Catering

KFC brings fried chicken and fast food to the ski slopes. Farinetti: ‘It’s got nothing to do with it’

The American chain is opening branches in Madonna di Campiglio and Cortina, sparking mixed reactions regarding culinary tradition and environmental sustainability in the mountains

9 November 2026

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Il ristorante Kfc che nascerà a 2,123 metri di altitudine a Cortina d’Ampezzo nell’area di Monte Faloria-Cristallo

3' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

Key points

Where the two fast-food outlets will be built
Farinetti: ‘A product that has nothing to do with us’
Trentino Mountaineering Society: ‘We’re more concerned about limited companies running mountain huts’

3' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

Fried chicken and fast food are making their way onto the ski slopes, brought by the KFC chain. And controversy has already erupted. On 5 December, the first two Quick Service Restaurants will open directly on the slopes in Madonna di Campiglio and Cortina d’Ampezzo.

The winter of 2026/27 thus marks a turning point for high-altitude hospitality: KFC is making its debut on Italian ski slopes with two new company-managed outlets, choosing Super G as its partner and setting a national record.

These are, in fact, the first two quick-service restaurants in Italia located directly on the ski slopes – a brand-new catering model that combines speedy service with the fresh preparation of KFC’s unmistakable fried chicken. The partnership between KFC and Super G stems from a desire to cater to travellers’ changing habits, transforming the high-altitude environment into a constantly evolving ecosystem.

Sestriere, la Via Lattea punta sul turismo tutto l'anno

Where will the two fast-food restaurants be built?

In Madonna di Campiglio, at 1,700 metres, KFC will be located in the Piana di Nambino area, alongside the vibrant atmosphere of Meraviglioso Campiglio, where food and music create a convivial atmosphere from mealtimes through to après-ski. In Cortina d’Ampezzo, at 2,123 metres, the new outlet will be situated in the Monte Faloria-Cristallo area, within the Faloria Mountain Club: a high-altitude destination with a terrace and large windows overlooking the ski area, designed to let you experience the mountains even beyond the slopes.

Farinetti: ‘It has nothing to do with our history’

“I can’t say they’re not good; it’s just that they’re offering us a product that has absolutely nothing to do with our history and our culture.” This was the view expressed by Oscar Farinetti, founder of Eataly, in an interview with Radio Veneto 24 regarding KFC’s announced ‘arrival’ in Cortina d’Ampezzo and Madonna di Campiglio.

“On the other hand, however,” Farinetti pointed out, “we Italian consumers ought to be a tad more cultured, to recognise our heritage, our cuisine based on just a few ingredients, and our excellent produce. On the Italian consumer’s side, however, there is a failure to explore their own roots, and a tendency to eat fried chicken rather than a nice slice of salami and a bit of chilled wine.”

Finally, according to Farinetti, “there are bureaucratic rules which mean that running a pub today has become a missionary endeavour. Meanwhile, the big multinationals – especially the American ones – are extremely adept at cutting costs, and they come to the most beautiful country in the world, to the places frequented by tourists, to promote their business model. We need to save Italy’s taverns through legislation that treats them as part of Italy’s cultural heritage,” he concluded.

Sestriere, la Via Lattea punta sul turismo tutto l'anno

Trentino Mountaineering Society: ‘Cultural homogenisation’

“The arrival of multinational fast-food chains on the ski slopes may well represent a further step towards the cultural homogenisation of the tourist offering. Nothing against fried chicken, of course, but are we sure this is the problem we should be most concerned about? What leaves us far more perplexed is the prospect of building wellness centres and swimming pools at an altitude of two thousand metres, within facilities originally designed to accommodate hikers. After a summer in which we repeatedly discussed the difficulties of water supply to mountain huts, it seems at the very least contradictory to envisage new facilities that require further consumption of water, energy and other resources. Perhaps we should be more outraged by this, rather than focusing all our attention on what is served on the ski slopes.”

This was stated by Cristian Ferrari, president of SAT, the Trentino Mountaineering Society – which, at 150 years old, is the oldest in Italia – in relation to the arrival, from 5 December, of the KFC fast-food chain on the slopes of Madonna di Campiglio and Cortina.

“This is not about calling into question the tourism industry or freedom of enterprise, but about asking ourselves what model of development we wish to support,” added Ferrari. “These proposals do not come out of nowhere: they respond to tourist demand, align with business opportunities and are made possible by administrative decisions. A mechanism that ends up feeding on itself, gradually transforming the mountains into a place where consumption models already available elsewhere are replicated. Are we still capable of offering a different kind of mountain experience? Is it really necessary to bring swimming pools and spa centres to an altitude of two thousand metres to make an area attractive when it already possesses an extraordinary natural heritage? And above all, are we convinced that this model is sustainable in the long term?”