The fast-food chain aims to expand to more than 4,000 stores in China under a deal with a Beijing-based private equity firm.
Published November 11, 2025
Burger King has announced plans to more than triple the number of stores in China within 10 years under a new joint venture with a local partner.
Parent company Restaurant Brands International (RBI) said in a statement on Monday that its joint venture Burger King China will receive a $350 million investment from private equity firm CPE under plans to drive brand expansion.
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The deal will see the fast food chain aim to expand from around 1,250 stores in China to more than 4,000 by 2035.
Once the partnership is complete, Beijing-based CPE will hold about 83% of the company’s shares, while RBI will hold about 17% along with a board seat.
RBI CEO Joshua Kobza said the partnership will allow Burger King to “unlock its full potential” in China.
“China remains one of Burger King’s most exciting long-term opportunities globally,” Kobza said in a statement.
“Our recent investments and this joint venture confirm our confidence in the Chinese market.”
Burger King entered the Chinese market in 2005, opening its first store across from a Buddhist temple in downtown Shanghai.
But the burger chain, which was founded in Jacksonville, Florida in 1953 under the name Instaburger King, has struggled to match the success of U.S.-based rivals such as McDonald’s and KFC.
KFC had more than 12,600 restaurants in China as of September, and McDonald’s operated about 6,800 restaurants in China last year, according to company data.
Last week, US coffee chain Starbucks announced it would sell a 60% stake in its China business to a Hong Kong-based private equity firm after years of losing market share to local competitors.
In a statement announcing the partnership, Starbucks CEO Brian Nicol said the partnership with Boyu Capital provides a “pathway for growth” from the current roughly 8,000 coffeehouses to more than 20,000.
