Yum China Adds Machines, not Workers, as It Expands Store Network

Many stores now feature touch-screen panels where customers place orders. In several Chinese cities, KFC robots serve up soft serve ice cream cones

(Nikkei Asia) — Yum China's network of KFC and Pizza Hut outlets kept growing right through the Covid pandemic even as the size of its workforce held steady, the group's chief executive said Wednesday.

"We increased our stores but without increasing the total number of staff," said Joey Watt on a call with analysts and investors, highlighting Yum China's investments in artificial intelligence (AI) and digital technologies to support operations and training.