Scaling up successful restaurant concepts beyond a few outlets to build a larger and sometimes multinational platform is often key to restaurateurs and their investors’ financial success. While the task is complex, leading examples show that in business, as in cooking, both the ingredients and the right approach are integral to ultimate success.

Many Asian restaurant groups from Singapore-based Chinese fine dining restaurants to Korean fried chicken chains have taken big risks by expanding their celebrated restaurants into regional or multinational enterprises. Some achieve stellar success growing profitably and even accumulating Michelin stars ― however, most fail to triumphantly deliver the experience in new geographies.

Although diners’ preferences will differ from location to location, city to city, and country to country, we have analysed the success and failures of some of the world’s elite restaurants chains to identify the “softer” capabilities that determine winners.

Many Asian restaurant groups from Singapore-based Chinese fine dining restaurants to Korean fried chicken chains have taken big risks by expanding their celebrated restaurants into regional or multinational enterprises. Some achieve stellar success growing profitably and even accumulating Michelin stars ― however, most fail to triumphantly deliver the experience in new geographies.

Although diners’ preferences will differ from location to location, city to city, and country to country, we have analysed the success and failures of some of the world’s elite restaurants chains to identify the “softer” capabilities that determine winners.