KFC, Pizza Hut workers in Türkiye urge Yum! Brands take action
File photo shows KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken) and Pizza Hut restaurant signs at CityWalk, Universal Studios Hollywood in Los Angeles, U.S. (Adobe Stock Photo)
Workers at KFC and Pizza Hut restaurants in Türkiye have called on the parent company, U.S-based Yum! Brands to clarify the future of their workplaces after the Turkish franchise operator, Is Gida, filed for concordatum ─a legal debt restructuring process.
Abdurrahim Seven, a manager at one of Türkiye’s 283 KFC restaurants, urged Yum! Brands CEO David Gibbs and incoming KFC CEO Scott Mezvinsky to address the issue in a LinkedIn post on Tuesday.
“We, thousands of employees, are still hoping for positive news from Yum! Brands. Regarding the Türkiye operation, we are not telling you to come or go—we just want a clear statement so we can plan our lives accordingly,” Seven wrote.
‘Make us feel like a part of your family’
Serkan Yilmaz, a regional manager at KFC, criticized Yum! Brands’ silence, recalling the company’s previous commitments.
“During international visits, you said at the opening of the 300th restaurant, ‘We are always behind you, we are here for you.’ We hope that you make us feel like a part of your family and your brand,” Yilmaz stated.
On Jan. 8, Yum! Brands announced the termination of its franchise agreement with Is Gida, citing the operator’s failure to meet necessary quality standards. As a result, restaurant closures began across Türkiye, although some larger locations continued operations.
Nearly three weeks later, on Jan. 28, Is Gida, which manages 537 KFC and Pizza Hut outlets in Türkiye and employs over 6,000 workers, sought legal protection by filing for concordatum. In response, the court granted the company a temporary three-month period to restructure its debts and prevent bankruptcy.
