Bermudian market, Kentucky Fried Chicken is going Italian! Well, not entirely.

The venerable fried chicken restaurant will continue to provide the chicken, biscuits and salads that has made it as much of an institution in Bermuda as it is in Louisville or Los Angeles. But KFC is now offering a variety of traditional or deep-pan pizzas from its newly expanded Queen Street location.

The pizzas, which will come in four different sizes and a multitude of styles, will be available for delivery, pick-up or on-the-spot dining. Pizza lovers can also create their own pizzas or choose from no less than nine specialty offerings. Among the specialty pizzas are: the Super Supreme (which consists of beef, ham, Italian sausage, pepperoni, pork, green peppers, mushrooms, olives and onions), the Hawaiian (ham and pineapple), the Cheese Lover's (mozzarella, cheddar and Monterey Jack) and the Bermuda Isle (Portuguese hot sausage, onions and green peppers). Others include the Supreme, the Meat Lover's, the Pepperoni Lover's, the Veggie Lover's and the Barbecued Chicken Pizza. Says KFC franchise president Mr. Ian Paton: "We've had virtually the same menu at KFC for the last several years. A diversified menu -- including hamburgers and fish sandwiches -- was attempted before, but we went back to selling only chicken. "Now we're moving away from that .'' And why pizza? "Bermudians love pizza,'' Mr. Paton says. "It was natural that when we next expanded it would be with pizza.'' He added: "We're in the customer business.

If it's something our customers want, we're going to provide it.'' And KFC is trying to satisfy as many types of customers as possible. In addition to the selection of specialty pizzas it is offering, KFC has arranged for clients to create their own "masterpizzas'' with toppings that include bacon, hot peppers and anchovies. Customers can further choose between deep-pan and "thin `n' crispy'' and among four different sizes: 14-inch, 12-inch, nine-inch and six-inch personal pan pizzas for those with smaller appetites.

Adds Ms Mya Fitzsimmons, KFC's director of operations in Bermuda: "People won't have to wait too long for their pizza. Specialty pizzas will be pre-prepared and waiting when customers come in, while the create-your-own will take about 15 to 20 minutes. We're going for 15.'' Ms Fitzsimmons says that pizza delivery routes are currently being mapped and should cover the entire Island eventually. Delivery, which is free, will be "up and running'' by the end of December, she says. Incidentally, pizza won't be the only new feature on KFC's menu. Among the corresponding offerings are a number of "pizza buddies'' that include cheesy pan sticks (bread sticks with or without cheese), cheesy garlic bread chunks and fresh garden salad. Two types of pasta -- lasagna and spaghetti -- round out the Italian-inspired menu. As Ms Fitzsimmons says: "There's really something for everybody. Basically we just wanted to target the family market, to open a restaurant that people could bring their children to.'' Pizza, pasta and families -- now that's Italian.

of traditional or deep-pan pizzas as well as their finger lickin' good chicken.