Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Kennyftw]

How much would it be to be a franchisee of Taco Bell? I may want to look into this. Do you think it would do well? In an area outside of Seoul, but still in a city with over a 1,000,000 people and lots of foreigners. I won't say where though.

[nukeday]

Oooo, can I guess? Bundang! Ilsan!

[plato's republic]

I've no idea but I'd imagine that you would need an absolute TON of money. If you do have a TON of money sitting in the bank then by all means go for it. A friend of mine told me that opening a McDonalds franchise in Korea costs a hell of a lot. You could always try emailing Taco Bell HQ yourself to find out.

[Kennyftw]

[Kennyftw]

[seoulsucker]

According to a number of websites, you'd need between 1.2 and 1.7 MILLION US DOLLARS to open a stand-alone Taco Bell, with about $350,000 in liquid assets to begin operation. Good luck.

You'd be better off opening up your own little shop. Several REALLY bad taco joints in Seoul have done well simply because of a lack of options.

And just a little hint from someone who has been involved in food & beverage here for a while...if you really want to make money, spend very little or no time at all worrying about the foreign market, especially outside of Seoul. Sustainable income comes from the locals, point blank. There are a very select few businesses in pockets of Seoul that get by relying on help from foreign clientele, but those that do well learned early to target the natives.

[weso1]

As a foreigner, opening any kind of business here is really difficult, time consuming, and expensive. To open a franchise, like the guy said above, you'll need at least a million and be prepared to spend the next 6-8 months pulling you're hair out. It would be easier to open your own version of a taco bell, but if you're single, you're still looking at several hundred thousand dollars and a good year or more of getting set up. It might be a bit easier if you were married to a Korean, but it's going to be costly and take forever.

This is the reason so many businesses operate under the radar here. It's much easier to just set up shop and grease a few palms at the district office to look the other way. For the amount of time and expense it takes to open a business, you need to work on it full time but also have an income rolling in. So most "Mom and Pop" places operate illegally for a few years until everything gets up to standards and then they make it legit.

[T-J]

Unfortunately you can't open a Taco Bell. Their franchising agreement requires you to commit to opening at least three within three years.



http://franchises.about.com/od/fastfoo1/fr/taco-bell.htm

[Kennyftw]

1.2-1.7 million dollars? No problem. My esl salary and the few privates I've been doing will easily take care of that.
Thanks again.

[Steelrails]

Can you handle the 10+ pages on Dave's?

[myenglishisno]

I second opening up a Mexican place. It doesn't have to be a Taco Bell.

I've only had Taco Bell twice and both times it's been crap. I don't know why Americans worship it so much. The food is often soggy and they use powdered cheese. It looks like it was mass-produced at maximum cost efficiency and it has the nutritional value of movie theatre nachos (which aren't all that different).

If there are bad Mexican places in Korea, then Taco Bell is the worst.

[nukeday]

[myenglishisno]

[carleverson]

I don't think Taco Bell markets itself as "authentic Mexican food"....It markets itself as fast food..

Personally, I love the taste and convenience of fast food tacos and burritos...

[DaHu]