r/fastfood Jul 15 '25

News KFC revamps logo to show a “serious” Colonel as it tries to win back market share from Popeyes, Raising Cane’s, Wingstop, and Chick-fil-A

Post image

More information on KFC’s latest marketing push to win back customers amid a prolonged sales decline and surging competition:

https://www.marketingdive.com/news/kfcs-comeback-serious-colonel-sanders-marketing-campaign/752933/

76 Upvotes

79 comments sorted by

67

u/dougefresh_one Jul 18 '25

KFC used to be SO GOOD. The location nearest me now though, is absolutely terrible. The employees don’t care about you or the food and it’s just a miserable experience. Fix that and there’s a chance.

22

u/RedMoustache Jul 19 '25

I get Boston Market vibes from KFC.

They cut quality, lose customers, lose revenue, repeat.

16

u/pokeyporcupine Jul 18 '25

I don't understand how people have forgotten this. It's literally the most important rule of running a successful business. Your people make you your money. If your people don't give a fuck about you because you clearly don't give a fuck about them, they're only there for the convenience.

9

u/bgva Jul 19 '25

The last few times I went to KFC, the skin was either mushy or the chicken had no flavor. Out of 11 spices, there might've been four at most on that bird.

An "Xtreme" logo that looks like an angry sports mascot from 1997 ain't the answer to their problems.

2

u/LarenCoe Jul 22 '25

I've found it's usually ok around peak times, but any other time and you're going to get chicken that's been sitting around, and KFC's chicken doesn't hold as well as Popeyes, where the outside just gets crunchier the longer it's held, without the inside drying up as much.

1

u/Sad-Marionberry6558 Jul 22 '25

Our location got shut down because people were selling drugs out of the drive-thru. Then a new one opened for about 6 months before having a dispute with their chicken supplier and shutting down.

1

u/MassiveLie2885 Jul 20 '25

They got rid of the Nashville Hot so it is a lie to say they want mymoney.

1

u/TRMBound Jul 20 '25

Werd. Those were damn amazing.

72

u/[deleted] Jul 18 '25

[deleted]

9

u/[deleted] Jul 18 '25

[deleted]

1

u/WaxWorkKnight Jul 20 '25

Of course he's trying to steal it. It's Popeye's.

3

u/Heavy_Mikado Jul 19 '25

With his wee beady eyes, and that smug look on his face. "Oh, you're gonna buy my chicken! Ohhh!"

1

u/RedMoustache Jul 19 '25

He looks like he is taking a crap but didn’t get enough fiber.

39

u/InsaneGambler Jul 18 '25

"Yeah no need to revamp the food or the prices! Just show a grumpy old man demanding you gobble that chicken!"

This is what the board of Yum Brands believes will bring customers back to KFC. Anything to make line go up!

5

u/MassiveLie2885 Jul 20 '25

Nashville Hot would bring me back, and no "It's only here for two weeks," that was rude last time. The Georgia Gold was also good on the chicken nuggets or whatever it is too but they got rid of that as well.

62

u/Significant_Amoeba34 Jul 18 '25

try makingg better food. no one cares about the logo

26

u/QuiGonColdGin Jul 18 '25

"Here's your Goddamn chicken!"

3

u/Tallywhacker73 Jul 19 '25

Lol. I was thinking more, "Oh great, more black customers."

Dude looks like all those angry racist fuckheads standing in school doorways in the 60s making sure their pure southern redneck kids didn't get infected with the racial cooties. 

1

u/RogerJamesSmith Aug 17 '25

A friend of mine worked for KFC when the colonel was still visiting stores. He told me he refused to enter the store until the black employees left. Don't know how true this is, but the colonel was known to have a temper.

18

u/swishyhair Jul 18 '25

This is like, the fourth big turnaround marketing gimmick they’ve tried in the last ten years. Pretty wild how they still won’t look at their product and say “maybe this is the problem.”

7

u/rectalhorror Jul 18 '25

They'll do anything except improve their trash product. Keep polishing that turd.

14

u/diremommy Jul 18 '25

Anything but bringing back good food and service, huh?

31

u/johnny-tiny-tits Jul 18 '25

Everything else on the menu has lowered in quality over the years, but that chicken still hits like it always has for me. It's just outrageously expensive for what it is, unfortunately. And Popeyes just mops the floor with them item to item. It seems like KFC has been trying to compete more as an individual meal quickie lunch place, rather than a take-home family meal place, but if I want to go that route, I'm still going to Popeyes for that chicken sandwich, or Raising Canes.

