Finger-licking chicken is kicking the trend of the high street as KFC has announced plans for major expansion.

Eastern Daily Press: Professor Joshua Bamfield, director of the Centre of Retail Research. Picture: Joshua BamfieldProfessor Joshua Bamfield, director of the Centre of Retail Research. Picture: Joshua Bamfield (Image: Joshua Bamfield)

The fast food chain has revealed it is set to open seven drive-thrus in Norfolk in the near future, just some of 536 new outlets.

However the news comes on the tail of significant closures of chain restaurants owned by The Restaurant Group.

Just last week the chain announced it would be closing 76 Frankie & Benny's sites as well as 42 other restaurants.

MORE: Seven new KFC drive-thrus to open in NorfolkJust last week the chain announced it would be closing 76 Frankie & Benny's sites as well as 42 other restaurants.

These will be made up of other brands owned by the group, including Wagamama, Chiquito and Coast to Coast.

Professor Joshua Bamfield, director of the Centre for Retail Research, has shed some light on why fast food is flourishing where the mainstream is collapsing.

MORE: The best and worst KFC restaurants in Norfolk according to TripAdvisorHe said: "Companies like KFC, McDonald's and Burger King have been doing well in recent years, mirroring a global switch to meat-based fast food."

However he said that the switch was not down to price - with KFC being on average eight to 12 times cheaper than the likes of Jamie Oliver's or Carluccio's - but was down to changing tastes.

He explained: "There has recently been growing interest in chicken: as shown by the growth of smaller 'chicken shops' in metropolitan areas. A lot of consumers have always liked the KFC style of chicken, it's quite crunchy and has a positive taste and the number of these seems to be growing. No doubt KFC wants to knock many independents off their perch as well by growing at the expense of independents."

He added: "Hamburgers, being beef-based, are out of bounds for Hindus and some other religions and beef gets a bad rap on the grounds of 'red meat' - these factors may make KFC eating more popular than in the past."

He added that KFC's choice to open drive-thrus in Norfolk reflected its desire to provide a solution for a convenience-driven meal.

And on the topic of last year's PR scandal, which saw the restaurant run out of chicken, Professor Bamfield said: "The new announcements of KFC's major growth over most of the UK show that the problems of supply and ordering are behind them."

He added: "Last month, KFC in Atlanta launched it's meatless (plant-based) KFC meal, which sold out very quickly. I think they will bring it over to Norwich as soon as they can."