KFC Dropped Potato Wedge in Shanghai

Wendy reported that from today, KFC removed Potato Wedge and Pepsi Coke from all the suites. Instead, they provide vegetable salad and orange juice.

It seems it is a national wide change in KFC.

I remember this Monday when I had lunch there before the Beijing trip, Potato Wedge was still included.

There is always big conflict between a product in U.S. and in China. I think KFC is making a wise change to adjust their product to China marketing. Kudos.

20 thoughts on “KFC Dropped Potato Wedge in Shanghai

  1. KFC together with other restaurant operators failed to eliminate the trans fats from the cooking oil that fried the potato and could face civil law suit from obese people who ate fried potato regularly. Most of the fast food franchises in North America have provided green salad as an alternative to fried potato since last year. Perhaps they should consider fried rice as well.

    Pepsi has relinquished the ownership of KFC and removal of the Pepsi product is natural.

  2. In my area in hongkou district this change already happened a week ago. However it is still possible to order french fries or pepsi. Only the menu’s changed, they still have all the individual items. I’ll definitely continue to order french fries as the salad is very very tiny in size. No way you get a full stomach from such a small amount. *g*

  3. It is just a new kind of policy by KFC to attract customers. Especially for the young and also the ladies who want to keep fit. They want to build a sales mode to adopt to China marketing.

  4. Yesterday I had a quick lunch at KFC and was surprised by the question whether I wanted salad or french fries. I think it is a good idea to implement this change, but noticed that many people still went for the french fries. It seems many Chinese have become quite Americanized, at least the ones who had lunch at Hong Kong Plaza on Huaihai Lu – mainly business people.

  5. Of course people get fat and overweight and obese for some, but that’s because of their daily routine. Look at the Americans, it generally consist of, wake up, get ready, drive to work, sit at work, walk the whole 5 minutes to the nearest McDs, sit and eat, walk another 5 minutes back to work, sit til the end of work day, drive home, sit and have dinner, sit and watch tv, sleep, wake up, sit on toilet… Unless, they make an effort to get some exercise in their routine, and they have to get the motivation to do so, it’s never going to change and they just sue fast food coz they can because we have come to believe that fast food is bad for you.

    You look at China or Asian countries, consumption of fast food is just as high as in US. But you don’t see as many obese people here and there. But you will see your general overweight around all the time. I truly believe people here are forced to walk to most of their destinations.

    BTW, didn’t scientist prove that obesity is linked to genetics?

    Bring my potato wedges back!!! I want to eat deep friend starch wrapped in an artificial potato skin with artificial flavourings…^^

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  8. You can request to have fries back at +1 CNY. I’m an Asian, and Asians need to have amylose to complete a meal, whether rice or potato.

    It’s no point to rip the fries. ppl who regard KFC as junk food don’t change their mind on that salad. And fries loving ppl like me just turn to McD. (Gosh, replace that SubWay with McD below eBay ZJ office!)

    My problem is I won’t get fat enough to fit in most trousers no matter how much I eat. Evolved to adapt junk food I think.

  9. First?I don’t think this move is in conflict with the US marketing scheme as most fast food restaurants are changing to try to be more “healthy.” Many of the salads at fast food restaurants are almost as fattening (or more so) than what would be an order of french fries. I also think most of the young people who eat fast food WANT fries and cola over something more healthy.

    Also, when I was recently in a KFC in China a thought occurred to me about the size of portions there. If you saw the interesting documentary of last year “Supersize Me,” it was discussed how the size of portions at these restaurants have grown over the years. In comparison, the size of fries and cola that you get at KFC/McD’s in China when you order a “value meal” would be the equivalent to what you would get in a happy meal in the US. Therefore, unless you’re eating that stuff on a daily or near daily basis, it isn’t really all that bad if eaten in moderation.

  10. KFC chicken is truly ‘junk’ food, it contains very large dose of monosodium, a taste enhance chemical and it pressure fries together with the chicken skin, so the chemical and the trans fats acid are totally sealed into the meat makes the food totally ‘unhealthy’. It can instantly dehydrated your mouth for hours.

  11. The rumours of Pepsi’s death in KFC are greatly exaggerated.

    KFC haven’t removed Pepsi – it was loud and proud at the store I was in today. On the menu board you could still get a 1.25l bottle with a bucket meal. I had a Pepsi with my burger. I didn’t see any chips though – so I’d say they are gone.

    People that overly critise this type of food as junk and want to get it removed are very narrow minded in my opinion. It has its place in the modern world of speed and convenience. Whilst I applaud the introduction of salads (such as McDonald’s have done in Australia and some other countries) to give a healthy choice inside QSRs (Quick Service Restaurants) the demand is always going to be there for a quick hamburger, chips and Coke. It is a matter of personal choice as to whether you eat it every day and get fat and/or sick.

    Thats what I love about personal chioice – if you like it – eat it, if you don’t like then don’t eat – but don’t give everyone else grief about their choice.

  12. Brad,

    I think that most of the criticism is more about the fact that the QSRs have consistently hidden information about exactly how dangerous their food is, have failed to provide consumers with nutritional information and have deliberately targeted very young children in their advertising. Most children under the age of seven are unable to differentiate between a tv advertisement and a normal tv programme. How on earth can these children make informed personal choices? (Yeah, the adults should make informed choices on their behalf, but you know and I know that the world doesn’t always work that way.)

    Having said all that, I also eat at KFC and McD’s when I’m busy, so I do understand your argument.

    What I’d like to know is this (I’m taking McDonald’s as an example rather than KFC, because I have never been into a KFC in any place other than mainland China):

    McDonald’s started serving salads and vegetarian burgers in their restaurants in the United Kingdom at least four years ago, possibly longer. (I don’t know about the USA.)

    Yet, I have never seen any salads or vegetarian options being sold in McDonald’s in mainland China.

    I visited Hong Kong in October of this year, and discovered that some Hong Kong restaurants have opened a “McCafe” which can serve sandwiches and other healthier options. Maybe these will arrive in Shanghai sometime soon. I hope so.

    My feeling is: the fast food restaurants are not adapting to suit the local Chinese tastes. The fast food restaurants are adapting to give slightly healthier options as a result of consumer (and media) pressure, but they are doing it in the west first and then only gradually bringing the changes to China.

    Why? Possibly because Chinese consumers aren’t complaining about how unhealthy the food is as much as western consumers. Or, possibly because the fast food restaurants want to give Chinese consumers long enough to become properly addicted to the unhealthy food before offering alternatives.

    (Wangjianshuo, sorry for making my first comment such a long one. Hope you don’t mind.)

  13. im a vegetarian because of the grose things kfc does to their animals/food go tp peta 2 . com to see what i mean

  14. I don’t often go to KFC, but went today and they said they don’t serve french fries anymore. Not sure if this is just this store or all KFC’s, seemed odd if it was just that one, as they arent in a smaller location or anything.

  15. Yea, seems it was the employee who was off. Maybe he was just having a bad day, as he actually said “We don’t have French Fries, what do you think, this is McDonalds?” with a bit of attitude, weird kid, but I was back by there today as it is by the metro station and they do indeed have fries. I guess maybe they ran out the other day and the employee just made up his own reasoning as to why they were out.

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