KFC has announced plans to bring its fried chicken to the slopes of Cortina d’Ampezzo and Madonna di Campiglio in Italy’s Dolomites from 5 December 2026. The announcement drew criticism after early reports described two new fast-food restaurants. On 11 November, Super G, which operates mountain venues at both resorts, clarified that it would add KFC products to its existing menus. Six KFC items will join the menu at the existing ground-floor café at the Faloria refuge in Cortina. Super G said both venues would continue to serve Italian food.
In Cortina, an early image of the proposed outlet drew objections over what the fast-food chain might change at the Faloria refuge. The Faloria Mountain Club sits at 2,123 metres and has a terrace overlooking the Dolomites. “The mere idea is disgraceful,” said Alberico Zardini, a major shareholder in Faloria Spa, the company that manages the ski infrastructure on the mountain. Zardini told Italian newspaper Il Messaggero that he had written to the company’s management and would take legal action if the plans went ahead. Faloria Spa said its board had never approved the image showing KFC branding outside the refuge. The building will keep its current appearance.
Cortina Fried Chicken and Campiglio Fried Chicken 🐔🍗 https://t.co/UBGWu8xARh
— fede (@hymage) November 7, 2026
For skiers, a stop at a mountain refuge is also a chance to try dishes they might rarely see at 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 criticised KFC’s arrival. Paola Demagri, a member of Trentino’s provincial council, said the decision risked selling off part of the mountains’ identity. In Cortina, the café already sells sandwiches, toast and snacks for people who want a quick lunch before heading back out.
In Madonna di Campiglio, Super G plans to serve the KFC selection at its venue in Piana di Nambino, around 1,700 metres above sea level. The operator said visitors would still be able to sit down for an Italian meal or join the afternoon après-ski gatherings, when people meet for drinks after skiing. Super G has yet to say how many KFC items it will offer there. Marzia Farè, KFC Italia’s marketing director, said the company wanted to reach young families and mountain visitors as well as its existing younger customers. The launch forms part of a wider expansion in Italy, where KFC aims to have 185 restaurants by the end of 2026. Super G’s statement gave no prices for the new menu items.
Food has already drawn more visitors than one Dolomites refuge could comfortably accommodate. In August, the Friedrich August refuge in Val di Fassa found itself at the centre of a rush for its freshly baked doughnuts. Food bloggers had shared videos of themselves eating the pastries, known as krapfen, against the backdrop of the mountains. Queues then stretched along the narrow approach to the refuge. Some visitors reportedly camped overnight to buy a doughnut before the morning batch sold out.
Both ski resorts were dealing with pressure from tourism before KFC announced its plans. 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. After recording 23,000 admissions in a single day, Madonna di Campiglio 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. Its lift operator said the aim was to reduce queues and keep the slopes safe during the busiest holiday weeks.
