Family-owned Flame Broiler invests in growth, technology, and franchise support for expansion
Thirty years after opening its first restaurant in Fullerton, California, Flame Broiler is stepping into a new phase of growth. Young Lee founded the Korean-inspired brand in 1995, and it has expanded to well over 100 locations across several states while staying family-owned. After pausing for five years to rebuild its processes and foundation, the company relaunched its franchising program in 2024 and is now focused on expansion under second-generation leadership.
President and COO Christian Lee leads the effort. He manages operations, supply chain, franchise support, and growth strategy, helping balance expansion with the principles that shaped the business from the beginning.
At the heart of the brand is a menu built around Korean-inspired rice bowls and family recipes. “We genuinely have a strong value proposition. When you visit a Flame Broiler, you get real food that you can feel good about: high-quality ingredients, bold Korean flavors from my family’s recipes, and charbroiled proteins served at an affordable price,” Christian explains.
Food is at the center of Flame Broiler’s founding story. Christian’s parents started the business with recipes they believed in. “They wanted to serve food that they were proud to feed their kids and their own family. They created a menu with clean ingredients and always aimed to do good for the community.”
The first restaurant built a loyal following, with customers embracing its blend of health-focused meals, Korean flavors, and accessible pricing. Guests who loved the food soon began asking about franchising.
Years later, as Christian and his brothers stepped into bigger leadership roles, they realized Flame Broiler needed stronger systems before expanding further. “We’ve been doing this for 30 years. We want to be around for another 30, 40, even 50 years. We felt we owed it to every new franchisee to welcome them into an even stronger support system. That’s why we decided to pause and make sure the company was at its best before bringing on more franchisees,” he reflects.
While new franchise sales were on hold, the company focused inward, investing in operations, technology, training, and support systems it felt were vital for long-term growth. “We basically revamped everything you can imagine, from supply chain and operational procedures to brand-new training programs and technology, a new digital app, a new website, and a refreshed interior design. We rebranded, hired a new leadership team, updated HR practices, and clarified our vision statements,” Christian notes.
Five years later, that work led to the relaunch of franchising and a stronger organization than the one that paused in 2019, with clearer processes, better training, and greater support for franchisees. “When we reopened franchising, we felt proud to say, ‘We’re ready to take this into the next 30 years,’” he adds.
Championing convenience
Christian’s approach is shaped by hands-on experience. He started working in restaurants in high school and later became a franchisee with his brother during college, shaping how he evaluates opportunities today.
Flame Broiler now uses decades of operating data, not just intuition, to test assumptions, pinpoint the drivers of restaurant performance, and fine-tune site selection. “We use the data to validate our instinct. Just because the data supports the idea, it doesn’t guarantee success. But if the data says it won’t work, then it definitely won’t,” Christian observes.
As growth picked up again, Flame Broiler focused on making the customer experience easy and seamless. The team invested in formats and environments that make Flame Broiler even more approachable without sacrificing quality. He shares, “Many customers tell us they love our food; they choose us for the quality, the healthy options, and the bold flavors. They appreciate the experience and the service.”
Speed is another major focus, and Flame Broiler is expanding its drive-thru format to reach customers throughout the day. “Our mission centers on making our food more accessible. Convenience and access matter because we know our guests are busy, so we’re committed to building on that,” Christian remarks.
This customer-first mindset has also shaped Flame Broiler’s digital investments, which focus less on flashy new tech and more on making it easy for guests to order, use rewards, or place catering orders. Menu innovation is still a family affair. Recent additions like Korean BBQ short ribs and cucumber kimchi were cross-generational collaborations. “I developed the Korean BBQ short rib with my mom’s recipes, and everyone loved my mom’s cucumber kimchi at home so we recreated that, too. We still collaborate all the time,” he continues.
Health trends are always evolving, but Christian believes the Flame Broiler menu already aligns with what customers want without chasing trends. “Protein is one of the biggest health trends right now. We’re well positioned for that, since our food is very protein-forward.”
Inside Flame Broiler, the culture stays rooted in the founders’ values, and Christian likes to use a simple analogy to describe it: “We talk a lot about our company as a boat. Are we all rowing in the same direction? Is everyone aligned with the mission, the vision, the strategy? And will it make the boat go faster? That helps us focus and prioritize what matters most.”
Christian’s parents often kept their charitable work private, but that’s starting to change with the launch of the Flame Broiler Foundation to invite their guests, employees, and franchisees into the work. “Community and generosity have always been a big part of our story. We’re starting a public charitable foundation because we want to use the brand to bring people together and give back as a community.”
Prosperous partnerships
Looking ahead, Christian sees opportunity in markets where affordable meal options are limited, and awareness of Korean cuisine is growing. “We still see big gaps when it comes to finding healthy, affordable food across the country. When we talk to people outside of Orange County and other states, they always say, ‘There’s nothing like it here.’ There’s so much room to grow,” he observes.
But Christian believes opportunity only matters if it leads to real results for franchisees. “Franchisee prosperity is very important to us. Whatever prosperity means for each franchisee, we want them to achieve it.”
With franchising underway and new locations opening, Flame Broiler is channeling years of preparation into real momentum. “The goal is to get things moving quickly. I believe the potential is unlimited,” he concludes.