Fast food in China from past to present

YU ZHILIN, 23, from Weihai Shandong province, who is an avid KFC toy collector.

How did you become a KFC toy collector?

The first toy I got was by accident. I had been dreaming about having a KFC meal for months after watching its TV commercials. My dream finally came true at the age of 12 when I was rewarded with a KFC meal for getting good grades in school.

The toy came as an extra bonus because I had the Happy Kids' Meal. It was a blue plastic Doraemon that can be remotely controlled by sound. It was so exquisite and fun that I lost interest in many of the other toys that my parents bought for me. I stopped counting the number of KFC toys I own about two years ago - it's just too much work. Back then, the figure exceeded 1,300.

Are you still collecting KFC toys? Why?

Yes, I am still trying to collect as many KFC toys as possible. I think the amount I have now accounts for about one-third of what KFC has introduced in China. When I first started, it was mainly a competition with my peers to see who can get the latest collectible first since having a KFC meal was a very big deal back then. This gradually turned into a hobby and it is thankfully not a very expensive one to have. I think I will keep collecting as long as KFC introduces new toys.

I have never thought about selling my toys, though I know some of them can fetch high prices on online auction platforms. But I always want to set up a space at a kindergarten or primary school in an underprivileged region so that the kids there can play with the toys.

Did you face any problems in collecting these toys?

The early years were difficult mainly because of money and distance. I had to be on my best behavior in order to earn a 20 yuan "KFC fund" from my mom. As I wanted to save on the 5-yuan bus fare, I would walk 40 minutes to and from the only KFC in my hometown. Doing so also allowed me to use the savings to enjoy a secret KFC meal that my mother did not know about.

When I grew older, it was the obsession with getting a complete collection that was tiring. Once, I had five kids' meals and visited all seven outlets in my hometown within a day.

Do you collect other toys?

Yes, I have 500 or so toys from animations and upward of 300 from McDonald's. But I focus on collecting KFC toys because they came to my hometown first.