• Asian restaurants outperformed the overall restaurant industry across every major region globally
• Travel and cultural influence accelerate demand for Asian flavours
• Authenticity, convenience and innovation drive future growth

Asian restaurants are outpacing market growth in every region worldwide, while nearly 40% of all ready meals are now Asian dishes.

Findings from Euromonitor’s Asian Cuisine, Global Appetite report, reveal that Asian restaurant sales outperformed the overall restaurant industry across every major region globally.

Outside Asia Pacific, the market saw an 11% CAGR between 2020-2025, above the 7% across all full-and limited-service restaurants.

Popularity of Asian cuisine lies in value-led growth 

The value sales growth of Asian full and limited-service restaurants in the biggest markets, North America and Western Europe, is not due to a fad or entry of new players. The number of outlets rose between 1-2% per region and even fell in Western Europe, showing that the popularity of Asian restaurants is value-led.

Emil Fazira, Asia Pacific insight manager for food at Euromonitor International, said: “This reflects a genuine uptick in spend, unlike speciality beverage shops and other smaller store formats which can scale quickly and seure presence."

Travel and cultural influence accelerate demand

As one in four global travellers choose Asia Pacific as their travel destination, globalisation and cultural influence are driving mainstream interest in Asian cuisine. Nearly one in six of global consumers rank food quality as a key travel consideration, higher than immersion in local culture, with Asian consumers driving this trend.

Post-travel consumers are also seeking to recreate Asian tastes at home, linking memorable travel moments, with repeated food purchases.

Korean cuisine provides blueprint for future growth

The K-Wave demonstrates how entertainment, social media and food can reinforce one another. According to Euromonitor, South Korean frozen food broke into the top five cuisines in frozen ready meals recording a 15% CAGR between 2020 and 2025.

However, scaling Asian cuisine overseas cannot rely on novelty alone. Brands seeking sustainable demand in non-Asian markets must identify the core drivers of consumer appeal and local preferences in terms of flavour, lifestyle habits, and purchasing practices.

Balancing authentic flavour profiles with accessible formats

While consumers value authenticity, mainstream adoption relies on localisation, convenience and ease of use, as consumers prioritise food quality and convenience over strict cultural authenticity when trying new cuisines. Enabling home cooks to recreate depth with minimal effort is critical in driving repeat purchases.

Asian brands have already adapted to consumer resistance to cook from scratch, creating a competitive edge in global markets, and accounting for 38% of global retail value sales of chilled and frozen ready meals in 2025.

Fazira said: “For global companies, adopting Asian cuisines must be offered in formats that aid food preparation or risk low uptake.

“This opens the door for brands that successfully adapt Asian dishes to local dietary needs, tastes, and formats from halal-friendly adaptations to region-specific spice levels without diluting cultural cues that keep consumers returning.” 

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