Picture this: you're carving down a pristine slope in the Italian Dolomites, the air crisp and clean, and you stop at a mountain refuge for lunch. Instead of the usual polenta or dumplings, you're handed a bucket of fried chicken. That's the scenario KFC is cooking up for two of Italy's most beloved ski resorts, and the locals are not amused.
KFC has announced plans to bring its signature fried chicken to the slopes of Cortina d'Ampezzo and Madonna di Campiglio starting 5 December 2026. The news broke in early November, and the backlash was swift. Early reports suggested two full fast-food restaurants would open, but Super G, the operator of mountain venues at both resorts, clarified on 11 November that it would simply add six KFC items to the existing menus. The ground-floor café at the Faloria refuge in Cortina will be the first to serve the new offerings, alongside its current Italian dishes.
The controversy centers on the Faloria Mountain Club, a refuge perched at 2,123 meters with a terrace that overlooks the majestic Dolomites. An early image of the proposed outlet showed KFC branding on the building, which sent shockwaves through the community. Alberico Zardini, a major shareholder in Faloria Spa, the company managing the ski infrastructure, called the idea "disgraceful" and told Italian newspaper Il Messaggero that he had written to management and would pursue legal action if the plans went ahead. Faloria Spa responded that its board never approved the image, and the building's exterior will remain unchanged.
For many skiers, a stop at a mountain refuge is a chance to savor dishes they rarely encounter back home. Italian food publication Gambero Rosso describes a typical lunch between runs as a plate of polenta with braised meat, or canederli, local bread dumplings served with butter. Luigi Casanova of the environmental group Mountain Wilderness singled out polenta and luganega, a local sausage, when he criticized KFC's arrival. Paola Demagri, a member of Trentino's provincial council, warned that the decision risked selling off part of the mountains' identity. The café in Cortina already offers sandwiches, toast, and snacks for those who want a quick bite before heading back out, so the addition of fried chicken feels like a step too far for some.
In Madonna di Campiglio, Super G plans to serve the KFC selection at its venue in Piana di Nambino, around 1,700 meters above sea level. The operator insists that visitors will still be able to enjoy a sit-down Italian meal or join the afternoon après-ski gatherings, where people meet for drinks after skiing. Super G has yet to reveal how many KFC items will be available there. Marzia Farè, KFC Italia's marketing director, said the company aims to reach young families and mountain visitors, as well as its existing younger customers. The launch is part of a broader expansion in Italy, where KFC hopes to have 185 restaurants by the end of 2026. Prices for the new menu items have not been announced.
This isn't the first time food has caused a stir in the Dolomites. In August, the Friedrich August refuge in Val di Fassa became an unexpected hotspot for its freshly baked doughnuts, known as krapfen. Food bloggers shared videos of themselves enjoying the pastries against the mountain backdrop, and soon queues stretched along the narrow approach. Some visitors reportedly camped overnight to buy a doughnut before the morning batch sold out. The trend brought unwanted fame to the refuge, highlighting how food can draw crowds in unexpected ways.
Both ski resorts were already grappling with tourism pressure before KFC's announcement. Ahead of the February 2026 Winter Olympics, residents and campaigners raised concerns about noise and traffic in the Dolomites. Cortina's mayor pointed to nearby Lake Sorapis, where as many as 2,000 visitors can gather at the height of the season. Madonna di Campiglio, after recording 23,000 admissions in a single day, restricted online sales of one-day ski passes on 17 peak dates during the 2025–26 season. Skiers with season passes or multi-day passes could still use the lifts on those dates, but the goal was to reduce queues and keep the slopes safe during the busiest holiday weeks.
For travelers planning a ski trip to the Dolomites, this news adds a new layer to the experience. If you're keen to explore the region's culinary traditions, you might want to check out Europe's best 10 resorts for 2026 to see where else you can find authentic Alpine flavors. And if you're worried about the impact of tourism on fragile mountain environments, Greece's summer wildfire crisis offers a cautionary tale about the pressures of overtourism.
Whether KFC's fried chicken will become a staple on the slopes remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: the debate over what belongs in the mountains is far from over. For now, skiers can still enjoy their polenta and canederli, but the future might just include a side of crispy chicken with a view.
