Fast-food
‘chicken war’ sparks political cockfight in Paris suburb
Explainer
France
A French
mayor’s attempt to bar a popular fast-food outlet from selling “junk food” has
kicked off a bitter feud in the Paris suburb of Saint-Ouen, giving France’s
fractious left yet another subject to wrangle over.
Issued
on: 28/04/2026 - 20:51
Modified:
29/04/2026 - 09:56
By:
Benjamin
DODMAN
An
emerging figure in France’s Socialist Party, Saint-Ouen Mayor Karim Bouamrane,
has been described as a future contender for the Élysée Palace – a notion he
himself has entertained.
But for
now, the 53-year-old is locked in a highly publicised tussle with a fast-food
outlet selling grilled chicken, located just a stone’s throw from his town hall
on the northern edge of Paris.
Bouamrane
has tried everything in his power – and beyond – to prevent the popular
fast-food chain Master Poulet (Master Chicken) from opening a store on
Saint-Ouen's busiest junction, including by placing large concrete blocks in
front of its entrance.
When a
court ordered him to remove the blocks last week, he swiftly replaced them with
a row of oversized flowerpots, justifying his actions in the name of the fight
against “junk food”.
Master
Poulet has hit back with a string of provocative banners taunting the mayor, to
the delight of social media users who have likened the bitter standoff to the
blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
The
“chicken war” has cast a spotlight on a youth-driven craze that is transforming
French high streets, particularly in working-class areas like Saint-Ouen where
such stores are increasingly ubiquitous.
It has
also exposed deep divisions on the left between advocates of quality food and
their opponents who accuse them of sponsoring gentrification.
‘The
people’s chicken’
Chicken
shops in France have been opening at a faster rate than all other fast-food
outlets, selling inexpensive “comfort food” that is popular with students and
low-wage workers. Their rapid rise mirrors trends witnessed in other European
countries such as the UK, where they are supplanting fish and chips takeaways.
Master
Poulet sold 10,000 tonnes of poultry in 2025 across its 50 outlets, mostly in
the Paris region. It is just one in a growing list of chains that includes such
brands as Chicken Street, Poulet Addict, Pouletos and Crousti Poulet.
Chicken
is a cheaper protein source than other meats or fish and is also easier to
procure in large quantities. At Master Poulet, customers can eat a spicy
chicken drumstick and a tub of potatoes for less than 4 euros, making it far
more accessible than traditional fast-food chains like Burger King or
McDonald’s.
The
dispute in Saint-Ouen as earned the shop glowing reviews online, with users
hailing “the people’s chicken” and mocking Bouamrane as a “wannabe Obama”.
It’s a
losing battle for the mayor, at least on social media platforms awash with
images of golden-coated strips of chicken dripping with sauce.
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But
chains like Master Poulet have their critics, too – starting with residents
angered by their long queues, late opening hours and the constant smell of
fried chicken.
Nutritionists
routinely warn against products that are too fat, too sweet, and the lack of
vegetables. The French poultry industry has also complained, noting that their
chicken is sourced from outside France and with fewer sanitary safeguards.
Bouamrane
echoed many of those grievances in a social media post on Saturday, from
“odours affecting residents” to “late deliveries, sometimes as late as 2am”. He
also noted that Saint-Ouen already has numerous other outlets selling fried or
grilled chicken.
“I am
ensuring that the commercial landscape does not simply become a cluster of
identical establishments,” he wrote, stressing the need to promote “quality
food from a young age”.
Political
twist
Located a
few steps away from Bouamrane’s office, the contentious chicken shop is at the
heart of a busy crossroads that bears witness to the transformation of
Saint-Ouen, a once scruffy suburb known for its iconic flea market – and which
hosted the athletes’ village during the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The
Master Poulet shop sits next to the entrance to Paris metro’s recently extended
Line 14. It also faces the “Bouillon du Coq” restaurant opened by celebrated
chef Thierry Marx – a symbol of the town’s gentrification, which Bouamrane’s
critics on the left accuse him of fostering.
The mayor
of Saint-Ouen has emerged as a staunch critic of the hard-left France unbowed
(LFI), refusing to team up with the party of firebrand Jean-Luc Mélenchon in
recent mayoral elections.
The
rivalry has thrust the “chicken war” at the heart of the battle for control of
the French capital’s northern suburbs – the bedrock of Mélenchon’s support and
a key launchpad for his likely presidential run next year.
During a
visit to the Master Poulet shop on Saturday, local LFI lawmaker Éric Coquerel
denounced the “administrative harassment” carried out by the mayor of
Saint-Ouen and called on the police prefect to intervene on behalf of the
establishment.
Coquerel,
who heads the finance committee at the French National Assembly, accused
Bouamrane of “abuse of power” and of “favouring shops that are not affordable
for everyone”.
It’s not
the first time rival left-wing parties spar on the issue of class and dietary
habits.
In the
run-up to the last presidential election in 2022, Communist Party candidate
Fabien Roussel grabbed headlines by peppering his speeches and interviews with
talk of juicy beef steaks as “the essence of French cuisine”. His critics on
the left, including the Greens, he denounced as moralising elites that cater
only to the concerns of urban middle classes.
Reflecting
on the “chicken war”, French daily Libération deplored the practice of
hijacking societal debates through “slogans, punchlines and parodies”.
“In an
area dominated by fast-food outlets, the question of yet another chain is by no
means a trivial matter – nor are health and safety standards to be taken
lightly,” the paper wrote, lamenting the fact that “legitimate discussions
about junk food have been turned into a circus on social media".
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