From coffee to hotpot, brands race to grab a bite of China’s growing burger market

Burgers are experiencing a surge in popularity in China, with various players vying to capture a piece of the market. From global restaurant chains to local hotpot and coffee brands, the burger market has become a hot battleground, according to recent reports. Pizza Hut, Yum China's Pizza Hut Burger Bar format, which combines a burger counter with an existing Pizza Hut restaurant, has expanded rapidly, reaching over 200 outlets in just six months.

The company aims to increase its presence to between 500 and 600 outlets by the end of 2026, accounting for approximately 10 percent of its total Pizza Hut store network.

This surge in burger demand is a reflection of shifting consumption habits in China. As households become smaller and economic uncertainty dampens spending, consumers are gravitating towards budget-friendly, convenient meals. Burgers, being lower-cost and portable, have gained traction as a favored choice among diners. The market is becoming increasingly competitive, with domestic chains like Tasiting challenging established players such as McDonald's, Yum China's KFC, and Shake Shack.

In July, hotpot chain Haidilao ventured into the burger segment with the opening of Huanxianbao, or "Fresh Burger," which offers burgers alongside pizza, pasta, and fried chicken. Coffee chain M Stand has also joined the trend by opening burger-focused outlets in select cities. Despite the recent challenges faced by many global brands in China's Western fast-food market, which was valued at 499.65 billion yuan (S$94.7 billion) in 2025 and is projected to reach 587.09 billion yuan by 2027, burgers remain a dominant force in the sector.

Burgers accounted for 55 percent of consumer preferences in 2025 and are projected to grow at an annual rate of 8.7 percent through 2035, as per Emergen Research.

The appeal of burgers lies in their affordability and value for money. As consumer spending remains cautious, burgers offer a cost-effective alternative to traditional full-service restaurant meals while still providing a substantial meal option. According to Zhu Danpeng, a China food industry analyst, burgers present a "good value-for-money choice."

Wang Fang, a university student in Beijing, exemplifies this trend, stating that burgers have become her and her classmates' go-to lunch option due to their affordability and balanced composition of meat, vegetables, and butter.

Changing demographics also play a role in the growing popularity of burgers. Increasing numbers of one-person households, smaller families, and young urban workers have created a demand for convenient individual meals. Yum China attributes this trend to the opportunities it presents across its brands. Pizza Hut introduced burgers to its menu in 2024, with the category accounting for a mid-single-digit percentage of its sales by 2025.

The company expects burgers to generate over 1 billion yuan in sales in 2026, or 5 to 6 percent of its revenue.

The growing appetite for burgers is attracting players from across the industry. Domestic chains such as Tasiting are competing with international giants like McDonald's, Yum China's KFC, and Shake Shack. When US chain Five Guys opened stores in Beijing in August, customers had to wait over two hours to be served, highlighting the intense demand for this particular burger chain.

Wendy's plans to enter the Chinese market and open up to 1,000 franchised restaurants over the next decade. Even local musician Liu Tao regularly takes his 11-year-old son to McDonald's on Sundays, appreciating the convenience, cleanliness, and quickness of the burger option amidst his son's packed schedule of classes.