When I walked past Rocket Chicken 2 in Parepare I assumed it was a shit local KFC knock-off that had at least 2 locations. As it turns out, I had stumbled across one of the big franchise success stories in Indonesia.
And while it did not make my previous list of top fast food restaurants in Indonesia, it is obviously a bit of a big deal, as well as not being all that bad.
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Table of Contents
The Rocket Chicken Story
Rocket Chicken was founded by Nurul Atik on 21 February 2010, with the first outlet opening in Semarang. Atik had already worked in the fast food industry before deciding to build an Indonesian alternative aimed at the mass market. The business grew through a franchise, or more accurately partnership, model, allowing local entrepreneurs to open their own Rocket Chicken outlets using the brand, equipment, training, recipes and operating system.
The early investment was relatively cheap, which helped the chain spread rapidly outside the major cities. By 2019 Rocket Chicken said it had 486 outlets and around 6,000 employees. More recent reports put the chain at more than 1,000 outlets across Indonesia. The current investment for a partnership is around Rp200 million, or roughly US$12,000, although the actual cost varies depending on the package and location.
This though is where things get interesting and where it reminds me of CP Five Star in Cambodia, or Dicos and Wallace Fried Chicken in China. It is a brand that you find in the boonies before the “big guns” decide that it is worth their entry. This is a cheap franchise to provide working class fast food!
The Rocket Chicken Menu
The menu is basically cheap Indonesian fast food, with fried chicken being the obvious star, but there is plenty of other stuff including burgers, chicken steak, noodles, rice dishes and drinks. Where Rocket Chicken gets particularly Indonesian is with the sambal, with Ayam Geprek, Sambal Matah and Sambal Terasi all featuring on the menu. Prices vary a little between outlets, but it is still seriously cheap by Western fast food standards.
Some example prices are:
- Rocket 1: rice, chicken wing and iced tea, around Rp15,600 (US$0.95)
- Rocket 2: rice, chicken steak and iced tea, around Rp21,500 (US$1.30)
- Rocket 3: rice, chicken breast or upper thigh and iced tea, around Rp22,500 (US$1.36)
- Rocket 4: fried rice and iced tea, around Rp21,250 (US$1.29)
- Rocket 5: rice, chicken strips and iced tea, around Rp22,500 (US$1.36)
- Rocket 6: chicken burger and Milo, around Rp26,250 (US$1.59)
- Rocket 8: rice, lower chicken thigh and Milo, around Rp27,500 (US$1.67)
- Chicken wing: around Rp13,750 (US$0.83)
- Chicken breast: around Rp16,250 (US$0.98)
- Chicken upper thigh: around Rp16,250 (US$0.98)
- Chicken steak: around Rp16,250 (US$0.98)
- Chicken strips, 3 pieces: around Rp15,000 (US$0.91)
- Chicken burger: around Rp18,750 (US$1.14)
- Chicken cheese burger: around Rp21,250 (US$1.29)
- French fries: around Rp12,500 (US$0.76)
- Nasi goreng: around Rp17,500 (US$1.06)
- Ayam Geprek: around Rp17,500 to Rp20,000 (US$1.06 to US$1.21)
- Geprek Sambal Terasi: around Rp17,500 to Rp20,000 (US$1.06 to US$1.21)
- Geprek Keju: around Rp19,375 to Rp22,500 (US$1.17 to US$1.36)
- Chicken Cheesy Level: around Rp17,500 to Rp20,000 (US$1.06 to US$1.21)
- Jus Durian: around Rp11,250 (US$0.68)
- Durian Float: around Rp13,750 (US$0.83)
- Milkshake Float: around Rp13,750 (US$0.83)
- Es Teh: around Rp5,000 (US$0.30)
So you can eat a full chicken, rice and drink meal for roughly a dollar or two, depending on exactly what you order and which branch you are in.
Rocket Chicken Pare Pare 2
I stumbled in here after a glass of Moo Moo milk and in search of the street food Parepare scene (link to TSFG). This was for curiosity and as ever to be adulterous to the Colonel. You see, when I do this I appreciate how great he is.
The layout, art and sizes listed on the walls was pretty good, as was the “official menu”. In fact, all they had was two bits of chicken on display, of which I chose one.
It was no KFC, like at all, being a bit dry and meh. But I lathered it in Sambal and much like with McDonald’s in Indonesia, when you add hot sauce it becomes good.
Where the Parepare 2 Rocket Chicken
Rocket Chicken Pare Pare 2
Samping BCA Finance
Jl. Bau Massepe
Cappa Galung, Bacukiki Barat
Parepare, South Sulawesi 91122
Indonesia
Tel: +62 878 8115 8723
So, yeah, don’t go in expecting KFC, BUT I would certainly go back if only for an authentic Indonesian fast food experience, much as you get in places like A&W.