KFC is one of the most well-known brands in American fast food. Kentucky Fried Chicken is the full form of KFC. Harland Sanders was founder of KFC. KFC restaurants are a pretty common sight in any town or city. However, the chain itself is not as tame as you would think.
Here are 10 wild facts about KFC that you might not know.
1. They Fiercely Guard Their Secret Recipe
2. KFC Parent Company Has Many Famous Kids
YUM! Brands is the parent company of KFC. They also operate or once owned Taco Bell, Long John Silver’s, A&W, WingStreet, and Pizza Hut. The family reunion must be a fast food fest!
3. Chicken in China
4. There’s a Rumor They Stole from Wendy’s Founder
5. They Changed Their Name to KFC to Downplay ‘Fried’
KFC changed its name from Kentucky Fried Chicken because the U.S. government banned them from using the word ‘chicken’ (the chain was using mutant chickens, remember?). The fact of the matter is KFC just wanted the word ‘fried’ out of its title due to the increasingly popular trend of eating healthy food.
6. KFC’s Founder was a Troublemaker
Harland David Sanders, the founder of KFC, certainly wasn’t born with a silver spoon. He moved out of his home at the age of 13 because he didn’t get along with his stepfather, and he lied about his age to enlist in the U.S. Army at the age of 16. He was also fired two different times for fighting; once as a railroad worker scrapping with another employee and once as a lawyer fighting with his own client while in court.
7. KFC Started in a Gas Station
KFC’s founder, Sanders, held many different jobs in his lifetime, according to KFC’s own biography. One of his last jobs before becoming the Colonel was the owner of a gas station. To increase his income, he started selling fried chicken out of his own house, feeding customers at his own dinner table. He did this for four years before opening a venue with tables just for customers.
8. Colonel Sanders Was Not a Real Colonel
While Sanders did enjoy a brief stint in the U.S. Army, his title of Colonel was not from the U.S. military. It’s a title of honor meant to denote good service or high accomplishments that benefit the state of Kentucky. Sanders was awarded the title in 1935 by Gov. Ruby Laffoon, who awarded the title to more than 5,000 other Kentuckians during his governorship.
9. The Original Fried Chicken Was Done in a Pressure Cooker
10. KFC Is Dragging YUM! down in China
YUM! Brands is just about killing it on all fronts: Taco Bell has had a few good years with its Doritos-flavored tacos and revenue is through the roof. Except in China. KFC is pretty common in the largest Asian country, but it is not doing so well at the moment. Fears of bird flu are keeping Chinese diners away from KFC and its chicken meals.
10 Interesting Facts About KFC
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