KFC vs Nandos

This week I will look at the two largest chicken franchises in Australia. KFC and Nando's have become the dominant forces in the fast food chicken sector by offering two very different products. KFC as you all should know is short for Kentucky Fried Chicken, and as the name suggests it is American styled fried chicken. Nando's on the other hand is portugese styled grilled chicken. Due to their different styles the experience of eating their respective foods is very different, yet because they occupy the same market this comparison is necessary.

KFC began in USA during the 1950's, and opened its first franchise in Australia during 1968. KFC outlets are very similar to other American brands like Mcdonald's and Hungry Jacks/Burger King. They offer a typical fast food experience where you can order your food in store to eat in or takeaway, or you can pick up a take away meal via a drive through window so you do not have to leave your vehicle.

In terms of KFC's menu they offer meals for one person, where you can buy pieces of chicken, chicken burgers or wraps. These can come with a variety of side dishes including chips, potato and gravy as well as coleslaw. A particular highlight that must be mentioned is the return of the tower burger, a burger that combines a fried chicken fillet with a hashbrown. For a single person meal at KFC you can expect to pay anywhere between $6 and $10. You can also order family meals from KFC, and they even have a 30 piece bucket you can order, filled with 30 pieces of chicken of your choice. The 30 piece bucket is definitely intended for those who like to party!!

Nando's began in South Africa in the late 1980's, and first opened in Australia in 1990. Prior to Nando's most fast food chicken franchises in Australia tried to imitate KFC, for example Red Rooster. This tactic failed as most consumers did not want to buy an imitation: why buy something that cost the same and is less widely available. Nandos' was the first in Australia to offer a different style to KFC's. Their portugese style chicken taste less fatty, and in burger or wrap form they offer more fresh salad than KFC, who tend to only put a piece of lettuce on their burgers to compliment the meat filling. Nando's have even inspired an imitation chain in the form Oporto, which it must be said is a poor imitation.

While Nando's are present in some food courts, their outlets tend to be halfway between a restaurant and a normal fast food outlet. When you order to eat in at Nando's you can go sit down at a table and the food is brought to you on a plate, as opposed to on a plastic tray in wrappers at KFC. At some Nando's restaurants you can order alcoholic beverages including beer and wine.

Nando's menu offers similar packages for single orders as KFC do. You can order a variety of burgers and wraps from Nando's with a side of chips. Like stated earlier, Nando's chicken taste less greasy due to being grilled and their burgers and wraps offer more salad fillings than KFC, giving Nando's a fresher taste. You can even order burgers in portugese bread. However these extra's do come at a cost. The minimum for a Nando's meal consisting of chicken pieces/burger/wrap and chips and drink costs at least $11.45. In some places like the ACT the drink is not included in the meal. At KFC you can get a burger plus a piece of chicken, regular chips, potato and gravy and a soft drink for under $10. Nando's also offer a variety of family meals, however these are less extensive than KFC's and basically are only a whole chicken with some side dishes.

The highlight of Nando's menu has to be the sauces. Nando's baste their chicken in their peri peri sauce, which come in a variety of different levels of heat. Furthermore when you eat in you can take a bottle of tomato or peri peri sauces back to the table and spread it over your chips. The peri peri really add's individuality to the taste of Nando's.

So both have different angles on fast food chicken, but which one is better fast food chicken?

As stated before Nando's outlet are almost restaurant like in terms of presentation and cost. This is very untypical for a fast food outlet, and it really works against Nando's. If I wanted to eat at a restaurant I would. As it stands though Nando's cost more for a food which is nice but still borderline fast food. Furthermore there is no convenience option with Nando's, yes you can order takeaway but you have to wait the same length of time as those eating in do. There is no drive through option. As a fast food outlet it fails to meet basic expectations, yet if you compared it to a restaurant it still feels like a fast food outlet, despite the plates and the food being delivered to the table. Nando's redeeming factor is the amazing peri peri sauce, if Nando's did not have this I would not eat there.

KFC is hardly a nutritious meal, it taste obviously unhealthy. But that is the point of fast food, it is a guilty pleasure. You do not eat fast food when you are after a nice meal. You eat fast food after waking up from a night that you drank you body weight in alcohol and you cannot remember a thing. You probably vomited that night, and unless you did it on you're own clothes you have no way being sure. All you know is that your stomach is empty, and it needs filling instantly. You can drive to KFC and just swing through the drive through and order a feast for under $10, and go back to your house where the curtains are drawn to block out that evil natural light and pig out. You knows its bad for you, but you do not care. It taste good and cheap. This is the point of fast food. This is why KFC wins.

Next week will be Slayer vs Pantera vs Metallica