In a move that has sparked considerable debate across Australia, fast-food giant KFC launched its version of the beloved Vietnamese sandwich, the bánh mì, in early November. Dubbed the Zinger bánh mì, this limited-time offering will conclude its run in December, leaving many to question its purpose and execution.
The Dannii Minogue of Chicken Sandwiches
Food critics and consumers alike have been quick to point out the sandwich's fundamental shortcomings. Described as "the Dannii Minogue of chicken sandwiches," the KFC creation shares the name but little else with its traditional counterpart. The experience begins with a disappointing first bite—no characteristic crunch or crackle from the bread roll, which serves as an undemanding prerequisite given that "bánh mì" simply means bread.
Instead of the traditional ingredients that define this Vietnamese staple, customers find a slaw of cabbage, carrot and cucumber, a whisper of coriander, a fried chicken fillet, mayonnaise and a slightly spicy, barbecue-adjacent "supercharged" sauce. Conspicuously absent are the pâté, pickled daikon, and the customary offer of chilli that define an authentic bánh mì experience.
Cultural Concerns and Community Response
Jasmine Dinh, second-generation owner of Bánh Mì Bảy Ngộ in Bankstown, Sydney, expressed her concerns after trying the KFC version. "You can't put a sliver of coriander and then call it a bánh mì," she stated. Her family's shop, opened in 1988 by her late parents, maintains traditional preparation methods, with staff slicing cucumbers and chillies by hand and using secret family recipes for mayonnaise and pâté.
Dr Sukhmani Khorana, an associate professor at the University of New South Wales who researches media and migration, suggests there's reason to be "a little bit suspicious" when multinational chains attempt to profit from migrant foods. "They are interested in convenience and mass production, and not in cultural continuity or cultural pride for migrant communities," she explains.
The True Spirit of Bánh Mì in Australia
Beyond the Vietnamese community, the bánh mì has achieved remarkable mainstream acceptance in Australia. The Vietnamese Banh Mi Appreciation Society, a Facebook group with 161,000 members, dwarfs similar communities dedicated to burgers (94,000) and meat pies (49,000). Even Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has been photographed with his favourite from Marrickville Pork Roll.
Anna Duong, whose parents founded K&H Hot Bread Bakery in Brunswick, Melbourne in 1993, describes the mark of a good bánh mì as one so crunchy "the bread crumbs end up on your pants." Her sister Emily represents a rare second-generation bánh mì business owner, signalling a cultural shift in how these establishments operate.
The pricing also reveals telling differences. While KFC's version costs $9.95 before optional bacon and cheese, Bánh Mì Bảy Ngộ's most expensive offering, the roast pork, sells for $9.50. More importantly, as the article's author concludes after returning to their local shop, traditional bánh mì represents more than just a meal—it's part of life's significant moments, from birthdays to funerals, while the KFC version remains merely a limited-time offering.
