Transformation Interview with Maz, CEO of Perfict Chicken

Interviewed By Cosmo Soave-Smith

Maz, CEO of Perfict Chicken, muses on chicken shop tech trends and the impact of vegetarianism on fried chicken.

‘People are getting bere conscious about their impacts and like, if the mandem stop eating meat then we’re gonna have to up our cobb game.’

How have you seen your business change over the last 10 years? 

People are much more open to coming in for a snack on the go. Back in the day it was generally just meals but now we see more on-the-go eating. Cos of that we’ve adapted our menu – we got more small things like wings or strips. We’ve also got 2-strip burger and 2 fries for £2 which is a deal Fazul came up with when he was painting the back room with masonry paint. We’re not quite sure who it caters for but mostly people get it because it’s £2 which is nothing.

How has technology impacted the traditional side of your business?

People spend more time looking at their phones and less time asking us how we are. Sometimes it’s nice to just be asked how long the chicken’s been out for. Other than that we got a digital egg-timer which is boss because the old mechanical one was bere annoying. Handling something that’s egg-shaped with oily hands is a nightmare mate.

What trends have you observed in 2017/18?

We’re selling bere more chicken wraps. I guess because people are trying to eat less bread or something ‘cos of gluten or Gwyneth Paltrow. Problem is that wraps don’t absorb mayo like the burger buns do, so for me I’m not interested. People are also asking more about what sauces we got. Customisation innit. There was this one brer who asked for harissa the other day. Kaif was in stitches. The guys face was jokes when Kaif told him this ain’t whole foods and threw a lemon wipe at him. He can throw them like ninja stars! It was funnier at the time.

What technology are you excited about implementing to your core offering?

We’re mainly hoping to get the chip fryer safety checked but other than that VR looks pretty jokes. Like if you were here in the chicken shop but while you were waiting you could be in the VR on a farm looking at all the chickens being happy and that. Actually that’s kind of deep maybe that’s not a good idea. But you could be in a casino with bare girls. Next thing you know your chicken is ready but you’re not finished at the craps table and you end up buying more chicken so you can go back in the VR thing again. Actually that’s a banging idea. We’ll definitely be trialling that as soon as I get a new phone upgrade.

What does the chicken shop of the future look like?

Probably like Maccers now where they have the touch screens. We haven’t got the money for all that so Fazul thought people might just want to text us what they want. He had his mobile number printed by the door where you come in but people just kept phoning him up and calling him a dickhead so he took it down. Face-to-face orders only now.

Can you think of another time when innovation has had a negative impact in your industry?

I dunno really. I guess it went wrong just after the chicken bubble burst in 1998 and people started panicking and started offering ribs as well. Chicken and ribs sounded like a great idea but in reality no man was coming here for ribs. I tell you, check any chicken shop that has ribs on the sign and I guarantee they don’t got any ribs any more. Just curt answers and an embarrassed face innit. But if they do have ribs politely decline because they are truly butters.

What worries you at night?

Vegans innit. People are getting bere conscious about their impacts and like, if the mandem stop eating meat then we’re gonna have to up our cobb game. But at the moment our sweetcorn is proper dutty. It mainly just sits in the show rack for 2-3 days in a row before we can shift it. We might have to say it’s organic or something that’s why it’s mostly brown.

Where have you been able to positively impact revenue targets/sales with innovative thinking?

Well, Wazeed saw KFC were selling 2 wings for a quid, and back then we were doing 5 for a quid, so now we do 3 for a quid. That was a pretty sick idea cos we’re selling less wings for the same price innit. And no one’s moaning. Well, the youts are moaning but allow them they’re small we can just push them out the shop or tell them they’re not old enough to have rights.