Tough time for McDonald's, KFC in China

Shanghai

ON birthdays and for special treats, Lu Yuanli would take her son to their local KFC for his favourite meal, fried chicken wings, but the Chinese mother hasn't been back since a safety scare battered KFC-parent Yum Brands Inc and rival McDonald's Corp last year.

Ms Lu is one of a growing number of Chinese parents turning their backs on the US firms, further undermining their efforts to revive growth in a market seen as key to offset slowing global sales but where their food has lost the novelty factor and competition from local alternatives is fierce.