KFC’s first Italian ski resort outlets face criticism over mountain character

KFC will open outlets at Cortina d’Ampezzo and Madonna di Campiglio on 5 December, marking the first fast-food restaurants on Italian ski slopes. The move has sparked criticism from people who say the chain clashes with the resorts’ mountain character and Italian food traditions, while a shareholder in Cortina has threatened legal action.

The Cortina outlet will be inside the Faloria mountain club at 2,123 metres, and the Madonna di Campiglio restaurant will sit at 1,700 metres beside an après-ski club. KFC Italia says the project is intended to reach a wider range of customers, while supporters of local cuisine point to the resorts’ high costs and others question whether the restaurants are a major concern for the mountains.