Fuku makes comeback as a brick-and-mortar, and more
After the closure of all traditional outlets, the fast-casual chicken concept created by restaurateur David Chang is returning with a 2.0 version and plans for aggressive growth.
June 9, 2026
Those who have eaten at a Fuku lately probably did so at a sports stadium.
The once-hot fast-casual chicken sandwich concept that was born in 2015 of chef and restaurateur David Chang’s Momofuku Noodle Bar in New York has been rapidly building a presence in sports venues, growing from four to 20 over the past three years.
But Fuku’s brick-and-mortar restaurants had disappeared.
At its height, the chain had six units in New York City and Boston. All were felled by the pandemic and other pressures.
“They were great performing restaurants,” said CEO Claudia Lezcano. But Fuku was a brand that “came out hot,” and had never really fleshed out a plan for growth.
Until now.
Fuku earlier this year revived its brick-and-mortar format with an opening in Coral Gables, Florida. A second location is coming in July to West Palm Beach, said Lezcano.
Then, a third unit is planned for Miami in January, and two more will open within the next 12 to 18 months, she said.
It’s a reset, said Lezcano, or Fuku 2.0.
The chain has the same owners. It was acquired by RSE Ventures in 2016, who recruited Lezcano to take the helm. The private-investment firm, co-owned by Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross and serial entrepreneur Matt Higgins, is also parent to Momofuku, Bluestone Lane, Magnolia Bakery, and Milk Bar.
As founder, Chang serves on the board and remains an inspiration, said Lezcano.
Now the company is moving ahead with aggressive growth plans, setting an ambitious target of reaching 80 locations by 2030.
Lezcano sees opportunity for the brand across five verticals:
The brick-and-mortar growth will begin with the five company locations, which will prove out the concept for future franchising, she said.
In fact, the first franchised location is scheduled to open in Las Vegas in September. There, a franchisee (who was not revealed) has committed to three units.
With the return to traditional restaurants, the brand has been refreshed a bit and the menu simplified, said Lezcano.
Fuku offers three iterations of the famed fried chicken sandwich, two types of tenders, and a number of sides, from cucumber salad with chili crunch to potato salad.
The restaurants are designed to be “a little grunge and a little edgy,” said Lezcano, to give a New York feel. And they are also decidedly analog.
The menu is posted on old-fashioned peg boards — no digital menus or kiosks here. And the Coral Gables location has board games to encourage people to dine in.
“People are taking out Battleship and playing over lunch,” she said. “They’re putting their phones down and actually having a great meal and speaking to each other.”
Another vertical is the stadium outlets. It’s not surprising that the brand has grown in such venues. After the first Fuku opened in New York, Chang was approached by the operators of Madison Square Garden to open an outlet there.
Now Fuku has a huge presence at the U.S. Open, she said, and the concept is in two arenas hosting World Cup games this summer (Hard Rock Stadium in Miami and MetLife Stadium in New Jersey).
Next up are moves into college campuses. Fuku is scheduled to open on the campus of University of Miami this fall, for example.
Airports are another opportunity. The brand is scheduled to open its first airport location at JFK International Airport in New York, in Terminal six, later this year.
Finally, international growth and licensing will be another avenue for the brand, said Lezcano.
The Fuku brand was born several years before Popeyes (arguably) sparked the Chicken Sandwich Wars of 2019. The fallout of that battle is a landscape of restaurants with a chicken sandwich on (almost) every menu.
Lezcano admits Fuku has “a long way to catch up to all those that have flown by us.” But the brand is getting in the race with something she argues is a bit different: a menu that blends Chang’s Korean background with a touch of the American South (Chang grew up in Virginia).
“What I’m excited about is the chicken landscape continues to grow,” she said. “It’s a protein that’s so versatile. But we deliver it in a uniquely different way.”
Lezcano, whose previous experience includes years with Burger King and Church’s Texas Chicken, has beefed up Fuku’s infrastructure with hires like Catherine Souders (formerly Shake Shack, Red Lobster) as VP of operations.
Domenic Boero is VP of culinary. Kaitlin Weinman recently moved from being the brand’s chief operating officer to chief brand officer. And the chain is about to announce a new head of finance, said Lezcano.
“We’ve been over 18 months preparing for this moment,” she said. “We’re building something that’s fast casual/QSR in the back of the house, but the front of house wants to be an independent restaurant.
“We’re not going to be on every corner. But we want to be on the right corner,” she added.
About the Author
Lisa Jennings
Executive Editor, Restaurant Business
Lisa Jennings is a veteran restaurant industry reporter and editor who covers the fast-casual sector, independent restaurants and emerging chain concepts. Her experience includes other industry publications as well as the daily newspaper The Commercial Appeal in Memphis, Tenn., where she was Food Editor. Her work has been cited in the Los Angeles Times, Business Insider, FoodBeast, The Huffington Post, Time.com and more.
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