MUMBAI/NEW DELHI: Indians are eating more chicken — in the form of nuggets, wings, sandwiches and wraps — than burgers, having outpaced the category in the quick-service restaurant (QSR) market.A household spent $1.2 on average last year on chicken compared with $0.9 on burgers, according to Euro monitor data sourced from industry officials. In the year before, both subcategories tied at $0.9. The overall size of the chicken fast food market is $306.9 million against $239.8 million for burgers, which was bigger two years ago. Pizza dominates the western QSR segment at $448.1 million.Surprisingly, this isn’t driven by Yum Brands that has been posting negative growth numbers and has shut dozens of KFC outlets in the last two years. Instead, burger makers seem to be broadening their menus."We have noticed that customers today are increasingly seeking more variety and value-oriented products and are willing to experiment with bite-sized dishes and finger foods as it allows more flavours to be indulged in," said Ranjit Paliath, vice president, business operations, McDonald’s India (west and south).In India, chicken consumption is growing at around 12 per cent a year, according to the National Sample Survey Office Report 2014, making it one of the fastest growing markets in the world. McDonald’s recently introduced its first customized regional offering in the south-chicken wings, where more than half the consumers prefer vegetarian fare. Domino’s also offers chicken wings and strips while Burger King has chicken chilli cheezos and nuggets on the menu.Companies feel consumers see chicken items as offering greater value for money while being priced at levels similar to vegetarian dishes despite having higher nutritional value."The eating out market is mainly driven by young consumers who are not really constrained by traditional food choices. Also, most food lovers generally talk about chicken tikka more than choley bhaturey, even if they like both. This helps in propagating non-vegetarian dishes, especially on social media and food apps," said Revant Bhate, head of marketing at food delivery company Faasos that gets nearly 75 per cent of revenue from chicken despite the menu being equally divided among all meal types.The QSR industry has been subdued over the past two years with consumers not eager to spend amid economic uncertainty.The big chains such as Yum, McDonald’s and Jubilant FoodWorks — which operates Domino’s Pizza and Dunkin’ Donuts — have reported negative or single-digit growth.Experts said companies are launching menu options including chicken to suit palates across gender and age groups. "Chicken wings are more popular among adults whereas nuggets are more fast moving with teens and women. Chicken wing meat is more tender and juicy plus the meat structure helps to enrobe flavours to enhance taste. Nuggets are more convenient, less messy, crisp and juicy so they fit well within the on-the-go food concept," said Sanjiv Mediratta, a veteran in the QSR space and now with a leading coffee chain.