Quick Service Restaurant/Chester’s

Editorial staff

Chester’s Food Co, the operator of Chester’s restaurant chain, will launch its big expansion plan with 25 new openings annually over the next five years, starting from 2025.

Chester’s Siam Square branch is transformed into be its first flagship store to lure young generation group

The strategic plan was introduced after the company saw its healthy growth last year. And the business has remained to grow to date.

Lalana Boonngamsri, the company’s managing director, said that its revenue grew double digits in 2023. In the first nine months of this year, Chester’s revenue grew by 15%, against Thailand’s quick service restaurant growth at only 2.5-4%.

“We decide to aggressively expand our business by opening 23 new Chester’s restaurants this year and set to open 25 new restaurants per year over the next five years,’’ she said.

It expected to allocate 200 million baht to expand its business during 2025-2029, including new openings, renovating 10-15 existing stores, and upgrading IT and other services.

Alone this year, the company sets to open 23 new restaurants. Of the total, 14 stores have already opened and the remaining 9 new openings during the remaining months of this year. The company has also renovated 14 existing Chester’s restaurants nationwide, including Chester’s Siam Square branch, which was transformed into its first flagship store to lure young generation group.

The company has spent 20 million baht to modernize Chester’s Siam Square branch of the space of 230 square metres, with new ambience, brighter tone with the use of red and white colur, replacing existing brown tone.

In addition, exclusive menus are also available for Chester’s Siam Square branch including 'Chick N' Waffle'. New menus are added about 50% at all Chesters’ branches, while new Chester’s business model is under developing along with new digital approach.

Ms Lalana said that Thailand’s quick service restaurant was valued at 45 billion baht per year. Of the total, 50% belongs to chicken segment.

“QSR in Thailand still has huge room to grow because customers' lifestyle has changed, prefering to eat out of home. The tourism boom is also a key driver to help stimulate growth the industry,’’ she said.

Moreover, only 30% of total Chester’s restaurant number are in up-country. Therefore, the company will expand more stores in major provinces and tourist destinations next year.

“The overall QSR in the first nine months of this year grew by 2.5-4% in line with the country’s GDP, down from 5-6% annually before the Covid-19 period. Though we have confronted with many challenges including higher operation cost, labour shortage, new players and a threat of new food alternative, we are confident to achieve our revenue target by 15 % this year,’’ Ms Lalana said.