Samgyupsalamat

Samgyupsalamat is a Korean barbecue restaurant chain based in the Philippines. The brand combines Korean-style tabletop grilling with an unlimited-dining format and has developed a large domestic branch network through company-operated restaurants and franchise partnerships. Its name is a portmanteau of “samgyeopsal,” the Korean term commonly used for grilled pork belly, and “salamat,” the Tagalog word for “thank you.” The resulting name is intended to convey a welcoming, locally adapted interpretation of Korean barbecue. The business was established in 2012. In its early years, Samgyupsalamat operated primarily as an à la carte restaurant, with customers ordering individual dishes rather than purchasing an unlimited meal package. A major commercial turning point came in 2017, when management changed the format to offer unlimited meat options. The revised proposition allowed diners to cook successive portions of raw meat on tabletop grills, supported by unlimited rice and side dishes. This format helped distinguish Samgyupsalamat in the Philippine casual-dining market and preceded a period of rapid expansion. By 2018, the chain had opened more than 20 company-owned branches in Metro Manila. Its menu at that time included five pork selections and four beef selections, alongside Korean-style accompaniments such as kimchi, pickled vegetables, and steamed egg. The restaurants generally did not impose a time limit on diners, reinforcing the brand’s value-oriented and social-dining positioning. The experience is designed around group meals: guests grill meat at the table, share side dishes, and control the pace and combination of their meal. Samgyupsalamat also uses franchise partnerships to support geographic growth. In August 2019, it opened a branch in Bonifacio Global City that operated around the clock, extending the concept to a 24-hour location in one of Metro Manila’s major commercial districts. The chain continued to expand beyond the capital region. On December 18, 2025, it opened its 98th branch at SM City Cebu. That location introduced an updated concept incorporating “Bimbim bowls” and takeout choices, indicating an effort to broaden the format beyond the traditional dine-in grill experience. Marketing is closely connected to the brand’s promotional calendar and social-media activity. An example is “3.3 Samgyupsalamat Day,” an annual March 3 promotion associated with discounted meal prices and digital campaigns such as social-media challenges. These activities support customer acquisition, repeat visits, and online visibility while retaining the chain’s central unlimited-barbecue proposition. Samgyupsalamat’s positioning rests on accessible Korean barbecue, generous portions, interactive dining, and a menu structure suited to families, friends, and other groups. Rather than presenting Korean barbecue primarily as a premium specialty experience, the chain emphasizes abundance and participation. Its business has therefore combined a recognizable Korean culinary format with Philippine language, pricing, promotional, and franchising practices. As of December 2025, the brand operated 98 branches across the Philippines. Ownership details, executive leadership, financial results, and a corporate website are not identified in the supplied reference material.

Samgyupsalamat was established in the Philippines in 2012 as a Korean barbecue restaurant. The original business operated on an à la carte basis, allowing customers to order individual dishes. Its later identity was shaped by a change in format in 2017, when management introduced unlimited meat options. Under this model, diners receive raw meat for cooking on tabletop grills, with unlimited rice and accompanying side dishes. The approach made the meal interactive and suited to groups while presenting Korean barbecue as a relatively accessible casual-dining experience. The unlimited format became the foundation for expansion. By 2018, Samgyupsalamat had more than 20 company-owned branches in Metro Manila. Contemporary descriptions of the menu identified five pork varieties and four beef varieties, in addition to Korean-style accompaniments including kimchi, pickled vegetables, and steamed egg. The absence of a dining time limit was also part of the format described at that stage. The combination of variety, volume, and table participation differentiated the chain from conventional à la carte restaurants. The company has supported growth through a combination of company-operated locations and franchise partnerships. In August 2019, it opened a 24-hour branch in Bonifacio Global City, demonstrating an effort to adapt operating hours to a major commercial and nightlife district. The chain subsequently continued its domestic rollout. On December 18, 2025, it opened its 98th branch at SM City Cebu, marking a substantial national footprint. The Cebu location also introduced a variation on the established concept through Bimbim bowls and takeout options, broadening the brand’s offer beyond meals centered exclusively on in-restaurant tabletop grilling. Promotional activity has included recurring events such as “3.3 Samgyupsalamat Day” on March 3. These promotions use discounted pricing and social-media challenges to generate attention and encourage customer participation. The brand’s name itself reflects its localization strategy: it joins the Korean food reference “samgyeopsal” with the Filipino expression “salamat,” creating a name that signals both the cuisine and its Philippine market context. By December 2025, Samgyupsalamat operated 98 branches across the Philippines. The available reference material does not identify the founders, chief executives, ownership structure, financial performance, legal entity details, or an official corporate website. Its documented business identity is consequently best understood through its restaurant format, domestic branch network, franchise-assisted expansion, menu structure, and recurring promotional programs.

