Customers dine at a Five Guys restaurant in a shopping mall in Shanghai on July 14, 2026. Photo: Qi Xijia/GT

　　At a Five Guys restaurant on Shanghai"s bustling Nanjing Road East, the lunchtime rush had passed, but the dining room remained nearly full. More than 90 percent of the seats were still occupied when a Global Times reporter visited the restaurant after peak hours. Young Chinese diners sat alongside foreign visitors, while staff shifted easily between Chinese and English as they took orders and answered questions.

　　The scene reflects a broader trend. A growing number of US restaurant chains are increasing their presence in China as they seek new growth opportunities beyond increasingly competitive home markets.

　　Five Guys, the US burger chain, is set to open its first Beijing store in August, five years after having made its Chinese mainland debut in Shanghai in 2021. The chain plans to open three restaurants in Beijing, according to media reports citing the company.

　　During a recent visit to Chaoyang Joy City in Beijing, a Global Times reporter saw Five Guys construction barriers at the site, indicating that preparations for the opening are underway.

　　Expanding US fast food brands

　　

　　Five Guys is one of several US restaurant brands that have recently stepped up their focus on China.

　　According to Wendy"s 2026 first-quarter earnings report, the US burger chain signed a franchise agreement with an experienced restaurant operator to develop as many as 1,000 restaurants in China over the next decade.