Tri-City residents can expect to eat a lot of fried chicken in the coming weeks.
Hi-5 Chicken, a 24-hour fast food chain, and Pelicana Chicken, a global Korean food spot, are both announcing new quick service restaurants here — one in Coquitlam and the other in Port Coquitlam.
This is in addition to Mary Brown's Chicken, which already has a foothold in Port Moody and is opening soon in Port Coquitlam.
They are all going head to head with Popeye's Chicken, which has a following in PoCo.
In short, it appears people can't get enough of fried chicken.
In a news release, Hi-5 announced it is opening in Coquitlam, but didn't provide a location or date.
Here's how it describes its cuisine.
"Dedicated to serving 'the best' fried and roasted chicken, the company uses local suppliers, fresh ingredients and chicken that is marinated for 36 hours. On the menu, you'll find regular and spicy chicken and numerous sides and appetizers. Hi Five also offers chicken sandwiches and wraps."
Meanwhile, Pelicana Chicken, another newcomer to the Tri-City quick service restaurant business hopes to tempt local taste buds with its "unique chicken flavours” and sweet and spicy sauces.
Pelicana Chicken has announced it's opening in Port Coquitlam in a strip mall close to the border with Coquitlam.
Online, the Korean company stated that a new restaurant is "coming soon" at 206-2748 Lougheed Hwy., Port Coquitlam, which is also close to a Signature BC Liquor store.
The announcement comes as Mary Brown's Chicken is opening up a restaurant in PoCo (130-2325 Ottawa St.).
There are as yet no opening dates for the newly-announced fried chicken franchises in the Tri-Cities.
Pelicana Chicken is making a big push in Metro Vancouver, opening up in Burnaby in 2020, and has two more restaurants planned for B.C. in addition to the PoCo franchise.
In a video, Pelicana's cooking method is explained, along with the history of the global giant, that opened in 1981 and now has 3,000 stores around the world.
Viewers are told Koreans didn't eat a lot of meat in those days and fried chicken was served as a treat for special occasions, such as sports tournaments or on field trips, where parents would pack it for lunch.
Pelicana was Korea's first fast-food restaurant, according to the video featuring Lee Yunsoo, assistant director for the company, and interest in Pelicana chicken spread as celebrities were shown eating their fried chicken, which comes with a special pickle, and is often enjoyed with a refreshing beer.
The video says while the idea for fried chicken comes from the west, Koreans found it too bland. Pelicano adds spices, marinates its chicken for several hours, fries it twice, and adds more spices and special sauces to beef up the flavour.
