KFC
KFC (formerly known as
Kentucky Fried Chicken) is a division of
Yum! Brands, Inc., and is based in
Louisville, Kentucky,
USA. Founded by
Col. Harland Sanders, KFC is known mainly for its
fried chicken.
Sanders first served his fried chicken during the
Great Depression at a gas station he owned in
Corbin, Kentucky, and later at a restaurant and motel he bought across the street. He generally served travelers, often those headed to
Florida, so when plans for the new
interstate highway system in the
1950s failed to include Corbin, he sold his properties and began to travel the United States to sell his chicken to restaurant owners. Sanders entered into agreements where he would receive five
cents for each piece of chicken sold.
[1][2][3] The first to take him up on the offer was
Pete Harman [4] in
Salt Lake City, Utah; together, they opened the world's first "Kentucky Fried Chicken" outlet in
1952. (The Corbin businesses did not bear that name.) Sanders sold the entire KFC
franchising operation in
1964 for $2 million, and it has since been sold three more times, most recently to
PepsiCo, who made it part of their
Tricon Global Restaurants division, now known as
Yum! Brands, Inc. In
1997, Tricon was spun off from PepsiCo.
|
An older Kentucky Fried Chicken sign. |
The
company adopted the
abbreviated form of its name in
1991 for three reasons: to de-emphasize
chicken (since the
chain was moving to offer other foods), to avoid the unhealthy connotations of the word "
fried", and because a shorter name was considered more appealing to the
youth market.
When the name changed, an urban legend arose that it was due the fact that KFC was using a
genetically modified animal that could not be considered a chicken. The site
Snopes, generally considered a reference on urban legends, added to the confusion by releasing a spoof page saying that Kentucky had trademarked its own name, asking therefore royalties from any song or commerce that used it.
In
French-speaking
Quebec,
Canada, KFC is known as
PFK (
Poulet Frit Kentucky); this is one of the few instances in which the
KFC initialism is changed for the local language. In the 2004 version of
Dawn of the Dead, which was filmed in Canada but is set in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, there is a goof where the survivors eat from the KFC restaurant in the mall and one of the soda cups actually reads PFK.
Recently, the company has begun to re-embrace the Kentucky Fried Chicken name, and now uses both "Kentucky Fried Chicken" and "KFC" in its advertisements.
 |
KFC fried chicken and french fries. |
The Colonel's "secret recipe" of eleven herbs and spices remains one of the best-kept trade secrets in business. The original handwritten recipe is locked securely in a vault in Louisville, with partial copies stored elsewhere as backup. The two suppliers of the seasonings each provide only parts of the recipe, and do not know each other's identity. Not even the company's president knows the ingredient list, and the few people who do are subject to a strict
confidentiality agreement. Several people have contacted KFC, claiming to have found copies of the recipe, but KFC claims that none have been correct. A couple who purchased the Colonel's original home found another handwritten recipe in the basement, and, although it was written by Sanders, it was determined to be nothing like the original.
However, author
William Poundstone, in his
1985 book,
Big Secrets, claimed that a chemical test revealed that the ingredients of the coating amount to nothing more than
salt, ground
black pepper,
flour, and
MSG. Some other common ingredients that were thought to be part of the original recipe are paprika, onion powder, garlic powder,
oregano,
parsley,
sage, and
ginger KFC continues to insist that their recipe has
eleven herbs and spices.
Some people think that what gives KFC chicken its unique taste is that, after being coated, it is cooked in hot oil in a
pressure cooker instead of a conventional
deep fryer. According to Alton Brown of The Food Network, the pressure cooker and oil only make the cooking time shorter. Alton states that The Colonel believed that properly fried chicken should take at least 45 minutes. Obviously this was too long for most operations. The pressure cooker shortens the cooking time but it is doubtful that it puts any special flavor to the chicken.
As with the secret
Coca-Cola formula, the stories surrounding the recipe for KFC also serve a
marketing purpose, with the company playing heavily on the mystery surrounding The Colonel's secret recipe, regardless of the actual extent any special recipe plays in the taste and popularity of their chicken.
Beyond the fried chicken, KFC also serves side-dishes like
coleslaw, various
potato-based items (including potato wedges, whipped (mashed) potatoes with
gravy, and, in some non-US countries,
french fries),
corn on the cob and
biscuits. KFC also offers other entreés such as
Popcorn Chicken,
pot pies chicken nuggets,
hamburgers, pork
ribs and a variety of
desserts"though not all may be found in all locations, particularly in non-US locations. Some sides are also unique and available only in a particular region.
