South Korea’s largest homegrown burger chain, Lotteria, made a successful debut in the “burger homeland” of the U.S., sparking an opening frenzy. On August 11, Lotteria opened its first U.S. location in Fullerton, Orange County (150 W. Orangethorpe Ave., Fullerton), kicking off a soft opening event. Hundreds of customers lined up outside the store, drawing significant attention from the mainstream food industry. The drive-thru was packed, with vehicles stretching across several blocks.

Lotteria held its soft opening from August 11 to 13, with a grand opening scheduled for August 14. Videos and reviews from customers visiting the newly opened store flooded Lotteria’s U.S. social media accounts. The store operated for only four hours on opening day, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Footage showed customers waiting under umbrellas to enter, cars lining up in the parking lot, and staff taking orders from the long queue of vehicles. The umbrellas, along with water bottles, were provided by the store to customers waiting in the 90°F heat. Customers shared varied feedback: “Waited over an hour to get in and another hour for food,” “Waited 3 hours and 20 minutes.

They have bulgogi burgers, shrimp burgers, and a new spicy bulgogi burger. Ordering a combo comes with seasoned fries,” and “I’d eat the shrimp burger again.” A presumed store employee shared behind-the-scenes footage of the bustling store, expressing gratitude to colleagues and the local community for the overwhelming turnout on the first day of the soft opening. Local media outlets like the LA Times and OC Register reported, “The first K-burger franchise to open in the U.S. drew a massive crowd of ‘umbrella brigade’ fans.” The main menu features the Ria Bulgogi Burger, Ria Shrimp Burger, and Jeonju Bibim Rice Burger. Prices start at $6.49 for a single burger, with combo meals (including a soda and seasoned fries) adding $6.28 to the base price. A bulgogi burger combo costs around $12.77, while shrimp and rice burger combos are priced at $13.27 and $15.77, respectively.

Compared to premium U.S. burger chains like Five Guys and Shake Shack—where single burgers range from $8 to $15—Lotteria’s pricing is considered competitive. A teenage Korean-American who visited the store said, “I still vividly remember eating at Lotteria in Korea last year. The prices are great, the taste is amazing, and I’ll definitely come back often.” The store is adorned with Korean elements, including the “Lotteria” logo in Korean at the entrance and a painting of the Blue House (Cheong Wa Dae) inside. After the official opening, merchandise like T-shirts with “SEOUL” printed on them will also be available for sale.

Operated by Lotte GRS, the company established a California corporation in early 2024 and began preparations for the first U.S. location earlier this year. A Lotte GRS representative stated, “Unlike in Korea, we don’t need an extensive menu in the U.S. market. We’ve curated five to six burger options and potato-based sides for desserts. Our goal this year isn’t to expand locations in North America but to successfully establish this first store.” Recently, Lotte GRS signed a partnership with a local company to open Lotteria stores in Malaysia and is also expanding to Singapore. Launched in 1972, Lotteria is South Korea’s largest homegrown burger franchise, operating approximately 1,300 locations in Korea and around 300 overseas in countries like Japan, Vietnam, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, and Mongolia.

By Reporter Cho Hwan-dong