Dicos is a term you’ll never have known about unless you’ve been to China. If you’ve been there, you’ve seen it and perhaps visited it yourself, or even been served “western food” by a Chinese acquaintance. But what does what exactly is the Dicos story? Let’s dive into the different fast food options in China.

What Is Dicos?

To sum it up fast and easily, Dicos is a fast-food chain that copied the model of KFC.

You’ll be surprised KFC isn’t the first fast-food establishment offering fried chicken served from buckets. Along with coca-cola and chicken burgers in China.

Deng Xiaoping first opened the doors in 1978. By 1988, KFC was booming across the country, opening restaurants everywhere. I’ve written many articles on why KFC was so well-known in China.

To sum it up easily and quickly it is that the Chinese already made Fried Chicken, but KFC changed the concept of fried chicken. They accomplished this by doing things such as requiring staff to wash their hands after eating and offering the toilets. It’s not exactly a new concept and in the latter half of the 80s, it was very different from what they were accustomed to.

Fast Foods Wars of China

McDonald’s joined the club in the following years however, KFC was more like steamrollers. The age-old debate of whether to invent or copy other brands then came up. In 1994 Tianjin Ding Qiao Food Service created its brand “Dicos”. Its aim? is to offer fried chicken and hamburgers in buckets. But! They’d offer franchises at a much lower cost than KFC!

So they were and in a way an early fast-food chain that is of any size to strike locations. Particularly in the large industrial zones. At the present, Dicos is found at the top of the list of airports, train stations, and even cities that are unable to pay for a good franchise. By using this method, it has gotten it to be the third-largest brand in China over even the worldwide tyrant which is Mcdonald’s.

What is the difference between KFC and, dare we say whether it is any good? In its early days, it was a KFC knockoff, however, in the past, it has grown in its niches. Its rice bun chicken burgers are very appealing. Fried chicken is more reminiscent of the Chinese taste, and is crisper and largely without special spices or herbs.

Dicos Menu Review

What’s the menu? Whatever the reason, this blog is among my most popular blogs, and not forget my post about the top five fast-food chains in China which you can check out on this page. To summarize it was initially created as a low-cost imitation of KFC However, just as the previously mentioned Oppo is now a separate thing.

I’ve decided against my best judgment, to go against all established rules and regulations, and stroll through KFC to go over the menu. Oh, how I ache!

Dicos Serves An English Menu

Half of the battle is solved immediately! There’s a thorough English menu, which explains the specifics of each item. Sometimes, however, I find you’d rather not be aware. This implies that even if staff aren’t fluent in English and they probably don’t, they can make a point to items. If you’re eating meals or things like chicken burgers and fries, it’s much easier than in a regular Chinese restaurant.

There are a lot of chickens here.

It’s a (bad) KFC clone. It is, as Deng may have stated, KFC with Chinese characteristics. Chicken burgers, buckets, and all varieties of chicken are the main menu items.

I’m going to discuss the Buckets! You do get plenty of chicken, however, it’s Chinese-style chicken that is fried. Don’t be fooled by it being much like KFC. It’s bland, boring, and not a salute towards the Colonel!

The Chicken Burgers Served At Dicos

While there are many chicken burgers to choose from They are generally classified into two categories: the chicken breast or steak that is served in buns or a breaded chicken inside buns. The chicken breast is served with a pineapple, which usually tastes a little undercooked however it’s a great option. For $7, it’s a good dinner, it’s not budget food. The fast-food you can find in China is not cheap. Cheap food is street food.

Then there is what they call the Dicos Menu! And they offer one in Dandong which is, honestly life-changing after just a few days of living in North Korea.

The Conclusion of Dicos Fast Food Chain

This is the lowdown on eating at the 2nd best chicken joint fried in China! However, the 5 billion dollar question is – do you want to eat there? Then, I’m reminded of the adage. If you’re talking about a woman who has a questionable look. In particular “I wouldn’t crawl over her to get to you mate”. This is the essence of this place. It’s impossible to walk by a Burger King or definitely, it’s not KFC to visit.

However, this doesn’t mean Dicos isn’t full of charming charms. If the big-hitters who are fast are not in their town Dicos is happy to keep you warm throughout the night. This is their tale. There are many other evident Chinese counterfeits however I admire how they approached things. Are they part of an institution? Absolutely! fake ass they are!

Perhaps? If Oppo was an example to follow, perhaps Chinese soft power would translate to a Dicos at every corner. Perhaps not, but maybe in Africa.

We may then take an examination of “Best Food”, which could “best” be described as an imitation of Burger King. There is no doubt that you will enjoy China!

Last updated and verified on January 22nd, 2023 by our editorial team.

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