Habit Burger & Grill is stepping into chef-driven limited-time programming with the launch of Habit & Co., a new rotating platform that brings celebrity culinary talent into the quick-service format. The debut collaboration features chef Jet Tila's Korean Street Menu, going live nationwide on July 22.
What the Platform Does
Habit & Co. is designed as an ongoing chef residency model, giving the brand a structured vehicle for rotating menu drops anchored by recognizable culinary figures. The format mirrors a broader industry pivot toward chef partnerships as a tool for driving menu innovation at QSR and fast-casual chains, differentiating limited-time offers beyond seasonal flavors or protein swaps.
Jet Tila, a chef and television personality known for his expertise in Asian cuisines, brings Korean street food influence to the collaboration — a category that has gained considerable traction across fast-casual menu development in recent years. Korean-inspired flavor profiles, from gochujang to bulgogi, have moved steadily from independent concepts into mainstream chain menus as operators respond to growing consumer familiarity with the cuisine.
Why Operators Should Watch
The residency model carries meaningful implications for chain operators thinking about how to keep menus culturally relevant without permanent R&D investment. By attaching a chef's name and culinary identity to a limited-time rollout, brands can generate buzz, command earned media, and test new flavor directions with a built-in exit — if the menu underperforms, it rotates out without stranding inventory or retraining staff long-term.
For Habit Burger, which operates within Yum! Brands' portfolio, the platform also signals a push to sharpen brand identity in a crowded better-burger segment. Anchoring that effort to chef credibility rather than price promotion alone reflects a strategy gaining ground across full-service and fast-casual hospitality.
The nationwide availability of Tila's Korean Street Menu at launch, rather than a phased regional rollout, suggests the brand has confidence in both supply chain readiness and the format's consumer appeal. It also positions Habit & Co. as a scalable platform from day one, setting the expectation that future chef partners will receive similar full-system exposure.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
