In Kenya, fast food chains have been ushered into the country like sinners into a church.
History claims that the initial purpose of the early fast food inns and taverns was to provide meals for travelers who were miles away from a home-cooked meal. These establishments provided a solution by designing a limited menu of food that was produced in high volumes, at high speed and at low costs…basically the farm to fork solution where both producers and consumers benefit from fast returns.
Fast forward to the 21st century and the world over is spewing with International Fast food chains and Nairobi isn’t being left behind. All of these establishments want to maximize on the disposable income from the city’s rapidly growing middle class. What was once considered a ‘treat’ has now become a regular lifestyle choice for city dwellers – from the debut of Steers and Debonairs 18 years ago, to the Inscoor franchise that houses Chicken Inn and pizza inn and now, popular American food chains such as KFC, Subway, Dominos and Coldstone are now opening branches in high traffic areas within residential and business zones in Nairobi. But just what is making these fast food chains set up camp here and Africa as a whole?
In America, experts often accuse the fast-food industry for growing an obese nation and it could be that the more awareness being created around pursuing a healthier lifestyle, the more the fast food chains seek alternative ways to expand their business – what better ways to do this than to establish themselves in new territory? In Nairobi, the love for fast food can be seen through online food delivery business hellofood that hosts a number of restaurant menus on their website; indeed the most popular cuisines that are frequently ordered include pizzas, burgers and fries.
The theory that all of these food chains make more money outside home ground could be true; studies report that popular joints such as Mac Donalds make up to 60% of their revenue from International business while Yum, owners of the KFC franchise are said to make up to 75% . With this kind of success it is fair to say that we haven’t seen the last of these food chains and very soon we could be we too will be in the quest for a healthier lifestyle so as not to suffer the consequence of over-indulging in the food we all love.
About hellofood
hellofood together with its affiliated brands foodpanda and Delivery Club, is the leading global online food delivery marketplace, active in more than 38 countries on five continents. The company enables restaurants to become visible in the online and mobile world and provides them with a constantly evolving online technology. For consumers, hellofood offers the convenience to order food online and the widest gastronomic range, from which they can choose their favorite meal on the web or via the app.
