KFC’s plans to expand across Australia with more restaurants, new ordering technology and menu items
KFC is expanding across Australia with the launch of more than 30 new restaurants, offering new ordering and innovation around their secret menu.
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Exclusive: KFC is spreading its ‘finger lickin’ good’ taste across Australia with the launch of more than 30 new restaurants.
They are also focusing on new ordering technology and innovation around their secret menu to lure more customers.
The fast food giant confirmed to News Corp it will be opening its new KFC restaurants Australia-wide, with new eateries set to open in NSW in Erina, Leppington, South Goulburn, Kings Cross, Green Square and Forbes.
It is also coming to Canberra City and Glen Waverley in Victoria.
It comes after the world’s second Drive Thru Only KFC opened in Mt Gambier in South Austrralia following the launch of the world’s first ever Drive Thru Only KFC opening in Newcastle in November last year.
Other stores will open across all states including Western Australia but location details are still under wraps.
KFC South Pacific Chief Marketing Officer Kristi Woolrych said within these restaurants they would be focusing on new and improved technology to make life easier for store managers.
“Our business has grown over the last seven years … there’s more demand than ever before,” she said.
“We will be looking at a range of store formats from restaurants to malls and Drive Thrus.”
Recent Roy Morgan data has shown KFC is the second most popular fast food outlet visited by nearly 4.7 million Australians (23 per cent) in an average four week period up from 3.8 million (20 per cent) four years ago.
McDonald’s is the top quick service restaurant visited by more than 6.4 million Australians.
Despite the increase in demand, Ms Woolrych said they won’t be trying to speed up cooking times just to reach more customers.
“A key part of out restaurants is we prepare the chicken fresh and cook it we would never compromise taste for sake of speed,” she said.
“We are actively focused on looking at tech in our equipment and looking at cook times and hold times so that the quality of our food can be delivered as quickly as possible without compromising taste.”
Ms Woolrych said digital ordering through their website and their app was a major focus.
“It will change the customer experience, making it easier to order,” she said.
While KFC has a partnership with Menulog and Deliveroo, she wouldn’t rule out working with Uber Eats.
“Never say never”, she said.
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She also said their menu will continue to change with new products — particularly their secret menu.
Some of the most popular items on the secret menu last year were the Triple Stacker, Kentucky Snack Pack and the Zinger Chipster.
“What’s really exciting is the secret menu it’s been a huge hit with app users this year and we’ll continue to innovate there, and drop new products every month,” she said.
“Only app users can get the deals.”
Ms Woolrych was coy on details around whether they’d follow the global lead other KFC stores have taken with selling plant-based chicken.
“Never say never,” she said again.
“But chicken will always be our core business.”
KFC fans will potentially also see some of their most popular items from the past.
”Our fans write to us all the time asking them to come back but you’ll also see some innovation as well,” she said.
On improving nutrition of their product, Ms Woolrych said they have done a lot of work on reducing salt, using healthier oils, and offering healthy snack options and this would continue.
When asked if they were trying to rebrand themselves after using ‘Kentucky Fried Chicken’ in recent advertising campaigns, she said there were no official plans.
“KFC is our name and it will always be our name,” she said,
“We are not rebranding our restaurant, but Kentucky Fried Chicken is what we make and sell and is part of our heritage and history with the Colonel that made it famous, we continue to use it as a signal of our great tasting chicken.”
Originally published as KFC’s plans to expand across Australia with more restaurants, new ordering technology and menu items