May 6/London/Daily Mail -- KFC is to start serving halal-only chicken in a number of its [London] outlets. The fast-food chain is trying the move in areas with large Muslim populations. The halal branches will also remove the Big Daddy burger from the menu as it contains bacon, which Muslims cannot eat.

Over the next few months, KFC will monitor customer reaction in the chosen outlets, and if the feedback is positive, it reports the outlets will remain halal-only.

Also, if the scheme is a success, the company is expected to introduce it in dozens more branches across the country.

So far, eight London outlets have made the move to sell only halal chicken. They have all been approved by the Halal Food Authority. KFC says it has only converted branches where there are other non-halal ones within a two-mile radius.

Marketing chief Jennelle Tilling said the move was designed to make KFC "available to a broader range of customers."

In February, Dominos Pizza converted an outlet in Birmingham to be halal-only, but the move prompted complaints from several customers who were not able to order pizzas containing pepperoni, sausage, meatballs or bacon.

From the May 11, 2009, Prepared Foods E-dition