KFC is also currently experimenting with
chicken bowls, its a bowl layered with mash potatoes or rice, gravy, cheese, corn, and popcorn chicken
In
New Zealand, television advertisements for the chain featured the slogan "Kiwi For Chicken". In 2002
Greenpeace created a fake website dubbing KFC "Kiwi For Cheapskates", and KFC responded with a
strategic lawsuit against public participation (SLAPP) on a news website which had run ads linking to that fake site.
[5]On
October 16,
2003,
Playboy model and
actress Pamela Anderson joined
PETA in their
animal rights campaign against KFC urging consumers to boycott the franchise until better treatment of its chickens is ensured.
On
June 3,
2004, the
FTC and KFC came to a settlement regarding KFC's advertising campaign claiming that "fried chicken can, in fact, be part of a healthy diet." The terms of the agreement were not disclosed; however, the TV commercials stopped airing after the settlement.
[6]On
July 20, 2004, PETA released a video of cruelty to chickens taken at
Pilgrim's Pride, one of KFC's suppliers in West Virginia. The supplier stated that it would investigate the claims. Pilgrim's Pride fired eleven employees following the release of the video and provided animal cruelty training to its work force, however, none of the employees involved in the incident faced any criminal charges.
Throughout the city of
Melbourne, a strong anti-KFC team of youths went through many KFC stores making large scenes, projecting their anger against the corporation. The group often chant "F**k you dirty bird", being their way of protesting against KFC chicken.
[7]On
26 January 2006,
Kentucky Governor Ernie Fletcher refused
Pamela Anderson's
PETA-backed demand to remove a statue of
Colonel Sanders from the
Kentucky Capitol Building after Yum! and
Churchill Downs announced an agreement that Yum! would become the main sponsor of the
Kentucky Derby. A few days later, Anderson announced she would not attend the horse race again.
A few countries (such as
India) have discovered that the
MSG levels in KFC foods exceeded their regulations. Some scientists believe that MSG is a health hazard, and food from KFC was often put at the top of high MSG foods to avoid (an average 2% MSG was found in most analysis).
On
June 13 2006, the
Center for Science in the Public Interest sued KFC, alleging that the chain used excessively high levels of
trans fat oil in its fried items.
[8]*There's fast food, then there's KFC
[9]*Finger lickin' good!
[10]N.B. This was once translated into Chinese as "eat your fingers off"
*Nobody Does Chicken Like KFC! (Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, and UK)[11]*Can't Beat that Taste! (2005/06 - Australia and New Zealand) [12]*Everybody Needs a little KFC. (1990s - United States) [13]*We do chicken right! (1980s) [14]*Chicken Capital USA (2005- - United States) [15]*You've got to KFC what's Cookin' (2003-2004)[16]*Dinner's Ready At Kentucky Fried Chicken (1970s - Canada) [17]*Pick up Kentucky Fried Chicken in your neighboorhood; Colonel Sanders and his boys make it finger lickin' good!" (Later changed to "Colonel Sanders' boys and girls") (1970s - Canada) [18]*There's More Inside The Bucket (2005-2006)
*The Taste Lives Here (2006-present - Canada)[19] | A KFC franchise in Kuwait |
| |
| Country | Notes |
|---|
 | Andorra |
Andorra | Only has 2 outlets, one in the Capitial Andorra La Vella, another one in Escaldes. |
| Antigua and Barbuda | Outlet in St. John's. |
| Aruba |
 | Australia |
Australia | 712+ locations in Australia & New Zealand combined (2006) [20] [21] |
| Austria | One location, opened in May 2005 |
| Bahrain |
| Barbados |
| Bermuda | The only US fast food franchise in Bermuda |
 | Brazil |
Brazil |
| Bulgaria |
| Canada | founded in the 1960s and operates in all 10 provinces and the NWT; known as PFK (Poulet Frit Kentucky) in Quebec and at three locations in New Brunswick; based in Vaughan, Ontario |
| Chile |
| China |
| Colombia |
| Costa Rica |
| Cyprus |
| Czech Republic |
| Denmark | KFC has 3 outlets in Copenhagen, 3 outlets have been closed down (2 in Copenhagen, 1 in Århus) |
| Dominican Republic |
| Ecuador |
| El Salvador |
| Egypt |
 | France |
France |
 | Germany |
Germany |
| - | Grenada |
| Greece |
| Guyana |
| Honduras |
| Hong Kong | Also known as 肯德基 and managed by Birdland (Hong Kong) Limited |
| Hungary |
 | Iceland |
Iceland |
 | India |
