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Manchu Wok is a Chinese-Canadian fast food chain which operates in Canada, the United States, United Arab Emirates, South Korea, and Japan. They formerly operated in the United Kingdom and Poland.
History[]
The first Manchu Wok opened in Peterborough, ON in 1980. The chain was established by several Hong Kong immigrants. Soon after, more employees were hired and the company grew to 33 locations in Canada. Eventually, they started to franchise locations which grew the company into other provinces.
By the end of the decade, Manchu Wok had expanded into the American market. Manchu Wok mostly operates in enclosed shopping malls. In the 1980s, this made sense as shopping malls were very popular at the time.
In 1992, Manchu Wok was sold to Scott's Hospitality Inc. By this time, there were over 110 locations in Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom, which they expanded to in the same year.
In 1996, the parent company was acquired by Laidlaw, Inc. By this time, they had over 200 locations.
In 2000, Manchu Wok was sold to a group of investors. In the same year, Manchu Wok had its first two locations in Poland, these locations have since closed. By this time, Manchu Wok had also left the United Kingdom market.
In 2004, Manchu Wok opened its first locations in Japan, these stores continue to operate.
Manchu Wok in the Dufferin Mall food court
In the 2010s, Manchu Wok also opened franchises in South Korea and the UAE.
In the 2000s, shopping malls across North America began to decline. Since most Manchu Wok locations were in these declining malls, the company downsized. As of 2024, there is 68 locations in North America. However, outside of North America, the company has seen some success, even though the number of locations in these areas is small.
Subpages[]
- Main article: Manchu Wok/Locations