On 18 February, there were multiple witness reports of “CFC” billboards being spotted in the streets of China, with at least one of them just outside a KFC restaurant. There were also photographs of a white chicken mascot posing for a photo op near one of the billboards. Upon closer inspection, these actions turned out to be the latest campaign from KFC’s archrival McDonald’s for its “Cage Free Chicken” (无笼好鸡, lit. cageless good chickens) initiative. In fact, McDonald’s began promoting the campaign from as early as 15 February.
Between 20 and 22 February, users can claim a limited number of coupons on the McDonald’s app starting at 10:30am, including a free Chicken McCrispy and a half-priced McFlurry. Moreover, between 2 and 5 pm on Saturday 22 February, customers with any piece of paper with the words CFC on them can receive the same offer at McDonald’s restaurants, whether it’s printed, revised or handwritten.
The Cage Free Chicken campaign is to raise awareness that for over 30 years, the American fast-food chain has been using free-range white feathered chickens for its chicken menu items. Last June, the first wave of the “无笼好鸡” campaign was launched with a cartoon drawing of a white chicken mascot and came in the form of a cartoon series about how the chickens are raised, as well as themed tray liners and a collection of WeChat stickers.
From the “Big V” truck to this “CFC” campaign, McDonald’s often takes aim at KFC in China. Having opened 917 new restaurants in the country in 2024, McDonald’s is still expanding, especially in the lower tier markets. Yum China, the operator of KFC and Pizza Hut in China, opened 1,751 new branches last year. The competition between the two is likely to intensify as their presence grows in the same regions.
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