Whether you love it or despise it, McDonalds has successfully infiltrated the Indian market according to branding expert Preeti Chaturvedi.

In a paper published through the World Advertising Research Center (WARC), Chaturvedi points out that while countless fast food franchises that have attempted to open in the sub-continent, McDonalds has not only lasted the distance, it’s branching out and is opening more outlets due to its effective marketing strategies.

“When McDonald’s India launched in 1996, urban Indians in Mumbai and Delhi typically ate out three to fives times a month, according to AT Kearney, the management consultancy.

“In the 12 years since then, that average frequency has doubled and analysts forecast that by 2011 the Indian quick service restaurant market will be worth about $6.3 billion.”

The first Indian McDonald’s outlet opened in Mumbai in 1996. Since then, outlets have begun trading in metropolitan and bigger towns across the country.

Amit Jatia, managing director of McDonalds India, says “The past decade has witnessed a marked change in Indian consumption patterns, especially in terms of food. Households in middle, upper, and high-income categories now have higher disposable income per member and a propensity to spend more.”

The interest of fast food multi-nationals in the Eastern regions is well documented. A recent book, KFC in China, published by Jon Wiley & Sons, follows the rise of the chicken giant in a country that has heavily restricted international investment.

I wonder what Colonel Sanders would have to say about that…