While McDonalds is an easily recognizable brand, it is actually KFC that dominates the fast food market in China. KFC opened its 4,000th restaurant in China, making it the largest number of chain restaurants in the nation, for both foreign and domestic brands
China is now fighting obesity as is the rest of the world (3). In Beijing, 27.8% of children surpass the standard weight guidelines (4).By the end of 2000, the obesity rate of male students in Beijing reached 15%, doubling that of 1990 and approaching that of developed countries (4).According to the Financial Times(2), the success of Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) and McDonald’s in China is the result of a transformation of China’s lifestyles, which are becoming more geared to speed and convenience
Kentucky-based YUM! Brands – which also owns Pizza Hut and Taco Bell – now operates almost 4,500 outlets in the country; more than four out of five of them are KFCs.
“This place is quick, it’s convenient, it’s sanitary, it’s safe,” said retired official Mrs Wang.Currently, the major Western fast food brands in Chinese market are KFC, McDonald’s, Burger King, etc.; the major Chinese fast food brands are Kungfu, Yonghe King, Da Niang Dumpling, etc
According to characteristics of the Chinese fast food market, fast food is divided into such two major categories as Western and Chinese fast food.The main varieties of Western fast food are hamburger, chicken nuggets, French fries, etc.rice, noodles, dumplings, fried dishes, steamed dishes, etc. are accompanied by Chinese soup or soft drinks.
Compared with KFC, McDonald’s and other Western fast food, it is fairly difficult for Chinese fast food industry to achieve standardization, especially in taste, weight, and specification, which is also one of the major reasons for the relatively slow chain development of Chinese fast food.
At the end of 2010, McDonald’s announced that in the next 3 years, it would increase 1,000 new restaurants in China.
