Ethan Brooks
KFC China has been serving fried chicken since 1987, when it opened its first location in Zhengyangmen, Beijing. As of March 2025, KFC operates over 11,900 outlets in more than 2,300 cities across China. KFC China has successfully adapted its menu to suit local tastes, with options that are unrecognizable to most Americans. The breakfast menu includes steamed stuffed buns, iced Americano, soy milk, Youtiao, rice porridge, and spring rolls.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Breakfast menu | Steamed stuffed buns, iced Americano, soy milk, Youtiao, rice porridge, spring rolls, set meals, and more |
| Number of outlets | Over 11,900 outlets in more than 2,300 cities as of March 2025 |
| Popularity | Ranked as the most powerful foreign brand in China in 2013 and the largest and most successful fast-food chain in China as of 2022 |
| Localization of menu | KFC China's menu is entirely different from other countries, with Chinese cuisine and Sichuan-taste fast food options |
| Price | Set meals range from 20 RMB (about $3) to 40 yuan (about $5.65) |
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What You'll Learn
- KFC China's breakfast menu includes steamed stuffed buns and iced Americano
- KFC China's localisation strategy has been key to its success
- KFC China has over 11,900 outlets in more than 2,300 cities
- KFC China's breakfast menu includes traditional Chinese dishes like Jianbing and Youtiao
- KFC China's breakfast menu includes rice porridge and spring rolls
KFC China's breakfast menu includes steamed stuffed buns and iced Americano
KFC China has been serving up a unique menu since 1987, with a focus on localizing its offerings to cater to Chinese tastes. The menu is so different from other countries that it could be considered a Chinese cuisine brand, specifically known for its Sichuan-style fast food.
The breakfast menu is no exception and includes a variety of Chinese dishes. One of the most popular breakfast items is the Portuguese egg tart, which is considered one of the finest in China. Other sweet treats include the French-style Shaobing, a Chinese biscuit with smoked chicken inside. For those wanting something more savoury, there's the Chinese savoury crepe, Jianbing, a street food from northern China. This dish is made by pouring liquid batter into a boiling pan and adding eggs, chopped onions, coriander, Youtiao, and sauces.
KFC China also offers a breakfast set meal of soy milk, Youtiao, rice porridge, and spring rolls. The rice porridge menu includes a variety of options such as Minced Pork Congee with Preserved Egg, beef and egg oatmeal, mushroom chicken porridge, and potherb mustard chicken porridge.
In addition to these traditional Chinese breakfast items, KFC China also offers Western-style breakfast options such as an iced Americano and steamed stuffed buns. The buns, or Chuan Chuan, are a traditional Chinese snack from Chengdu, derived from hot pot. Chicken, tripe, bean curd, and other ingredients are strung on bamboo sticks, cooked in a spicy hot pot, and then served.
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KFC China's localisation strategy has been key to its success
KFC's entry into China was challenging. As a foreign brand, it had to navigate a new market and culture, and it struggled initially to integrate into the country. However, KFC China has since become a success story, and its localisation strategy has been key to this.
KFC opened its first outlet in China in 1987 in Beijing, becoming the first Western fast-food company in the country. By 1994, there were 28 outlets in China, including seven in Beijing. As of 2025, KFC operates over 11,900 outlets in more than 2,300 cities across China, demonstrating its impressive growth and popularity.
KFC's localisation strategy has been vital to its success in China. The company recognised that a one-size-fits-all approach would not work in this new market and adapted its offerings to appeal to Chinese consumers. This strategy has helped set KFC apart from other Western-style companies operating in China, such as McDonald's and Burger King.
One key aspect of KFC's localisation strategy in China has been its menu. The company introduced local dishes and ingredients to its offerings, making its menu in China significantly different from those in other countries. For example, KFC China serves Chinese street food snacks like youtiao (fried dough sticks), jianbing (a savoury crepe), and shaobing (a Chinese-style biscuit). It has also added rice as an accompaniment, reflecting local preferences.
Additionally, KFC China has offered seasonal and regional specialties, such as Wuhan's famous "Reganmian" (hot and dry noodles) and "Luosifen" (river snail rice noodles). It has also launched Chinese festival foods like spring rolls and authentic Chinese snacks like "Deep-fried Golden Crab." KFC has even "leased" products from its sister company, Taco Bell, introducing Crunchwrap to its Chinese menu and winning the favour of local consumers.
KFC's localisation strategy extends beyond its menu. The company created its own distribution infrastructure in China to ensure quality standards, and it hired managers from rising Asian economies like Taiwan, recognising the importance of local knowledge and expertise.
By embracing localisation, KFC China has achieved remarkable success. Its revenues reached 5.8 billion US dollars in 2020, even amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, demonstrating the power of adapting to local markets.
