KFC Thailand launches Chicken Rice, bringing Thai tradition to fast food menus /

Friendly competition / If KFC had just barged in flexing its American muscles to claim it served the best Khao Man Kai in Thailand, it not only wouldn’t have been believable, it would have been insensitive to Thai culinary culture. By setting up an association, alongside other respected vendors in Thailand, to elevate the dish and by creating a guidebook to champion local restaurants who do it best, KFC turns competition into a unified pride in Thai culture.

KFC knows that its restaurants are more about convenience than offering the height of authentic cuisine. It means KFC is unlikely to see many local vendors of Chicken Rice as direct competition and so can afford to shine a light on other local businesses to reap the benefits of the halo effect that it brings. As the Wolf BBK team shared in a press release, ‘The goal is to make sure everyone understands that Uncle KFC is truly determined and going all in for Chicken Rice – for real.’ In this way by forming a partnership with respected vendors of Khao Man Kai, KFC leans on the authority bias to get a seal of authenticity that while their product is a KFC take on Chicken Rice, this isn’t just another case of a Western chain bastardising a beloved local dish.

Ultimately, it’s nothing new for a QSR chain to adapt its menus in different countries to fit the tastes of local consumers. The variation in McDonald’s menus is so well known and interesting to the biggest Maccies fans, that videos sampling these items rack up millions of views on TikTok. What’s different about this campaign though is the care and sensitivity that has gone into ensuring KFC respects the tradition it taps into.

For more on how KFC has localised its offering to align with foreign audiences, read our Brand Spotlight on KFC China. 

Fun Uncle / By embracing humour to play up to the surprise that a US fast food chain would start offering such a traditional Thai dish in its restaurants in Thailand, it not only makes KFC’s new offering more memorable but it shows a self-awareness that makes the brand more likeable.

KFC recognises it’s probably not the first place that would spring to mind for Thai people who are craving Khao Man Kai. By making itself a part of the joke, KFC avoids any risk of barging in where it isn’t wanted and taps into the growing trend for great, humorous ads that we continue to see from Thailand. According to a 2024 YouGov report on the Thai media landscape, the value of humour in Thailand is not something that can be ignored. As many as 75% of people agreed that they expect to be entertained by ads, the highest ranking expectancy for ad content that was surveyed. 

There’s no space to be dull in advertising, in fact, as EatBigFish’s Adam Morgan maintains, there is a cost to being dull. He suggests surprise is a great lever to avoid the dull pitfall. ‘If you really want to get people interested in your brand a key way to do it is to understand what their core assumptions are and find a way to surprise them around one of them.’ Humour is all about surprise and the subversion of expectations – and is also a superb way to emotionally connect with an audience. As such, it’s simply too powerful a tool to ignore.