KFC is embarking on a comprehensive brand transformation that promises an enriched menu along with refreshed branding and restaurant aesthetics.
“The brand is set to open a new generation of spaces designed for hospitality, not just efficiency, with environments that feel more dynamic and adapt throughout the day to meet different occasions,” the fried chicken chain announced in a recent news release detailing the revamp.
The initial manifestation of these redesigned spaces is an open-concept establishment in McKinney, Texas, which aims to blend the brand’s classic charm with a modern twist. This innovative venue is slated to open by late summer.
This prototype restaurant will be known as Open House, as shared by KFC President Catherine Tan-Gillespie during an interview with Restaurant Business.
According to reports, this concept will be trialed close to KFC’s parent company, Yum! Brands’ headquarters, in Plano, Texas, highlighting the brand’s commitment to innovation in its home territory.
“We’re taking the idea that we can do all the things with our system, but how do we jolt the system and jump forward a decade?” Tan-Gillespie said.
“What would the reinvention of KFC look like if the (founder) Colonel (Sanders) was here today? How do we take all of his legacy, his DNA, to a next-generation concept?”
Table service, a drive-thru and takeout will be part of the Open House restaurant, Restaurant Business reported.
“It’s the idea of serving hot chicken in a warm and welcoming environment with a bold new restaurant design,” Tan-Gillespie said. “It’s the reinvention of product, promotion and place.”
Along with the “next-gen restaurants,” KFC announced several menu additions.
The company is expanding its boneless menu items and adding “a lineup of 20-plus sauces ranging from modern takes on classic recipes to internationally inspired yet familiar flavors.”
Examples of new dipping-sauce flavors include Chimichurri Ranch and Hot Honey Habanero.
“Kwench by KFC” is another initiative the company has introduced in some countries (it hasn’t arrived in the US yet) that features Boba Refreshers, Krunch Shakes, Sparkling Lemonades and Iced Coffees.
In 2024, the company launched its first Saucy! by KFC, a concept restaurant focused on chicken tenders and sauces, in Orlando, Florida.
The company has since expanded Saucy! to 10 Florida locations and announced plans earlier this year to bring the concept to Texas.
Along with the new restaurants and menu items, Colonel Sanders is getting a new look.
“The brand is evolving its most distinctive assets to feel more relevant, more expressive and more in tune with modern culture, while staying true to itself and grounded in the Colonel and its iconic ‘Finger Lickin’ Good’ ethos,” the company said.
The brand’s recognizable bucket is “refreshed with new energy alongside a subtle evolution of the Colonel himself, ensuring the brand’s legacy remains front and center,” KFC said.