Kentucky Fried Chicken opened its new flagship store in Tel Aviv’s Opera Tower complex on Thursday, solidifying KFC’s re-entry into the Israeli market that started some three years ago.
The restaurant chain’s latest addition, located on the White City’s iconic Allenby Street and near the beach, will serve customers seven days a week between 11 a.m. and midnight, KFC announced in a Facebook post.
Unlike in the past, no KFC restaurants are certified as being kosher.
KFC opened and closed its operations in the Jewish state in the 1980s and 1990s, and then reopened for almost 10 years in the 2000s. Then, the restaurants were operated by local franchisees rather than the U.S.-based parent company.
In 2020, KFC opened its first new branch in the Lower Galilee city of Nazareth. It has since opened restaurants in Haifa, Beersheva and Netanya, among other major cities. The Tel Aviv branch is its 17th location, and the company is seeking to expand further.
In recent months, several international corporations have set up shop in Israel.
In January, following its announcement of a 20-year franchise agreement, the U.S.-based convenience store chain 7-Eleven opened its first Israeli location in Tel Aviv. The opening turned out to be quite a hit, as Israelis flocked to taste Slurpees and shop for items at the iconic chain.
Thirty 7-Eleven branches are set to be open throughout Israel by the end of 2023, with hundreds more expected in the next few years, franchisee and appliance maker Electra Consumer Products has said.
