Here are 5 Familiar Fast Food Chains in Seoul

Listen, I know that you didn’t travel to Seoul… just to eat McDonalds. You probably want to experience ALL that Korea has to offer! Kimchi, Korean BBQ, kimbap… and lots of mandu (dumplings)! But every so often, you just need a taste of home. Something that is so familiar and expected that you could cry tears of relief.

I found it fascinating to look over their menus and note the similarities and differences. It’s interesting to see how Korean taste buds have influenced these fast food chains, and in turn how these global food trends have affected Asian preferences as well!

If you are:

1. considering moving abroad and wondering what familiar places you can expect to see.
2. currently living in Seoul already and maybe feeling a little bit like yo quiero Taco Bell but didn’t even know that that was an option but NOW YOU DO!
3. Planning a trip abroad and have a member of your party that may want some familiar food on the itinerary
4. living your life per usual (wherever you happen to be) but are a little bit curious about what fast food chains are total hits over in Asia!

…then this list is for you!

I haven’t included Western sit-down restaurants, pizza joints, or dessert cafes. More posts coming soon on all of those!

Note: Seoul is all about fast food delivery! If you eat at these locations often, I’d definitely consider downloading their specific apps for quick and easy access!

1. McDonalds

I mean…where ISN’T McDonalds? Those golden arches serve up burgers & fries that taste just like home. They also have McFlurries, apple pies, soft serve ice cream…and everything one would hope to find.

You can also find unique menu items like bulgolgi burgers, honey butter fries, and seasonal fruity drinks and desserts (I recall cherry blossom everything at one point). Prices are a little higher than normal, but not outrageous.

Here are the current McDonalds locations in Seoul:

2. Burger King

Ah, the other famous American fast food burger joint. We ate at a Burger King once during our time in Korea– a 4th of July lunch date with my little one.

Burger King isn’t my personal favorite, but the Korean menu offers everything you’d expect plus some fun surprises like corn salad side option and lots of spicy upgrades (Koreans love their spice!).

“Burger King runs 440 outlets in South Korea, more than its rival McDonald’s”

Reuters.com

Honestly, Burger Kings are eeeeeeeverywhere in Seoul. You could probably close your eyes and just start walking and you’d run into a Burger King before too long (but…don’t do do that because taxis etc.).

3. Kentucky Fried Chicken

As you probably know, Koreans are all about fried chicken, so this restaurant is obviously a big hit in Seoul. In fact, KFC may be the most oft-consumed fast food chain on this list by Koreans themselves??

Fried chicken is the food of choice at baseball games, and the wait to buy food at the KFC inside the stadium was always super long!

The chicken tastes pretty similar. They have the “plain” fried variety or lots coated in flavorful sauces! Be forewarned, they do NOT offer the same side dishes in Korea as they do in the US. I repeat, do not walk into a KFC in Gangnam your first week in Korea expecting there to be macaroni and cheese or mashed potatoes. Do I sound bitter still? I’m not, I’m ok. The coleslaw is the same, though.

You may be surprised (and maybe delighted?) to find fries and corn salad on the menu! Just…expect a lot of corn salad everywhere you go is the lesson here.

Here’s the current list of locations:

Happy chicken consuming! Find more info on their website here.

4. Subway

SUBWAY! I love you. This was the fast food chain we ate at most often, I’d say. It’s really hard to make deli sandwiches in Korea that taste similar to the ones I love back in America. You can easily find deli ham in most grocery stores, but I never found deli turkey (you can read all about Seoul grocery adventures in this blog post). At one point, Subway became a frequent lunch date for me and the hubs to get our deli turkey fix!

Koreans love their Subway sandwiches. Tons of coworkers gather here on their lunch breaks…it’s a hoppin place. You’ll often see it featured as product-placement in K-dramas like Goblin & Crash Landing on You.

The menu is fairly similar, with all of the classic lunch meats offered…with an additional emphasis on items like teriyaki flavors, seafood, and egg salad. The chips, soda, cookies are all the same.

5. Taco Bell

We were VERY pleased when we first stumbled upon a Taco Bell eatery in Gangnam one day (that one has since closed down, RIP). Of course expect to find bulgogi flavors and kimchi fusion dishes.

Here’s a map showing where you can currently satisfy your taco cravings:

Let’s wrap this up:

Which Western fast food chain are you surprised to see on this list?

What fast food chain do you wish they’d bring over to Korea?? (For me, it’s 100% Chik-Fil-A!)

Let me know in the comments below!

& Check out some similar blog posts, too:

Cover Photo by Jonathan Marchal on Unsplash