Yum China raised its annual store opening target to more than 2,400 outlets after reporting an 8 per cent rise in third-quarter revenue to US$3.5 billion.

Operating profit climbed 13 per cent to $451 million as the company added a net record of 692 restaurants, lifting its total estate across mainland China to 19,989 locations.

The previous target stood at 1,900 net new stores for 2026. Chief executive Joey Wat confirmed the operator will pass the 20,000-store mark before the end of the year, backed by a 20 per cent rise in diluted earnings per share. In constant currency terms, system sales grew 3 per cent while core operating profit rose 6 per cent. That performance represented the company’s tenth consecutive quarter of concurrent growth across system sales, operating profit and operating margin.

Same-store sales slipped to 97 per cent of prior-year levels during the quarter. The company faced adverse weather in August alongside tough comparisons against heavy third-party delivery platform subsidies disbursed in the prior year.

Customer traffic offset that pressure. Same-store transactions grew 3 per cent, marking the fifteenth straight quarter of volume gains. Diners spent less per visit, but more of them came through the doors.

8 per cent, matched by a 40 basis point rise in operating margin. Management attributed the margin resilience to negotiated rent reductions, automated kitchen processes, centralized operations support and lower delivery-rider expenses per completed order. Profitability also received a clean lift from the full buyout of the Pizza Hut mainland China business, which permanently extinguished brand royalty and licensing fees payable on those locations.

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