It’s been 40 years since fast food chain KFC first opened in Indonesia, with its iconic fried chicken becoming a favorite among many Indonesians since childhood while also inspiring local purveyors — including street sellers or kaki lima — to sell their own takes of the crispy ayam goreng.
In fact, a study conducted by Australian market research firm Roy Morgan in 2018 found that KFC is the most popular fast food chain with 24 million visitors in an average six months (McDonald’s is second with a mere 7.7 million). When taking into account all types of restaurants, KFC came second overall nationwide, behind only hugely popular Padangnese restaurant chain Sederhana with 28.4 million visitors.
Yet KFC doesn’t seem to be slowing down as it continues to dominate Indonesia’s fast food scene. Yesterday, KFC Indonesia licked its fingers good with the opening of its 700th store in the city of Solo, Central Java. Located on Slamet Riyadi Street, the branch is the 9th free-standing store in the city and is open 24/7.
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As reported by Jawa Pos, what makes this outlet different from others in the country is that it incorporates elements of Javanese culture in its design, such as wayang (traditional Javanese puppet), onthel bike (a style of bicycle widely used during the Dutch colonial era), and English-language signs written in Javanese script called Hanacaraka.
PT Fast Food Indonesia, KFC’s franchise holder in Indonesia, said we can expect to see more of the Colonel in the near future, especially in smaller cities. It probably won’t take long for KFC to hit another milestone, as it was only in 2015 that we reported the chain opening their 500th store in Indonesia.
In the past year, the crazy geniuses behind the KFC fried chicken skin has been lauded for being the only major fast food chain in Indonesia who were devoting resources into promoting selfless dining etiquette by encouraging patrons to clean up their own tables after eating. They’ve also stepped up their social media game recently, as showcased in their witty replies to haters of the campaign.
Whether you like your fried chicken Original or Crispy, it’s all good with rice as your side dish. Eat it in moderation, though, as you would at any fast food restaurant.
