KFC outlets in Korea have scrapped tomatoes from their Zinger Burger, the signature chicken burger menu.

The absence of tomatoes has sparked customer criticism, such as “This is no different from the death of Zinger Burger,” while others highlight it as a clear instance of “Shrinkflation.”

KFC Zinger Burger. /KFC

The absence of tomatoes became official last year when KFC uploaded an image of Zinger Burger without them. Despite this change, the price of the burger remains at 5,500 won ($ 4.18).

Earlier, Chung Yongjin, chairman of South Korea’s retail giant Shinsegae Group, took to Instagram to promote KFC. Upset Korean netizens expressed dissatisfaction on the post, requesting the return of tomatoes to Zinger Burger. In response, KFC CEO Shin Ho-sang explained that the tomato was “removed to accentuate the original flavor of Zinger Burger,” assuring customers that they would not regret trying the remodeled burger made with a global original recipe.

Meanwhile, some patrons claim that KFC is deceiving the public with plausible stories while, in reality, practicing “Shrinkflation.”

Shrinkflation, a compound term of “shrink” and “inflation,” refers to the practice where companies downsize their products while keeping prices unchanged.

Zinger Burger before the renewal. /KFC

Zinger Burger stands alone among its rivals, such as McDonald’s McSpicy Shanghai and Lotteria’s Hot Crispy Burger, to leave out the tomato.

The decision to remove the tomato from the Zinger burger likely aligns with a surge in tomato prices.

The price of tomatoes saw a significant surge of 56.3% over the previous year, according to the February consumer price index released by Korea Statistics on Mar. 6. The upward trend in tomato prices persisted throughout the year, and the gap in the rate of increase expanded notably in February.

Entrance of KFC Apgujeong Rodeo. / Lee Min-a

However, skepticism has risen among patrons that the change in ownership of KFC coincides with the removal of tomatoes from Zinger Burger.

Orchestra Private Equity (Orchestra PE), a domestic private equity fund (PEF) management company, overtook KFC from KG group last year, placing former E-mart24 director Shin Ho-sang as the chairman.

Amid the company’s active expansion of its stores through franchise business, concerns have surfaced regarding the franchise restaurant prioritizing a veneer look over the cherished flavor loved by consumers for the past 30 years.