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KFC China has over 11,900 outlets in more than 2,300 cities
KFC China has grown rapidly since its inception, with the number of outlets increasing from 28 in 1994 to 100 in 1997. By 2007, there were 2,000 outlets in 240 cities, and this number continued to grow as KFC expanded into new regions of China. In 2008, the company announced plans to open more than 20,000 restaurants in the country, reflecting the brand's success and ambition in the Chinese market.
KFC has adapted its menu in China to suit local tastes, with items like rice congee, egg custard tarts, and tree fungus salad. The Zinger burger is the highest-selling menu item. During breakfast, KFC offers a set meal of soy milk, Youtiao, rice porridge, and spring rolls. The chain also introduces seasonal and regional Chinese dishes, such as the Deep-fried Golden Crab in 2011 and the Chuan Chuan buckets in 2019, which were launched in ten Chinese cities.
KFC China's success can be attributed to its early entry into the market, providing a substantial competitive advantage. The company also faced challenges during its expansion, including issues with ingredient sourcing and staff training. Despite these challenges, KFC has become a powerful foreign brand in China, with a strong presence in the fast-food industry.
As of 2023, there were over 9,000 company-owned KFC restaurants in China, with the total number of outlets, including franchises, reaching 10,000. This makes China the largest market for KFC in the world, reflecting the brand's popularity and success in the country.
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KFC China's breakfast menu includes traditional Chinese dishes like Jianbing and Youtiao
KFC's breakfast menu in China includes traditional Chinese dishes like Jianbing and Youtiao. The menu also features rice porridge, spring rolls, and a variety of rice rolls or "big rice balls". One of the most popular dishes is the "big cake roll" or "everything in a big pancake", which is a breakfast wrap with a Chinese savoury crepe as the wrap, filled with meat, egg, youtiao (Chinese fried dough sticks), onion, cilantro, and sauce. This dish comes in two flavours: chicken and egg, or shredded pork with Beijing sauce.
KFC China offers a set meal called the "Chinese-style full meal", which includes a bowl of skinned egg lean meat porridge, Thuringian sausage, a bacon and scrambled eggs mixture, fried dough sticks (youtiao), and soy milk. The menu also features more typical American breakfast items, such as a Western-style full meal with panini bread, a hash brown, Thuringian sausage, a bacon and scrambled egg mixture, and a medium Americano coffee.
KFC China has been adapting its menu to local tastes since it first opened in Beijing in 1987. Over time, the menu has diverged significantly from other countries, with China's KFC more closely resembling a Chinese cuisine brand, specifically Sichuan-taste fast food. This has included adding Chinese snacks to the menu, such as spring rolls, instant noodle hamburgers, and the "Deep-fried Golden Crab", an authentic Chinese snack.
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KFC China's breakfast menu includes rice porridge and spring rolls
Rice porridge, or congee, is a popular breakfast choice across Asia, and KFC China offers several flavour options, including beef egg flower, Century Eggs lean meat, winter mushroom chicken, and chicken with snow cabbage and bamboo shoots. The rice porridge is also available as part of a set meal, which includes soy milk, Youtiao (fried dough sticks), and spring rolls.
Spring rolls, a traditional Chinese festival food, were added to the KFC China menu in 2013. They are typically eaten during the Spring Festival and are filled with three kinds of mushrooms.
In addition to these items, KFC China offers a variety of other breakfast options. These include egg tarts, which come in various flavours, some seasonal, such as the popular Portuguese egg tart. They also offer 'big cake rolls' or 'everything in a big pancake', which are similar to breakfast wraps but use a Chinese savoury crepe or jianbing instead of a tortilla. These 'pancakes' come in two flavours: chicken and egg, and shredded pork with Beijing sauce. KFC China also serves rice rolls, or 'big rice balls', which are similar to sushi hand rolls.
KFC China also caters to those who prefer a more Western-style breakfast with a 'full meal' option that includes a bowl of skinned egg lean meat porridge, Thuringian sausage, bacon and scrambled eggs, fried dough sticks (youtiao), and soy milk.
Other unique items on KFC China's breakfast menu include steamed stuffed buns, iced Americano, and even a whole deep-fried chicken. KFC China has also introduced Chinese street food snacks to its menu, such as Youtiao and shaobing, and in 2011, they launched the 'Deep-fried Golden Crab', an authentic Chinese snack.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, KFC China still serves breakfast. In fact, the chain has been praised for its localisation efforts, including adapting its menu to suit local tastes.
KFC China offers a variety of breakfast options, including steamed stuffed buns, iced Americano, soy milk, Youtiao, rice porridge, spring rolls, and Jianbing (a popular Chinese street food).
KFC has a strong presence in China, with over 11,900 outlets in more than 2,300 cities as of March 2025. The chain has experienced rapid growth since its first location opened in Beijing in 1987.
