“Tex Mex is a long-established American comfort food<\/a> category \u2014 bold flavors, shareable, and often affordable or fast-casual,” David Henkes, senior principal and head of strategic partnerships for Chicago-based food service consultant firm Technomic, told Fox News Digital.<\/p>\n “Korean\u00a0barbecue is more interactive, premium-feeling and social,” he went on. “It’s exploding in popularity due to K-pop influence, social media shareability and demand for bold Asian flavors.”<\/p>\n CHI-CHI’S ICONIC MEXICAN CHAIN RETURNING WITH CHIMICHANGAS, DEEP-FRIED ICE CREAM<\/a><\/p>\n While Korean barbecue restaurants are rapidly expanding, Henkes said the trend does not necessarily mean consumers are abandoning Tex-Mex.<\/p>\n “Tex-Mex has deeper penetration and mainstream roots, while Korean barbecue is probably newer and a bit trendier right now,” he said.<\/p>\n Korean barbecue is exploding in popularity as South Korea’s cultural influence spreads, with the help of social media showing the country’s food and other traditions. (iStock)<\/p>\n On the Border Mexican Grill & Cantina filed for bankruptcy protection last year, and Houston-based Pappas Restaurants bought the chain.\u00a0<\/p>\n A menu overhaul and rebranding effort were not enough to revive On the Border, as Pappas recently announced that it has closed all company-owned locations<\/a>, although a handful of franchises will remain open.<\/p>\n “Casual dining more broadly is in a funk.”<\/p>\n Meanwhile, in Portage, Michigan, south of Kalamazoo, local reports say a closed-down Moe’s Southwest Grill has been replaced by K-upBop Laboratory, a Korean barbecue bowl restaurant.<\/p>\n Similar developments have been reported elsewhere, with new Korean barbecue concepts opening in cities ranging from Houston and San Antonio to Orlando, Tampa and Miami.<\/p>\n CLICK HERE FOR MORE LIFESTYLE STORIES<\/a><\/p>\n Consumer analytics company Circana reported in 2024 that “South Korean restaurant locations in the U.S. [grew] 10% over the past year amid a surge in demand for Korean cuisine.”<\/p>\n “The global Korean barbecue<\/a> restaurant market was valued at $6.8 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach $13.2 billion by 2034,” according to market research firm DataIntelo.<\/p>\n Though some legacy Tex-Mex restaurant chains have closed recently, industry experts project the cuisine to remain a favorite among Americans in the years to come. (iStock)<\/p>\n “Korean barbecue restaurants offer a uniquely interactive and communal dining format in which diners grill marinated meats directly at their tables, creating an immersive experience that distinguishes the cuisine from conventional restaurant offerings,” the firm reported.<\/p>\n “The format’s inherent social appeal has resonated strongly with Gen Z and millennial consumers who actively seek out experience-led dining, driving footfall to Korean barbecue establishments at a rate that consistently outpaces average restaurant sector growth.”<\/p>\n CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER<\/a><\/p>\n The influence of South Korean culture on the rest of the world \u2013 known as the “Korean Wave,” or “K-Wave,” according to cultural experts \u2013 extends from food to films, beauty products and fashion trends.<\/p>\n Chains like KPOT and Hot Pot are driving the Korean barbecue trend<\/a>, Henkes said.<\/p>\n “Tex-Mex has deeper penetration and mainstream roots, while\u00a0Korean\u00a0barbecue is probably newer and a bit trendier right now.”<\/p>\n “Still, I don’t think it’s a direct replacement [for Tex-Mex],” he added. “[It’s] more like\u00a0Korean\u00a0food \u2014 and broader Asian and global concepts \u2014 are gaining ground as consumers seek novelty and experiences beyond the familiar ‘big three’ \u2014 Italian, Mexican, Chinese.”<\/p>\n Henkes said the struggles of chains such as On the Border and Moe’s appear to be tied more closely to company-specific, broader industry challenges than a widespread rejection of Tex-Mex food.<\/p>\n TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ<\/a><\/p>\n “Casual dining more broadly is in a funk, and fast-casual as a segment remains the fastest-growing restaurant segment, so consumer shifts in spending continue,” he said.<\/p>\n The communal, social nature of Korean barbecue is appealing to many younger diners, experts say. (iStock)<\/p>\n “We do classify chains like KPOT as full-service, but we’re seeing broader strength in Asian and Mexican<\/a> \u2014 which, admittedly, is a bit different from Tex-Mex, but still in the same broad genre \u2014 so it seems that both of these cuisine types remain pretty popular.”<\/p>\n The National Restaurant Association’s 2026 What’s Hot Culinary Forecast reported that diners seek “comfort and nostalgia \u2014 with a twist.” This means they crave food<\/a> with a “global personality” and spicy, flavorful notes.<\/p>\n![\"People](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/korea\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/people_eating_korean_barbecue.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n![\"People](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/korea\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/woman_eating_tex-mex.jpeg\")
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