India | Outlets in Kolkata, New Delhi, Chandigarh, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Mumbai |
| Indonesia |
| Ireland |
| Israel | Outlets are kosher. |
| Jamaica |
 | Japan |
Japan |
| Jordan |
| Korea |
| Kuwait | Outlets are Halal |
| Lebanon |
| Macau |
| Malaysia | KFC has roughly 330 outlets throughout Malaysia - see KFC Outlets |
| Malta |
| Mauritius |
| Mexico |
 | Namibia |
Namibia |
| Netherlands |
 | New Zealand |
New Zealand | KFC has 97 outlets throughout New Zealand - see KFC Outlets |
 | Pakistan |
Pakistan | KFC Pakistan has 40 outlets throughout Pakistan - see kfcpakistan |
| Panama |
 | Peru |
Peru |
| Philippines |
 | Poland |
Poland |
| Portugal |
| Puerto Rico |
| Qatar |
| Romania |
 | Russia |
Russia |
| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines |
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines |
| Saudi Arabia |
| Singapore |
| Slovakia | First restaurant opened in Trnava (autumn 2006). |
| South Africa |
| Spain |
| Sri Lanka |
| Syria | Owned by Kuwaiti national Nasser Al-Kharafi |
| St. Lucia |
| Taiwan | Also known as 肯德基, the first restaurant was built in 1984. Now there are over 133 branches in Taiwan. see KFC club Taiwan |
| Thailand |
| Trinidad and Tobago |
 | Turkey |
Turkey |
 | U.S. Virgin Islands |
U.S. Virgin Islands |
| United Arab Emirates | |
 | United Kingdom |
United Kingdom |
 | United States |
United States | in addition to the initial franchises. |
| Venezuela |
 | Vietnam |
Vietnam |
| Zimbabwe |
|
Balmoral KFC workers and allies picket the store. |
KFC employs a high proportion of young and unskilled workers, and frequently pays at or just above minimum wages. Most KFC workers are not unionized.
In New Zealand, KFC youth workers earn NZ$7.13 an hour. Staff at the Balmoral, Auckland store went on strike for two hours on 3 December 2005 after Restaurant Brands, the franchise holder, offered no wage increase in contract negotiations. [22] In March 2006, Restaurant Brands agreed to phase out youth rates in New Zealand, although no date was set.
In Australia many KFC stores are covered by an enterprise bargaining agreement with the Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association (SDA). Despite this, their wages are barely above the Award rate of pay.
In Calgary, a KFC outlet was forced to close temporarily due to lack of staffing because of a labor shortage. |
A KFC employee in standard uniform, circa 2003. |
* Wendy's restaurants founder Dave Thomas operated several Kentucky Fried Chicken franchises before starting Wendy's restaurants. He also invented the rotating-bucket-of-chicken sign that at one time was outside every KFC. Incidentally, he was a Kentucky Colonel just like Colonel Sanders, figurehead of Kentucky Fried Chicken.
* KFC is one of the most popular fast food restaurants in China. Local menu items include egg tarts, and lotus root salad.
* KFC originally introduced its "Popcorn Chicken" snack in the early 1990s but discontinued it after several customers complained of sickness upon eating the food, which consisted primarily of chicken skin. In the early 2000s, it reintroduced the snack, now complete with more meat attached.
* Separately-owned stores in Springfield, Massachusetts, Atlantic City, New Jersey, Baltimore, Maryland, Chester, Pennsylvania, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Roxbury, Massachusetts, Boston, Massachusetts and Brooklyn, New York are named "Kennedy Fried Chicken," an obvious reference to its mainstream competitor.
* In Taiwan and Malaysia, there exists a KLG, which stands for 卡啦鸡 in Chinese. KLG are the initials of the Chinese words. The store also uses KFC elements in an altered form. For example, the lettering is of the same font and color as KFC. One visible difference is that their logo is that of a rather plump chicken wearing a bow tie, instead of Colonel Sanders.
* In addition to Pamela Anderson, celebrities who have come out in protest of KFC's treatment of chickens include Richard Pryor, Paul Wall, Ringo Starr, Tyra Banks, Dick Gregory, and Bea Arthur.* KFC's success in the 1970s influenced the first Muppet Movie where Kermit is being hunted down by a KFC-parodied franchise: "Doc Hopper's French-Fried Frog Legs".
* Circa 1985. New Zealand comedian Billy T. James performed a skit on his variety show depicting a police raid on a KFC store. The raid supposedly being carried out after the police found out what the eleven "herbs" and spices were.
