10 piece orders) or wings, drums or strips usually retailed for about $12-13.  

Another dish, "BULGOGI,"  is thinly sliced tender ribeye beef marinated and aged with a homemade sauce, sautéed with mushrooms and onions, and served with white rice and steamed vegetables on the side, was offered at $16-18 on most menus.  The pricing I reviewed seemed to place it on the premium end of any quick serve spectrum.  Bonchon is sure to face an uphill battle convincing would-be diners to spend a considerable amount more on novelty items versus favorites like Chick-fil-A, KFC and the recently opened nearby Bojangles'. 

Founder Jinduk Seh opened the first Bonchon in 2002 in the coastal city of Busan, South Korea.  Bonchon, which translates to "my hometown," has grown steadily since its humble beginnings in South Korea.  The first U.S. Bonchon location opened in 2006 in Leonia, New Jersey.  Bonchon, which maintains domestic headquarters in New York City, has since grown to forty locations in the U.S. with another sixteen or so in the works.  

Have you ever had Bonchon chicken? Do you think Fayetteville makes sense as a place to launch this growing chain in Georgia?  Where else would you like to see Bonchon open?  

Please share your thoughts below