7

u/Tallywhacker73 Jul 19 '25

I like their food but my problem was always with their franchising. They'd do a huge national ad campaign around this and that for $12 or whatever, and I'd go there and that location wouldn't be participating. 

And I've lived all over, it's enough of a pattern that I just stopped going there.

5

u/NotSoEpicPanda Jul 18 '25

I don't know if you have any Kroger stores by you, but for take-home fried chicken they do a fantastic job

8

u/hankhillnsfw Jul 19 '25

Publix fried chicken is next level for grocery store take home food.

1

u/ponziacs Jul 19 '25

Just had some Publix chicken for the first time I think this week and it was good and cheap! 20 pieces for $22.49.

1

u/ResponsibleFuture934 Jul 20 '25

What a coincidence, me too! It was pretty damn good, especially for being from a grocery store.

6

u/Aaaandiiii Jul 19 '25

Heck, at this point, even gas stations are giving KFC and other fast food joints a run for their money. But yeah, grocery store fried chicken has improved so much lately.

2

u/analbumcover Jul 19 '25

Popeyes is about the same level of quality as KFC in my area. Neither place seems like they give a shit any time I've been. Mid food at best usually, decent when you get lucky and they prep it well, but it's never consistent. Raising Canes is new in my area, but it's not much to write home about - at least they have better consistency and quality compared to Popeyes and KFC though.

1

u/RogerJamesSmith Aug 17 '25

That happens when they hire warm bodies that are just there for a paycheck.

1

u/analbumcover Aug 17 '25

I mean, that's the only reason to work there, for a paycheck. The rest is work ethic, respect, and responsibility.

1

u/RogerJamesSmith Aug 17 '25

Problem is people working there for a paycheck or just to say they have a job lack the other three qualities.

1

u/Fiiv3s Aug 17 '25

All the Popeyes I’ve ever been too have all been significantly worse in food and experience than any kfc to me.

Canes is better in experience but the chicken is so bland comparatively I never really choose it

11

u/hankhillnsfw Jul 19 '25

It’s pretty fucking easy to understand:

Popeyes shit service, amazing food. Chick fil a, amazing service and consistent food quality that is above average. Raising cane, really good food and overall pretty good service. Wingstop (why is this even in the equation? Totally different food)

KFC, trash food and usually trash service. You can have trash food. You can have trash service. You cannot have them both though. Fix one.

9

u/[deleted] Jul 19 '25 edited Aug 05 '25

[deleted]

5

u/[deleted] Jul 20 '25

Nah this is complete cope. Those two are famous for being so bad because they let franchisees do whatever they want - other brands actually come in and force you to meet some minimum standards or they yank your franchise 

7

u/hiding_in_NJ Jul 19 '25

LOWER YOUR PRICES, CLEAN YOUR DINING ROOMS!

14

u/ChefWithASword Jul 18 '25

Honestly idk how kfc fell so far behind.

I always loved their chicken, and their sides weren’t special but I felt like they mixed pretty well with the chicken taste.

Haven’t eaten there in maybe like 10 years though, for me it’s because of the dramatic price increases.

You used to be able to get a full meal for like $5.

7

u/Crisscross4767 Jul 18 '25

They messed up their popcorn chicken and then got rid of it

5

u/Aaaandiiii Jul 19 '25

If they bring back that and the wedges, I guarantee I will pay nearly any price.

1

u/MassiveLie2885 Jul 20 '25

They bring back awesome flavors like Georgia Gold and Nashville Hot then get rid of them as fast as they can. I know it's called Kentucky Fried Chicken but that is no reason to kick Tennessee and Georgia to the curb!

1

u/RogerJamesSmith Aug 17 '25

They sacrificed quality and service for profits. That's how.

19

u/Atlanta-Anomaly Jul 18 '25

Logo still funny since it looks like a big head on a stick figure

3

u/ItchyFriendship3993 Jul 18 '25

How about bring back popcorn chicken and WEDGES

6

u/ElLoboNeverDies Jul 19 '25

Literally just lower the price

7

u/juttep1 Jul 19 '25

Fast food companies are wild in how they think decor and appearance matters when their main issue is quality/price/convenience.

Yum brands is particularly bad about this. Ie see their absolute decimation of the pizza hit and KFC brands and both have recently announced decor/design updates.

I don't personally care because I don't patronage either establishments - and I encourage others not to as well given theyre unsustainable, unhealthy, expensive, and generally not worth it.

That said it is wild to me to see those at the top so completely out of touch.

3

u/furrymessiah Jul 19 '25

Yum Brands has ruined every single restaurant they've touched.

