The reported location of the restaurant was near Tajrish Square in northern Tehran.
Tajrish was—and remains—one of the capital’s best-known areas. Located near the northern foothills of the Alborz Mountains, it had long been an important commercial and residential district. The area was known for its markets, shops, restaurants, and access to northern Tehran.
Opening an American fast-food restaurant there would have placed it in a busy and prominent part of the city.
According to the account, the restaurant opened in June 1978 and was associated with Colonel Harland Sanders, the founder and public face of Kentucky Fried Chicken. Some versions of the story further claim that Sanders himself traveled to Iran with his wife for the opening.
That particular detail has become an important part of the legend surrounding the restaurant, although it is a claim that should be treated cautiously unless supported by contemporary documentation.
Nevertheless, whether or not every detail of the opening story can be independently established, the broader historical context is clear: American consumer brands were present in pre-revolutionary Iran, and a KFC restaurant was reportedly operating in Tehran during the final months of the Pahlavi period.
For customers entering the restaurant, the experience would have been very different from eating at a traditional Iranian restaurant.
