Fryers and cola dispensers came to a halt across Egypt on Monday, as the Americana Group closed its restaurants for three days of mourning following the death of founder and owner Nasser Al-Kharafi at the weekend.
Temporary closures were announced by advertisements in Egyptian newspapers and affect all outlets owned by the Kuwaiti-owned group, which operates dozens of western-style eateries in the country, including KFC, Pizza Hut, Hardee's, Costa Coffee, Baskin Robbins and TGI Fridays.
Normal business will resume on Thursday.
Kuwaiti billionaire Nasser al-Kharafi died on Saturday night in Cairo, with Kuwait's state news agency KUNA reporting he had suffered from a heart attack.
Founded in Kuwait in 1964, the Americana Group operates in 14 countries with over 45,000 employees and is publicly traded on the Kuwait Stock Exchange.
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