"Ordered From the Same Store Every Time... 'Has the Portion Shrunk?' Consumer Concerns Proven True"

Up to 1.5 Times Difference in Fried Chicken Weight by Brand
Kyochon Chicken Serves the Least
Chicken Weight Varies Even for the Same Menu at the Same Store

It has been confirmed that the actual serving weight of franchise chicken can vary by nearly double depending on the brand and product. There were also cases where the weight differed by more than 200 grams even when ordering from the same store.

Fried chicken. Pixabay

On November 20, the Korea Consumer Organizations Council (Chairwoman Moon Miran) announced the results of a survey conducted from October 23 to 31 and November 11 to 12, examining the price, weight, and labeling information of fried chicken from six franchise brands (Kyochon Chicken, Pelicana, BBQ Chicken, Cheogajip Seasoned Chicken, Nene Chicken, BHC) and boneless chicken from seven brands (BHC Bburinkle Boneless, Kyochon Chicken Honey Boneless, Goobne Chicken Pepper Basasak Boneless, Pelicana Boneless Padak, BBQ Chicken Golden Olive Seasoned Boneless, Cheogajip Seasoned Chicken Supreme Seasoned Boneless, Nene Chicken Oriental Padak Boneless) on dine-in and delivery platforms.

The weight survey was conducted by purchasing the same menu item twice-both for delivery and takeout-from the same stores in certain areas of Seoul, then comparing the results. Since each franchise store uses the same nationwide cooking manual, the survey is considered statistically meaningful.

Average Weight of Fried Chicken: 780.9g... Up to 1.2 Times Difference Between Brands

According to the findings, the average weight per whole chicken for the six franchise fried chicken products was 780.9 grams. Among them, Kyochon Chicken had the lowest average at 684.5 grams, while BHC had the highest at 852.5 grams, resulting in up to a 1.2-fold difference between brands.

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The weight variation was even greater among the seven popular boneless chicken menu items. Nene Chicken's "Oriental Padak Boneless" had the highest average at 1,102.9 grams, while BHC's "Bburinkle Boneless" was the lowest at 527.4 grams. In other words, the amount served for "boneless chicken" differed by more than double depending on the brand.

"Same Store, Same Menu"... Average Weight Difference of 68.7g

Clear differences were also observed when the same menu was purchased twice from the same store. The average weight difference for fried chicken was 55.4 grams, with BHC showing the largest gap at 183.6 grams (19.4%).

For popular boneless products, the average weight difference was 68.7 grams. Among them, BBQ Chicken's "Golden Olive Seasoned Boneless" had the largest difference at 243.8 grams (30.6%).

The council pointed out, "Assuming that most franchises use size 10 chickens (951-1,050g) for fried menus, it is necessary to review whether such significant weight deviations are appropriate given the standardized raw material specifications and cooking manuals." In particular, for boneless products, which are typically sold by weight, a difference of more than 200 grams is difficult to attribute to normal manufacturing or cooking variations.

"Mandatory Weight Labeling Needed"

The council emphasized that, given the significant weight discrepancies in the same product after cooking, stores and delivery apps must clearly display weight information on sales screens so that consumers can check it before purchase.

The council stated, "Currently, only the 'pre-cooking' weight is indicated, and the industry claims it is difficult to provide exact weights due to differences between pre- and post-cooking weights. However, some chicken fast food companies already display the serving amount in grams for each menu item. Moreover, the large gap between pre-cooking weight and the actual weight provided to consumers means that consumers are not being given accurate information."

The council added, "Providing basic information such as price, quality, and quantity is essential for consumers to make rational choices. Therefore, the government's mandatory weight labeling policy for chicken products must be implemented to protect consumer rights."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.