Lotte GRS, the operator of Korea’s leading fast-food brand Lotteria, is set to make its debut in the U.S. — the birthplace of the hamburger. This expansion, coming 45 years after Lotteria opened its first store in Sogong-dong, Seoul, in 1979, represents more than just the opening of another branch. It signals a symbolic step toward the globalization of the “K-Burger.”
According to Lotte GRS on July 6, Lotteria will open its first U.S. location next month in Fullerton, Orange County, California, officially entering the North American market.
Until now, Lotteria has focused its overseas expansion on Asia, establishing a presence in countries such as Vietnam, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, and Mongolia. The upcoming U.S. launch marks its first venture into the Western market.
The United States is a highly competitive arena for global restaurant franchises. With its massive market size, ethnically diverse consumer base, strong brand loyalty, and powerful marketing dynamics, it is home to giants like McDonald’s, KFC, Subway, and Starbucks. Lotteria’s entry into this environment reflects the company’s ambition to introduce and expand the K-Burger on a global scale.
The Fullerton location is known for its high density of burger chains, including In-N-Out Burger and McDonald’s, making it a challenging battleground. Lotteria plans to stand out with its differentiated “K-Burger strategy,” offering localized versions of its popular Korean-style menu items such as the bulgogi burger, shrimp burger, and Jeonju bibimbap rice burger. These offerings have already been well received by consumers at home and abroad.
In fact, Lotteria showcased these items at the National Restaurant Association (NRA) Show in Chicago in 2023 and 2024, drawing positive responses from American attendees.
Fullerton’s strong Korean and broader Asian-American communities also make it an attractive entry point. With high demand for Korean food in the area, Lotteria plans to first build brand recognition among Korean-Americans and Asian consumers before expanding its appeal to the broader U.S. market.
The U.S. expansion represents more than the opening of a single store — it is a strategic opportunity to test Lotteria’s global competitiveness. It also aligns with Lotte GRS’s broader initiative to balance domestic profitability with international growth. The company’s annual revenue, which fell from a peak of approximately $865 million in 2016 to around $460 million, rebounded over the past three years, reaching $765 million in 2024. It is now aiming to surpass the $770 million mark once again. This recovery has been driven by domestic rebranding efforts and a strategy of global market diversification.
An industry official commented, “The U.S. franchise market is intensely competitive and is seen as a necessary gateway for global expansion — not just for Asian brands, but also for companies from Europe and the Middle East. If Lotteria achieves meaningful results, it could pave the way for more Korean restaurant brands to enter the American market.”
