Why Teriyaki Madness has kept growing in a tough market

Why have Asian brands such as Teriyaki Madness done so well of late?This week’s episode of the Restaurant Business podcast A Deeper Dive features Michael Haith, CEO of the 200-unit Asian franchise.Teriyaki Madness’s system sales increased more than 19% last year and the company said it is on pace to beat that so far in 2026. That fits with current industry trends, as Asian brands appear to be thriving.We talk with Haith about that performance and what sets his chain apart. We also talk extensively about franchising and franchise growth and how the company picks new operators to come into the system, and why that’s important.