Fast-Casual Restaurant Industry Ripe For 'Asian Invasion'

Although Sudhir Kandula did not win the first season of America's Next Great restaurant, he did reach the finale, and impressed the judges with his mission to bring fast-casual Indian food to American consumers. Kandula might be onto something big, as Asian eateries throughout the United States are growing both in concept and units.

With the upcoming opening of Chipotle's new eatery, ShopHouse Southeast Asian Kitchen, fast-casual companies are increasing focus on less familiar ingredients.

Currently, among the top 500 chains in the U.S., only about 1.7% of sales are from Asian chains, but last year, according to Technomic, fast-food and fast-casual Asian chain sales among the top 500 grew 9.3%.

Yum Brands, the umbrella company of KFC, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut is investing more heavily in Little Sheep, a hot-pot style chain currently in China and is hoping to bring the brand to a wider audience. Panda Express and Pei Wei are also poised to expand, with Panda Express hoping to add another 1,000 nationwide outposts by 2015 and Pei Wei opening 10 to 12 additional units in 2011.

Even non-Asian restaurants are embracing more flavors from the Eastern hemisphere, as chains are increasingly including Asian-influenced items and ingredients: McDonald's has reintroduced its Asian salad and even TGI Friday's now serves Japanese Hibachi skewers.

Comments

[O K Ali]

01:55 PM on 05/22/2011

I'm happy with my local Chinese take-out. Chicken wings and fried rice in less than seven minutes is fast enough for me.

[DanInAustin]

04:44 AM on 05/22/2011

Does Panda Express even qualify as food? I've been there once, and it was pretty appalling. It was like someone took week-old leftovers, poured extra oil onto them, and fried them up again.

[Sue Bryant]

03:18 PM on 05/19/2011

Hmm, more salt loaded food to choose from. No thanks.

[French Toast]

10:53 AM on 05/19/2011

Yum Brands will no doubt destroy anything of worth in anything they purchase and add sand to the ingredients (true story, it's in Taco Bell meat). And Panda Express can get stuffed. There are tons of quality Chinese in the mid-Atlantic states PE's substandard offerings have no attraction.

When I want fast casual I don't just want pleasant lighting and an attempt at atmosphere. I want well-conceived food, as I get with Panera. Sudhir Kandula was on to something big. Most Americans don't eat Indian only because they don't know it and/or aren't offered it in their area. The US is primed for a takeover.

[osofar]

06:52 AM on 05/19/2011

Little Sheep makes outstanding roast lamb with Chinese five spice. Yum Brands will destroy it.

[osofar]

06:51 AM on 05/19/2011

Pei Wei? Wil it be owned by Herman?!??

[Koeiseun]

09:47 PM on 05/18/2011

I sooooo wish Panda Express would expand more in the Midwest!