McDonald's Japan New 'Christmas Set' Challenges KFC Chicken Tradition

[The Straight Story]

Christmas is coming, and Japan is making reservations for dinner: at KFC! Forget sugar plums and oven-roasted goose, Christmas dinner in Japan means chicken, especially the Colonel's Secret Recipe.

KFC has carved out a unique modern holiday tradition ("Kentucky For Christmas!", since the early 1970s) in Japan that not only specifies chicken for dinner on Christmas Eve, but KFC chicken in particular. According to Japan Probe, families are already placing advance orders for KFC's Xmas Buckets to the point where some outlets are fully booked - on November 10th, yet!

The fowl frenzy has not gone overlooked by KFC's main competitor in Japan, McDonald's. This year, the Golden Arches is providing the Kentucky Colonel with a li'l chikkin competition in the form of McDonald’s Japan's inaugural "Christmas Set". The set will include two Juicy Chicken Selects, two 5-piece boxes of Chicken McNuggets, two "Shaka Shaka" chickens (sort of a pre-cooked, DIY shake & bake), and a mega-sized french fries. Whew!

That's not all: exclusive to the Christmas Set are one of three McDonald's phone strap charms and a packet of special Sour Cream & Onion sauce for the chicken nuggets. The whole shebang is priced at 1,780 yen (just under $22) and comes packed in a unique "iCon Box".

http://inventorspot.com/articles/mcdonalds_japan_new_christmas_set_challenges_kfc_chicken_traditi

[madrchsod]

1. yuck.....

[Liberal Veteran]

3. No. Yum.

As is Yum! Brands. It owns KFC.

[Matariki]

2. Ruining Japan's traditionally healthy diet since 1970.

and competing to do so.

[Quantess]

4. Awesome!

Now the Japanese can develop weight problems and high cholesterol too.

[BlueCheese]

5. One more reason there will always be a Japan.

[lunasun]

6. I assume China will be next to get on the Christma$ chicken wagon

do they think that is what christmas is like in western countries or just their own 'thing' for xmas???
Heard the gift giving (and of course buying) is big in Japan at Christmas too
what a racket we export nowdays

[HEyHEY]

8. Well, I've only done one Christmas here, didn't really notice it

I suppose if you go to malls you will. But it was rather nice not having Christmas shoved in my face all the time last year. If the Chinese do embrace any part of it, it's just the gift giving, which is all North American companies want anyway.

[HEyHEY]

7. KFC is huge in my parts

That's cause they localize their menus. There's all kinds of weird shit on KFC's China menu. McDonald's is pretty well the same.