Vegetarian-Only! Domino's, KFC And Other Food Chains Go Meatless In Ayodhya

Ayodhya has been witnessing a surge in visitors since the consecration of the Ram Temple. Both tourists and locals eagerly want to catch a glimpse of Lord Ram.

Giant food chains like KFC, Domino's, and Pizza Hut are not serving non-vegetarian food items, but they are still welcoming guests in large numbers at their Ayodhya outlets.

Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC), known for serving fried chicken, is currently located on the Ayodhya-Lucknow highway because of its non-vegetarian food. Now, the entity is allowed to operate near the Ram Temple with the condition that it should serve only vegetarian food from the menu.

Ayodhya is the birthplace of Lord Ram; hence, to maintain the sacredness of the temple, the city has imposed restrictions on serving liquor and meat within the 'Panch Kosi Parikrama Marg,' a 15-kilometre area around the temple town. Restaurants wishing to offer non-vegetarian cuisines have to operate outside this defined area.

Located just a kilometre from the Ram temple, one of the branches of Domino's Pizza is packed with customers who crave Western food but prefer pure vegetarian places.

Seeing the boom in the business of its competitor, one of the Pizza Hut outlets that is located eight kilometres away from the newly integrated Ram Temple wishes to open a new branch in the proximity of the temple. Although the present location of the food chain falls outside the restricted zone, it still serves vegetarian food only, respecting the sanctity of the believers.

Vishal Singh, a government official in Ayodhya, said, "We have offers from big food chain outlets to set up their shops in Ayodhya. We welcome them with open arms, but there is only one restriction: they should not serve non-veg food items inside the Panch Kosi. KFC has set up its unit on the Ayodhya-Lucknow highway because we do not allow non-vegetarian food items here. We are ready to provide even KFC space if it decides to sell only vegetarian items."

Kamlesh Srivastava, president of the Bhartiya Janta Party in Ayodhya, states that the administration is endeavoring to cater to devotees nationwide by introducing renowned restaurant franchises to the city. The Ayodhya Development Authority intends to set up a food plaza at Chaudhary Charan Singh Ghat, with the project already underway and expected to be completed soon, ensuring the availability of diverse cuisine options for visitors.