Fried chicken is coming to two of Italy's most glamorous ski resorts, and the reception has been icy. KFC has confirmed it will start selling a limited menu at Cortina d'Ampezzo and Madonna di Campiglio from 5 December, part of a wider push to grow its Italian footprint from 150 restaurants this year to 185 by the end of 2026. The company says the mountain move is aimed at winning over younger, Gen Z customers.

Not everyone is ordering a bucket. Alberico Zardini, a majority shareholder in Faloria Spa, which runs the lift infrastructure on Mount Faloria above Cortina, called the idea of a fast-food outlet in "the most beautiful spot in Cortina" absurd and shameful. Social media was similarly scathing, with critics arguing that American fast food has no business in a country with Italy's food culture — and that the Dolomites' overheated, overdeveloped hotspots hardly need another global brand.

There is a grain of truth in that frustration. The region has been wrestling with overtourism fuelled by viral Instagram and TikTok posts; some popular trails have logged as many as 8,000 walkers in a single day. Several commenters pointed out that local businesses themselves helped fuel the transformation, converting traditional mountain huts and family hotels into luxury resorts — so the arrival of a fast-food chain feels less like a bolt from the blue.

In the end, the backlash seems to have done some good. According to Italian food publication Gambero Rosso, plans for two standalone KFC restaurants have been scaled back. Instead, the chain will sell just six products through existing cafés on the slopes, which keeps their look and identity intact. Details on pricing and exactly which items make the cut have not yet been announced, and KFC Italia has yet to comment publicly.

For travellers, the story is a useful snapshot of where the Dolomites are right now. Cortina d'Ampezzo — which co-hosted the 1956 Winter Olympics and will host again in 2026 — and Madonna di Campiglio are polished, pricey resorts drawing an international crowd, and global brands are following the money. If you prize traditional rifugio food (think polenta, canederli and hearty mountain plates), you can still find it, but expect queues, booked-out huts and a battle for tables in peak weeks. A little advance planning — and a willingness to ski or hike beyond the most-photographed spots — goes a long way toward finding the quieter, more authentic side of these mountains.

Whether the six-item KFC menu will charm hungry skiers or become another symbol of the region's commercial creep, we'll find out when the lifts start spinning in December.