* KFC was mentioned in the Mike Myers comedy film So I Married an Axe Murderer; according to the character of Stuart McKenzie (played by Myers himself), Colonel Sanders was not only involved as part of a theoretical "Pentavirate" that controlled every form of media in the world, but also placed an addictive chemical in his chicken that caused eaters to crave it "fortnightly".
* A Simpsons episode featured a restaurant named KFP: Kentucky Fried Panda. As Homer Simpson said, "It's finger Ling-Ling good!"
* Another Simpsons episode featured Colonel Sanders in heaven, feeding God his popcorn chicken. God tells him that one day, he'll have to reveal the 11 herbs and spices to God.
* In the movie Space Jam, Foghorn Leghorn, after being torched by one of the opposing players comments "Did you order original recipe or extra crispy?" referencing the styles of chicken available at KFC.
* Kentucky Fried Chicken is considered the favorite food of Eric Cartman from the show South Park. In the episodeThe Death of Eric Cartman, Stan, Kyle, Kenny and Cartman are waiting for Stan's mother to bring home Kentucky Fried Chicken. When she arrives, Cartman distracts the others and manages to eat the skin off of every piece, leaving the other three to eat just the meat of the bird. The next morning, the boys are so angry at Cartman for eating "the best part", that they decide to totally ignore him. In the episode Tsst, Cesar Millan, the Dog Whisperer trains Cartman to be more obedient and submissive to his mother by eating Kentucky Fried Chicken in front of him.
* In a Family Guy episode Peter Griffin goes to a KFC outlet in Kentucky and asks if Mr. Sanders is in.
*In the 2002 movie 24 Hour Party People, Happy Mondays singer Shaun Ryder exclaims he will be going for a "Kentucky" after discovering the food at a business meeting to be unfulfilling. He is seen later walking down the street carrying a red bucket while imitating a chicken; this is an obvious reference to KFC.
* The videogame Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas features an in-game restaurant called "Cluckin' Bell", which is a parody of KFC and Taco Bell. When ordering food, the restaurant worker says phrases such as "If you're lucky, you might find a feather!"
* In the UK numerous restaurants can be found that take the same approach, using many of the KFC brand elements in a slightly altered form, with names such as LFC, MFC, PFC, FCKF, and FCUK, moving on to such diverse guises as Kansas, Tennessee, Mississippi, or Kennedy Fried Chicken (see above) and then the more unusual hybrids such as Hentucky, Dixy, Dallas, Texas, Texa, Tex-Ess and Kenssy Fried Chicken. Examples include YFC in Leeds, Yorkshire fried chicken, HFC in Middlesbrough, Halal Fried Chicken and Krunchy Fried Chicken in Liverpool.
* The Neil Gaiman book American Gods references the classic KFC urban legend as to why the company changed its name. According to Low-Key Liesmith, the main character's cellmate, KFC was legally forced to remove the word 'chicken' from their name as the meat they served was no longer technically chicken, but was grown in a genetically engineered chickenoid meat-plant.
* Heavy Metal guitarist Buckethead is known for wearing a KFC bucket on his head.
* In 2003, British pop group Fast Food Rockers scored at #2 chart hit with "The Fast Food Song", the chorus dates back to a campfire song from 1985, and features the line 'A Pizza Hut, a Pizza Hut, Kentucky Fried Chicken and a Pizza Hut.
* In her song "Where Life Begins" on her Erotica album from 1992, Madonna sings the line "Colonel Sanders says it's best finger licking good".* Priszm Brandz, the leading Canadian franchisee of KFC and other Yum! Brands restaurants.
* Gino's Hamburgers, the franchisee for Kentucky Fried Chicken in the mid-Atlantic states until 1982.
Kentucky Fried Movie
* List of fast-food restaurantsOfficial sites
*KFC website
*KFC Canada website
*KFC UK website
*KFC Australia website
*KFC New Zealand website
*KFC India website
*KFC Indonesia website
*KFC Malta website
*KFC Japan website
*KFC Korea website
*KFC Malaysia website
*KFC Pakistan website
*KFC Philippines website
*KFC Poland website
*KFC Singapore website
*KFC Turkey website
*KFC Dutch website
*KFC Germany website
*KFC France website
*KFC China website
*KFC Hong Kong website
*KFC Thailand website
*KFC Mexico website
*KFC Taiwan website
*KFC Vietnam websiteOther
*The KFC Boycott page
*KFC Urban Legends Reference page
*Kentucky Governor refuses PETA's statue-removal demand.
*KFC sued in US over cooking fats
*KFC Famous Bowls
*Kentucky Fried Cruelty - An article about KFC regarding animal cruelty towards chickens.