• 2025

  98th branch opens at SM City Cebu

  [1]Samgyupsalamaten.wikipedia.org

  The chain opened its 98th branch on December 18, 2025, introducing Bimbim bowls and takeout options at the location.

• 2019

  24-hour Bonifacio Global City branch opens

  [1]Samgyupsalamaten.wikipedia.org

  Samgyupsalamat opened a Bonifacio Global City branch operating 24 hours a day in August.

• 2018

  Metro Manila network exceeds 20 company-owned branches

  [1]Samgyupsalamaten.wikipedia.org

  The chain had expanded to more than 20 company-owned locations in Metro Manila after the introduction of the unlimited format.

• 2017

  Unlimited dining model introduced

  [1]Samgyupsalamaten.wikipedia.org

  Management changed the business model to offer unlimited meat options, creating the core proposition associated with the chain.

• 2012

  Brand established

  [1]Samgyupsalamaten.wikipedia.org

  Samgyupsalamat was established in the Philippines as a Korean barbecue restaurant operating initially with an à la carte format.

Accessible, social, and value-oriented Korean barbecue built around unlimited tabletop grilling, generous accompaniments, and a Philippine-localized restaurant experience.

• Restaurant dining format · 2017

  Unlimited Korean barbecue

  Samgyupsalamat’s core offering allows diners to cook successive portions of raw meat on tabletop grills. The format is designed for shared meals and typically combines unlimited meat with unlimited rice and side dishes. It developed from the chain’s earlier à la carte model and became the basis of its later domestic expansion.

• Barbecue menu

  Pork selections

  The chain’s Korean barbecue menu includes multiple pork choices prepared for tabletop grilling. In menu descriptions from 2018, five types of pork were identified as part of the unlimited offering. The selections are served raw for customers to grill at the table rather than as pre-cooked plated dishes.

• Barbecue menu

  Beef selections

  Beef is another principal category within Samgyupsalamat’s unlimited grilling menu. The 2018 menu description identified four beef types. These options extend the meal beyond the pork reference implied by the brand name and support variety for groups dining under the unlimited format.

• Accompaniments

  Korean side dishes

  Meals are accompanied by Korean-style side dishes, including kimchi, pickled vegetables, and steamed egg. These accompaniments are part of the generous, shared-table experience and complement the grilled meat and unlimited rice included in the restaurant format.

• Bowl meals · 2025

  Bimbim bowls

  Bimbim bowls were introduced as part of the concept at Samgyupsalamat’s 98th branch at SM City Cebu in December 2025. The offering represents a more portable or individually structured alternative to the conventional tabletop barbecue meal.

• Off-premises dining · 2025

  Takeout options

  The SM City Cebu concept branch introduced takeout choices alongside dine-in service. This extends the brand beyond the traditional requirement that customers cook meat at a restaurant table and provides a format for customers seeking a more convenient meal.

• 3.3 Samgyupsalamat Day

  Philippines

  An annual March 3 promotional event featuring discounted meal prices and marketing activity associated with the Samgyupsalamat brand.

  Outcome. The supplied reference describes the promotion and related social-media challenges but does not provide quantified results.

  Source

• 2025

  New Bimbim bowl and takeout concept introducedProduct launch

  Background

  The chain’s 98th branch opened at SM City Cebu as a new concept location.

  Action taken

  The branch added Bimbim bowls and takeout options to the established Korean barbecue restaurant format.

  Aftermath

  The concept broadened the brand’s offer beyond conventional dine-in tabletop grilling; further commercial results are not reported in the supplied material.

  Source

• 2017

  Shift from à la carte dining to unlimited meatStrategy

  Background

  Samgyupsalamat originally operated as an à la carte restaurant. Management revised the format during 2017.

  Action taken

  The chain introduced unlimited meat options, with tabletop grilling supported by unlimited rice and side dishes.

  Aftermath

  The new format preceded significant expansion, including more than 20 company-owned Metro Manila branches by 2018.

  Source

1. 1Samgyupsalamaten.wikipedia.org