Lotteria is a domestic Korean fast food restaurant similar to McDonald's. It takes its name from its parent company, the Lotte (pronounced more like lowt-day not lot-tea) chaebol (a company that also makes hotels, department stores, amusement parks, gum, chocolate bars, pork products, ginger ale, convenience stores, tin foil, vending machines, poison gasses, and massive apartment buildings).

Lotteria was started in 1977. It was Korea's first home grown fast food chain. Taking on McDonald's it introduced a line of Koreanized fast foods including its now signature kimchi burger.

Korean Success Story

Koreans are very partisan consumers, preferring their own home grown versions over the flashier, established American/foreign import. Korean movies out sell imported Hollywood blockbusters, for example. Korea and France are the only two nations where their domestic movie industries out perform Hollywood imports. Wal-Mart in Korea has generally failed over Korea's E-Mart . So it's no surprise, then, Lotteria is Korea's number one fast food joint, with a larger market share than McDonald's. Korea again is one of only two nations in the world where McDonald's is not the market leader and bested by a local franchise.

The Menu

Lotteria might initially strike some visitors as a Korean version of Jack in the Box. Like Jack in the Box, their menu board seems to have everything including the kitchen sink: burgers, teriyaki, fried chicken, chicken wings, chicken fingers, iced coffee, baked potatoes, yogurt, salads, cheese sticks, and squid rings (curiously squid rings are listed under the dessert menu). If deep fried squid is not your idea of a sweet after-dinner aperitif, Lotteria also serves up a great shaved iced dessert called pat bing soo .

Lotteria is, however, ultimately a burger joint. It has no less than 14 different kinds of burgers for sale: Green Pork Burger, Rye Wellbeing Burger, Burger Zzang Zzajang, Burger Zzang Kimchi, Burger Zzang Curry, Rye Shrimp Burger, Shrimp Burger, Bulgogi Burger, Burgalbi Burger, Chicken Burger, Big Rib Burger, Rib Sand, Cheese Burger, and the Teri Burger. The "Zzang" burgers are actually bun-less burgers. Where the bun should be there is a round rice cake.

Most burger, fries, pop combos (know as "sets" or "setu") run about $4, with several going for under $4.

Recycling

Lotteria has been at the forefront of a rather amazing push by the Korean food service industry and citizens to implement recycling programs and other environmentally friendly policies beyond government mandates. Most beverages and desserts eaten in the restaurant come in reusable glass or plastic. Disposable paper cups come with a 10 cent deposit which is returned to the customer when he/she brings back the cup for recycling. Customers are encouraged to bring their own bags by charging them between a nickel and 10 cents for a new bag. The goal is nothing short of a 90% reduction in disposables.

The trash receptacles at Lotteria are an interesting course in recycling. Your wax paper drink cups go in one slot. Your plastic lids and straws go into another slot. Your napkins and paper tray liner goes into one bin. Your cardboard fry wrapper goes into another bin. Ice goes into some kind of cistern. I have no idea what they do with this water.

Lotteria Around the World

In the last few years Lotteria has expanded into Japan, Vietnam, China, and Russia.

External Link

• [1](in Korean)
• [2](in Japanese)