KFC To Put 'stealth kitchens' On Menu To Widen Reach

In a bid to leverage the rapidly growing online food delivery model used by aggregators such as Swiggy and Zomato, KFC plans to set up stealth kitchens in India, probably a first for the domestic quick service industry in the country.

"These standalone full-service KFC kitchens won’t have any customer interface, will not double up as dine-in or take-away stores, and will have minimal branding," shares Samir Menon, MD, KFC India. 

Adding on the same Menon says, “We can’t always expect the customer to come to us - we also have to find ways to go to the customer as far as possible. We believe the concept will help create accessibility for customers who don’t necessarily have a KFC around them."

The release also shares that Yum Brands which owns KFC is looking at driving delivery in different ways across the business. “Delivery for the category has been growing and fuelled by food aggregators — they fired delivery in a big way and unlocked the ability for consumers to get food whenever they want, wherever they are," adds Menon.

Similar to most quick service brands, KFC’s entry-level products are priced at Rs 30 and above. Of the 345 existing stores KFC India operates, 250 are franchised, while the remaining 95 are equity (Yum!-owned) stores.

Meanwhile, the brand will continue to operate through a mix of franchised and equity stores though the ratio will be skewed towards franchisee stores.