Fast food giant KFC opens outlet in Tibet

[Photo by Palden Nyima/China Daily]

Despite the higher price, Yang Yanfang, a 23-year-old civil servant from Yunnan province who is working on a two-year project in Lhasa, found the branch appealing.

"It offers another pleasant dining choice for young people from the inland area like me who grew up with frequent treats of chicken and sandwiches," said Yang, sitting at a table surrounded by green plants.

The store also incorporates local design elements like a large image of the Potala Palace and triangle motifs labeled with Tibetan mountain names in English.

"Previously, we only had Dicos," Yang added, referring to the Chinese fast-food restaurant chain. Dicos has also been successful in Lhasa, according to Chen Biao, a manager with the Lhasa's Shenli Shidai Square where the KFC store is located, illustrating that consumers in Tibet like the menu.

On Wednesday afternoon, most customers were under age 40, and half were local ethnic Tibetans.

"I hadn't tried KFC before but it tastes good to me," said Gonpo Tashi, a 29-year-old translator who works in a nearby company.