Marketing Japan: Kentucky Fried Chicken in Japan is Much Better than KFC in USA..

By Mike in Tokyo Rogers


I'm on vacation until the 19th, and have no internet, but still wanted to give my loyal readers something fun to check out everyday while I'm gone. 

When I first came to Japan, in 1984, my good friend, Stephen asked my on my very first day at work if I wanted to have lunch at Kentucky Fried Chicken. I was abhorred!

The colonel in Japan wears Japanese clothes. 

It is most assuredly different than KFC in the States.

"Kentucky Fried Chicken sucks!" I protested. Stephen responded, "Yeah, KFC in the States is terrible, I would never eat there. But it is really clean in Japan and the chicken is even different. It's not like that chemically pumped up chicken they get in the USA. KFC Japan has locally grown chicken!"

So I went along. I ate it and was impressed. The place was spotless. It was nothing like the KFC in Ventura, California that had a health warning taped on their front door. KFC in Japan is a professionally run spic and span operation. Top class esprit du corps!

I do not eat fast food. I do not recommend it to anyone - especially to parents who have children - I never feed this stuff to my kids...

But, all in all,  if I were hungry, I would eat at McDonald's in Japan or KFC in Japan... I'd have to be pretty much starving and next to delirium to eat at either of these fast food restaurants in the USA.

Why? Well, when it comes to cleanliness there's no comparison: Fast food restaurants in Japan are miles cleaner than fast food restaurants in the USA.

Oh, and by the way, there is one more thing that is weird about KFC in Japan.... In Japan, people don't roast a big turkey at home for Christmas... Many people eat at KFC for Christmas. Really! KFC Japan even makes a special chicken dish just for Christmas!

KFC serves "Christmas Chicken in Japan"

Don't believe me! Here's proof from another blogger:

Hmm, I told her, the Japanese celebrate Christmas by eating Kentucky Fried Chicken. She gave me the stink eye and said "You're making that up."

I assured her I wasn't making it up. I am privy to some strange KFC lore due to the fact that we live in Colonel Sander's hometown. But this phenomena is well-documented, as my daughter learned from her research. Japan is only 1% to 2% Christian, so the Christmas they celebrate is pretty much appropriated from other countries. I was surprised to find its a romantic holiday, where couples traditionally go on a sweetheart date on Christmas Eve, whether its to KFC (where reservations are required) or to a hotel. Leave it to me to use my child's homework as blogfodder.

See?

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Keywords: KFC, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Colonel Sanders, McDonald's, fast food