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David Chang's Fuku to expand into more sports stadiums and arenas

The spicy fried chicken concept, which started as a brick-and-mortar fast casual, aims to grow its concession business.

Patricia Cobe, Senior Editor

August 7, 2023

1 Min Read
Chicken Sando
Fuku's Spicy Fried Chicken Sando is the fast casual's signature item. | Photo courtesy of Fuku.

Fuku, the spicy fried chicken concept founded by chef David Chang, has added two new locations to its stadium and arena portfolio.

The fast casual is expanding into TIAA Bank Field, home of the Jacksonville, Fla., Jaguars football team, and FedEx Field, where the Washington Commanders play in Summerfield, Md. The moves are in step with Fuku’s strategic focus to grow its concession business and partnerships with stadiums and arenas.

“We’re really excited at this next chapter of Fuku’s future, with our fast-growing concession business in major stadiums and arenas across the country, broadening our brand presence and reaching more customers with our chef created menu—and we're just getting started,” Fuku’s CEO Claudia Lezcano said in a statement.

Fuku joined the concession lineup at Yankee Stadium prior to the 2023 baseball season, partnering with the N.Y. Yankees foodservice provider, Legends Hospitality. The concept’s iconic Spicy Fried Chicken Sando is on the menu, along with chicken tenders and waffle fries. Not to ignore N.Y. Mets fans, Fuku also teamed up with Citi Field, opening a concession there this spring.

Fuku has two brick-and-mortar locations and a ghost kitchen in New York City, but the brand is clearly focusing on feeding fans at sports arenas, stadiums and similar venues. The fast casual’s concessions are also operating at New York City’s Madison Square Garden, basketball arena Barclays Center in Brooklyn, Hard Rock Stadium in Miami and Indian Wells Tennis Garden in California, totaling close to a dozen current partnerships.

Fuku works in tandem with the foodservice companies managing these venues, including Legends Hospitality, Delaware North, Levy Restaurants and Sodexo.

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Sodexo

About the Author

Patricia Cobe

Senior Editor

Pat plans and executes the menu sections of Restaurant Business and FoodService Director, covering food and beverage trends, Menu R&D, profiles of chefs and restaurateurs and Technomic research. She also contributes to the digital content of both RB and FSD and is editor of two weekly e-newsletters, Recipe Report and On the Menu. Pat’s weekly podcast, MenuFeed, covers a wide range of menu topics through interviews with chefs and operators.

Pat came to Winsight from Hearst, where she was an executive editor. She is the co-author of the Mompreneurs series of books as well as two cookbooks. She graduated from Cornell University and earned a Masters in Journalism from Boston University. She is active in several professional organizations, including Les Dames d’Escoffier and the International Foodservice Editorial Council (IFEC), and serves as a judge for the James Beard Media Awards.

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