Two KPOT executives share how the chain’s unique experience has been key to its remarkable growth
“Experience” has become a popular buzzword in the restaurant industry as brands look to differentiate their concepts in an effort to win over customers.
But where some brands claim “experience” in their hospitality or ambiance, KPOT has a legitimately distinct dining experience that has propelled the Korean barbecue and hot pot chain to remarkable growth. The full-service brand boasts a do-it-yourself experience in which customers receive ingredients that they prepare at their table, either as hot pot or barbecue (or, if desired, both) at one all-you-can-eat price point.
That experience seems to be resonating with American audiences. According to this year’s Technomic Top 500, KPOT grew its location count by 72% in 2024, and its sales by 34%. It’s already opened more than 20 locations in 2025, with 115 open today — and it didn’t even exist until 2017.
KPOT’s vice president of marketing, Maggie Farrell, and vice president of operations, Victor Chow, joined the latest episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches to talk about what makes KPOT’s experience so special, why it’s resonating with American consumers today, and what has been key to keeping up with its remarkable growth pace.
In this conversation, you’ll learn more about why:
Experiential dining is riding high — but ‘experience’ is in eye of beholder
No matter the experience you want to create, your team is responsible for facilitating it
Tailoring a unique experience to each individual customer could be wave of the future
American consumers are hungry for a diversity of menu options
Challenges don’t seem challenging when you’re part of a team tackling them together
Listen https://open.spotify.com/episode/34F8FUpcukvqYcZaM38mTW?si=PFD-8416QVyqNta1YRUXyw
Source https://www.nrn.com/casual-dining/korean-chain-kpot-proves-experiential-restaurant-dining-is-here-to-stay
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