McDonald’s recently opened its first chic concept stores, offering a new fast food experience for consumers seeking “luxury” fast food meals.
[Image via blogger bamboo.]
Well, if you spot your competitor marketing themselves in an interesting way then it’s logical that you will want to get in on the act too. And this is exactly what KFC is doing from July, reports J-Cast.
Keeping with the chain’s trademark red theme, customers will be able to enjoy their KFC cuisine in new designer branches. The inside of the store features digital monitors and the exterior will have LCD screens. KFC is aiming especially for young female consumers and, starting with three stores in this quarter, will expand to one hundred outlets in three years.
Basically this is offering the typical (and very familiar) fast food experience but with luxury surroundings. Even the usual menu will be there at the usual price, plus some original (and no doubt more expensive) items.
The first designer 80-seat KFC will open in Shibuya on July 4, open eight till eight.
William is an editor of JapanTrends.com and researcher for 
They tried this out at a few of their British restaurants, including my local one in Bath. The problem with his concept is that unless they change the core product (cheap burgers), they will continue to get the same customers coming in to eat. These customers are generally those on low incomes, with little respect for expensive decoration. After a year, the Bath restaurant is showing signs of wear and tear that somewhat detract from the luxury feel.
Of course, Japanese customers may treat their restaurants differently… especially given that beef is still uncommon in the Japanese diet, unlike the UK, where it is almost a staple food.
Razzle the dazzle, smarten thing up, make it all look chic and snazzy — but you can’t hide how bad the food is. Not to mention how unhealthy.
I have lived in Japan and I’d say that the Japanese consumers are way different from the US or UK counterparts. People go to Mcdonalds or KFC not because they are cheap, but because they can get a fast meal or a place to smoke or read without getting disturbed. Japanese females of course like an environment where they can relax and chat with their friends, and this idea of differentiating into a luxury style restaurant is definitely a great idea to capture both the segments. In fact, Japanese coffee chain ‘Dotour’ was among the first to try this concept successfully – Mcdonalds and KFC are learning from Doutor.
In Malaysia, going to Mcdonald is luxury trip because it’s eating something different than our usual meal(think beef, cheese, french fries) and it’s not cheap for them. Most of the chain are located in shopping malls(Some are highend shopping malls and Mcdonald design is completely different in those malls), not along freeway like USA. So concept like this will work in most asia countries. Definitely not USA! I migrated to San Francisco and have not eat Mcdonald for 14 years.
They tried this out at a few of their British restaurants, including my local one in Bath. The problem with his concept is that unless they change the core product (cheap burgers), they will continue to get the same customers coming in to eat. These customers are generally those on low incomes, with little respect for expensive decoration. After a year, the Bath restaurant is showing signs of wear and tear that somewhat detract from the luxury feel.