I was surprised to find Pizza Hut and KFC in Baghdad, Iraq. I tried both, to see which fast food treats they had to offer!
There are almost 20,000 pizza huts in 105 countries, and a staggering 30,000 KFCs located in 145 countries worldwide. Given the vast international presence of these two fast food titans, why was I so surprised to find a KFC and a Pizza Hut (both located in the same building, none the less) in Downtown Baghdad, Iraq?
Perhaps it’s because I grew up seeing Iraq as a warzone. I’m a child of the 1990’s, and I was only 12 when the US-led coalition invaded Iraq in 2003. Over the next decades, the common image of Iraq became one of war and violence, so for me, seeing western fast food chains in Baghdad was not something I was expecting.
I visited both, to find out how their menus compare to Pizza Huts and KFCs in other countries. Keep reading, for an inside look at Iraqi fast food!
Pizza Hut and KFC in Baghdad, Iraq
Given the legacy of the US occupation, fast food chains like KFC and Pizza Hut are controversial in Iraq, but with a population of well over 9 million people, why wouldn’t the second largest city in the Arab world have modern fast food options?
Pizza Hut and KFC are both run by the Yum! conglomerate, and so in Iraq, both restaurants occupy the same building. The joint Pizza Hut/KFC restaurants are currently found in 5 separate locations in Baghdad, Iraq. There are more outlets in Erbil and Dohuk. I visited the restaurant on Jamia Street, Baghdad, one of the wealthiest parts of the city.
Located close to the University of Baghdad Campus, Jamia Street is lined by flashy homes owned by government ministers and militia generals. Alongside KFC and Pizza Hut, you’ll also find other western chains like Hardee’s, Chilis, Tim Horton’s and even a Cinnabon.
The Pizza Hut/KFC was much, much more modern than the fast food outlets I’m used to visiting in the United Kingdom. This one was actually clean, and rather than being used as a late night, post-drinks takeaway option, the clientele were civilised, friendly, and happy to chat!
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Armed guards and Humvees
When I called KFC and Pizza Hut ‘controversial’, I meant it. Outside the restaurant, I was taken aback by the military and police presence here. We parked up next to an armoured Iraqi military Humvee, which was topped by a 50 calibre machine gun and decked out in its desert camouflage.
Iraqi soldiers were lounging around in chairs and under the shady palm trees, cradling M16 rifles and wearing full body army. Humvees were stationed roughly every 100 metres along Jamia Street, guarding other restaurants and fast food chains. There were police pickup trucks stationed outside, too.
KFC and Pizza Hut became the scene of violent protests in May 2024. Iraqis were protesting against the escalating conflict and humanitarian crisis in Gaza, and western food chains like this were seen as emblematic of the root cause of unrest in the Middle East.
Reuters reported that both KFC outlets were targeted, writing that “Initial investigations showed that the restaurants were targeted over the perceived support of U.S.-based brands for Israel amid the war in the Gaza Strip“.
The heavy security wasn’t out of place in Baghdad, but it certainly added a new element to my fast food dining experience. I noticed that Palestinian flags were now flying outside the restaurant entrance, maybe in an effort to appease further potential protestors!
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Cheeky Zinger Burgers in KFC
Nothing says ‘Down to the west’ like attacking a KFC, and inside, I could see why. Photographs of Colonel Sanders and historic KFC memorabilia from the USA adorned the walls, while a big map of the world explained how the chain first arrived in Iraq in 2006.
The Iraq International News Agency reports that the first KFC opened here in Baghdad in 2023, so I presume the 2006 reference is to franchises that opened on US bases in Iraq, rather than in Baghdad itself. KFC restaurants also opened before this in Iraqi Kurdistan.
I love visiting fast food chains in different destinations to see what twists they have on the international menu, but KFC in Baghdad was largely a standard affair. On the menu, there were Zinger Burgers, Filler Boxes, and classic combo meal deals. You could get Pepsi, fries, wraps and buckets of fried chicken. Meals were served with Arabic tomato sauce, and the classic KFC refresher wipes for cleaning those dirty fingers at the end of your meal.
One guy in the restaurant got funny about us filming, maybe because he didn’t want to be seen eating fried chicken when he was supposed to be on a diet. Two other guys were surprised to see Western tourists trying the same fast food we could at home (to be fair, we should probably have been over the road at the Iraqi restaurant, but we had plenty of time to try them all!).
Our group order a cheeky Zinger Burger, and tried the ‘Rizzo Bowl’. The latter was the only Iraqi-speciality on the menu that I’ve never seen anywhere else. It was effectively rice and chicken, but it was surprisingly tasty (and slightly spicy!).
A Zinger Combo Meal cost 10,000 Iraqi Dinar, which is approximately 8 USD (not bad, but a little expensive by Iraqi standards!).
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Veggie Supreme in Pizza Hut
The Pizza Hut next door reminded me of my childhood in Muscat, Oman, when as a kid we’d order the ‘Supreme Pizzas’. Pizza Hut Baghdad had a ‘Supreme’ on the menu, in both vegetarian and meat varieties.
The menu also included classics like Margaritas, the curiously named Cheeky Chicken Pizza, and local, Italian-influenced specialities like the ‘Footlong Lasagne’! For dessert, there were Hershey’s Cookies on offer.
The Pizza Hut order area was upstairs, and wile I was waiting for my pizza to cook, I took a look outside on the terrace. Below, there were armed guards changing shifts and plenty of Humvees patrolling the main road. I was surprised by how good the pizza was. Once it had cooled down, I dug into the stuffed crust and super cheesy toppings. It beat the KFC by a mile in terms of freshness and flavour (and dare I say, it was far, far fresher than any Pizza Hut I’ve ever had in the United Kingdom.)
A Veggie Supreme Pizza with stuffed cheese crust (standard, personal size) cost 22,000 Iraqi Dinar, which works out to be about 17 USD. Again, a little expensive by Iraqi standards. In comparison, a local Iraqi fast food chain just down the road was selling burgers and pizzas for about half the price of KFC and Pizza Hut in Baghdad.
Aside from the Humvees and M-16 wielding soldiers, my experience at KFC and Pizza Hut in Baghdad, Iraq, wasn’t dissimilar to elsewhere in the world. I’d even go as far as to say it was a far superior experience to the UK!
“So, the next time you want to have pizza,” said Ali, a local Baghdadi tour guide who works for Bil Weekend. “Come here, to Baghdad, Iraq!”
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Would you visit Pizza Hut or KFC in Baghdad, Iraq? Let me know in the comments below!
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