In the past few months, the fast-food restaurant chains have taken jabs at each other, offering similar dishes, matching prices and opening restaurants in close proximity. KFC, which primarily serves chicken, has taken aim at its burger rival with some of its own burgers called Zingers.
For customers who prefer chicken inside buns, there is a snack called, well, Snackers. McDonald's has responded with nuggets for those who like to chomp on chicken.
A hamburger company in the eyes of the world, McDonald's was quick to adapt to India's vegetarian ways with a fare packed with McAloo Tikki Burger, McVeggie and Veg Pizza McPuff. KFC has retaliated with the Veg Zinger burger, Veg Strips and Veggie Snacker.
Big Mac has targeted KFC's signature dish, the Hot and Crispy Chicken, with the recently launched the McSpicy Chicken Burger. Pat came the Hot Zinger from KFC.
Not long ago, the beverages menu at McDonald's was limited to a coffee, cold coffee and Coke. In contrast, KFC's Krushers label of beverages includes variants of yoghurt, sparklers and dairy products.
McDonald's has now bumped up its beverage range to include mocha, hot chocolate, tea, iced tea and cappuccino. KFC, meanwhile, has introduced a Kafeccino variant.
The fight has also spilled over to pricing. KFC recently began offering its Streetwise range targeted at college students for less than Rs 50, nearly seven years after McDonald's has kept its
Happy Price Menu untouched at Rs 20. The companies have also started operating outlets within a stone's throw away from the other. At Andheri in Mumbai, for instance, KFC opened a third restaurant recently, matching its rival's tally. They also co-exist in Delhi's crowded Lajpat Nagar market, among other places.
The gloves are finally off in the KFC-McDonald's fight. Their battle royale promises to define not just their fortunes in India, but also that of a raft of smaller rivals, some foreign, many Indian — and the limits to which the Indian