PETA’s ‘Chicken’ Pops Champagne to Celebrate KFC Thailand’s New Vegan Popcorn Chicken

Why did the chicken cross the road? To celebrate at KFC! PETA’s dancing “chicken” popped champagne outside KFC Baan Silom in Bangkok today to toast the fast-food chain’s new and satisfying vegan popcorn chicken, made by Thai brand Meat Zero.

KFC is offering the vegan chicken as part of six menu options, including vegan chicken-topped rice bowls. This is great news for the broken, bloody, and bruised chickens who are often scalded to death before their body parts are sold by the bucketful at KFC.

PETA has visited the branch many times since 2003, not to party but to protest—including by dressing up as zombies with signs reading, “Flesh Is Flesh. Think Vegan,” using blow-up sex dolls to point out that “animal abuse blows,” wearing heart-shaped costumes to remind everyone that “KFC breaks chicks’ hearts,” and having a bandaged “chicken” on crutches cross the road to urge KFC to stop serving the flesh of dead birds.

PETA’s nearly two decades of action against KFC to demand better treatment of the chickens killed for its buckets and the addition of vegan options has also included several video exposés.

KFC in Vietnam also landed vegan chicken options on its menu for a while. We’re hopeful that KFC Thailand’s vegan popcorn chicken marks a new era for the company and that when it sees how much consumers value animals’ lives, it will work to make changes in its supply chain across Asia as well.

If you’re in Thailand this week, check out the country’s annual vegetarian festival, which is running until October 14, where you’ll see street vendors ditch animal flesh for delicious vegan options.