Why is KFC so popular for Christmas dinner in Japan?
Daily MailA quirky tradition in Japan sees people tucking into a KFC bargain bucket on Christmas day, instead of a home cooked dinner, with orders booked weeks in advance. The 'Kentucky for Christmas' slogan was part of a marketing campaign in 1974 for the chicken franchise, and now every year around 3.6 million Japanese people sit down to eat KFC fried chicken for Christmas. Even KFC's mascot, Colonel Sanders, gets dressed up, with life-size models seen around Japanese cities such as Tokyo The campaign started in the 70s to tempt tourists and expats with chicken on Christmas Day when they couldn't find turkey to eat, and was the the brainchild of Takeshi Okawara, the manager of the first KFC in the country, according to the BBC. The Christmas 'barrel' contains original recipe chicken, a side salad and a chocolate gateaux style cake, as well as a collectable plate He told Business Insider: 'I still regret that, but people liked it because it was something good from the U.S. or European countries,' By 1973, KFC Japan had expanded to 75 locations making it one of the most successful fast food chains in the country.
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