Having KFC for Christmas dinner is a family tradition
Written 19th December 2022 | Subscribe to our Christmas newsletter
Move over turkey, there is a new meal that could take over the traditional turkey Christmas dinner - Kentucky Fried Chicken!
In Japan, many families choose Kentucky Fried Chicken as their Christmas Dinner. Last year it is estimated that 3.6 million Japanese families sat down to fried chicken for Christmas.
It has grown so much that last year's sales of KFC Christmas dinner now account for a third of KFCs annual sales.
The business day to buy KFC is 24 December which is when KFC sells around 10 more in that one day than on a typical day.
KFC has put in an order in advance system so that the bucket can be ordered in advance and collected at a specific time. If you do not reserve in advance you will be queuing for hours.
So how did this tradition come about?
Back in 1974, Takeshi Okawara, the manager of the first KFC in Japan, launched a campaign called "Kentucky for Christmas", with only 1% of the population being Christian and people not really having a 'family Christmas' this was a great way to encourage a new tradition. as Christmas isn't an official holiday.
The "Kentucky for Christmas" campaign launched a 'Party Bucket'. As the years past the advertising grew bigger with TV adverts showing families sitting down together and enjoying a feast of fried chicken with the song "My Old Kentucky Home" playing in the background.
