KFC to shift to street front locations

KFC fast-food restaurant network operated by US Food Network has added three restaurants in 2009 alone and is to open another two restaurants in the following months, in Timisoara and Cotroceni Park shopping centre of Bucharest, to offset the sales decline by 15-20% since the start of the year. “We’ve noticed around 20-30% of our clients no longer visit restaurants as often as before and their orders are smaller. The sales decline amounts to 20% from last year, but we hope the new opening will help us reach turnover similar with that of 2008 even though this hasn’t happened yet,” Marian Gogu, KFC brand manager, told ZF. Another two contracts were signed for Bucharest for 2010, with the restaurants to be opened in the first two months. “Expansion means the consolidation of a brand. Moreover, there are some advantages related to better spaces and normal rents during such a period. At present, the trend is to open restaurants in street front locations because people no longer visit shopping centres as they used to (…),” Gogu said.