More than 100 Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) outlets in Malaysia have shuttered their doors temporarily amidst a prolonged economic boycott believed to be linked to the conflict in Gaza, which started a persistent pro-Palestine boycott of US-linked businesses
The closure affects 108 outlets of the American fast-food chain, with Kelantan state bearing the brunt as nearly 80 percent of its stores, totaling up to 21 outlets, are affected.
The impact extends across various regions, with 15 stores in Johor, 11 in Selangor and Kedah each, 10 in Terengganu and Pahang each, nine in Perak, six in Negeri Sembilan, two in Perlis and Melaka each, five in Penang, three in Kuala Lumpur, and one each in Sarawak and Sabah facing temporary closure, as per data sourced from Google Maps.
Responding to the challenging economic climate, QSR Brands, the company behind KFC operations in Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, and Cambodia, has proactively closed these outlets to manage rising business costs and concentrate on high-engagement trade zones. They announced on April 29th that affected employees are being offered the opportunity to relocate to busier stores as part of the company’s re-optimization strategy.
In a statement, QSR Brands emphasized their commitment to providing quality products and services to customers while contributing positively to the Malaysian economy, ensuring job security for approximately 18,000 team members, with around 85 percent being Muslims. However, they did not disclose the precise number of outlets or workers affected by the closures.
“As a company that has been serving Malaysians for over 50 years, the focus remains on providing quality products and services to customers, while contributing positively to the Malaysian economy through job security for 18,000 team members in Malaysia, of which, approximately 85 per cent are Muslims,” they said.
According to the QSR website, Malaysia boasts over 600 KFC outlets, with the inaugural store opening its doors in Kuala Lumpur in 1973. Media reports also indicate closures of several McDonald’s and Starbucks outlets in Malaysia amidst the economic landscape.