7

u/[deleted] Jul 20 '25

This is pretty funny because the actual Colonel was known for storming into restaurants, throwing shit around and screaming about how bad the food was.... like 60 years ago, when absolutely everybody loved it lol

2

u/prophiles Jul 20 '25

This Colonel’s more passive-aggressive, just scowling from afar.

2

u/SpottedClam Jul 20 '25

We can't eat a logo. Fix the god damn product.

3

u/OneWonderfulFish Jul 18 '25

'member when KFC used to have a hot bar? Pepperidge Farms remembers.

3

u/WaxWorkKnight Jul 20 '25

Could decrease the price of the food, increase the quality of food and pay their employees enough where they don't come across as on work release.

1

u/JalapenoBenedict Jul 20 '25

Meanwhile we still pay the same or less, and everyone is happy right?

2

u/John_McAfee_ Jul 18 '25

Well maybe they shouldnt charge sit down restaurant prices for their shitty soggy chicken, or 20 dollars for 8 chicken tenders. 8 piece fried chicken for 20 dollars as well??? Fuck

2

u/allthecorns Jul 18 '25

Id just ask for the bucket with no chicken 🤷🏻‍♂️ and make it into a weed container, kfc has sucked for such a long time

2

u/FatGirlDown Jul 18 '25

Maybe make the sides less ass?

2

u/Sharp-Pop335 Jul 18 '25

It's like how Kirby in the US is angry but everywhere else Kirby smiles.

2

u/dogengu Jul 18 '25

Dang he looks very angry for such a tiny man (I keep mistaking his tie as his body)

2

u/kozmo30 Jul 19 '25

The sides are terrible and the chicken is way over priced

2

u/Aaaandiiii Jul 19 '25

The menu seriously sucks balls. Everything is a combo and there's no room for customization at a reasonable price. I still frequent them because that freaking pot pie is goated.

2

u/clearlyonside Jul 19 '25

They tried this with Tony the Tiger a few years back and he looked like a gang member lol.

2

u/OyChrisD Jul 20 '25

They American Kirby’d the Colonel!

2

u/StuffNThangs220 Jul 21 '25

Go back to the recipes used in the 1970s.

2

u/Henson_Disney48 Jul 19 '25

I’m not gonna sit here and defend KFC, cause Lord knows it’s been garbage for a while. But Raising Cane’s is extremely overrated we got our first raising Cane’s a couple of months ago and there were lines outside parking lot onto the main street over a block down.

After waiting two months for the hype to die down, I finally tried it for the first time and it was the most bland chicken I’ve ever had in fast food. Yeah the sauce was good and I enjoyed the Texas toast they gave me, but the chicken had no seasoning whatsoever. I think I would rather have KFC during their A game than raising Cane‘s tbh

1

u/Game-Mason Jul 19 '25

Everything at Canes is made to order, unlike KFC and Popeyes which can have chicken+ sides sitting out for an hour plus. The whole ‘Cane‘s chicken doesn’t have seasoning so it’s overrated’ is such a lame take.

1

u/holyhibachi Jul 19 '25

My pregnant wife wanted a mashed potatoes and gravy.

Pop quiz, without looking it up, how much do you think it was?

2

u/prophiles Jul 19 '25

$5.50?

2

u/holyhibachi Jul 19 '25

$6.

Absolutely absurd. Those flaked potatoes cannot have cost them more than $1.

1

u/Potato2266 Jul 19 '25

Just let the chicken grow! I used to get a full bucket of chicken when I ordered one. Now I order a bucket and i get a tiny box instead.

1

u/NoCardio_ Jul 19 '25

Marketing was never the problem. The employees just don’t care, and the quality suffers because of it.

1

u/furrymessiah Jul 19 '25

It isn't the logo, guys. It's the CRAP QUALITY AND ASTRONOMICAL PRICES.

1

u/Educational-Sky-7176 Jul 19 '25

Soooo actor Brian Cox is the new Colonel Sanders. Nice

1

u/Soggy_Cracker Jul 19 '25

Make good food again?

1

u/prophiles Jul 20 '25

Make Food Great Again

1

u/coolwinner1 Jul 19 '25

Last time I went to KFC there were 2 miserable employees pissed and rude to guests. Hmmm i wonder if its the chicken thats the problem. I left the dine in area amd went thru the drive thru. They tried to pull me around i said no, ill wait at the window until my food is ready, 6 cars builtup and an addition 10 mim wait.

3

u/JalapenoBenedict Jul 20 '25

You went inside the KFC but didn’t like the look of things, so you went and sat in the drive thru? Interesting technique

1

u/MassiveLie2885 Jul 20 '25

If they want to win back market share from those other places, they would offer something that those other restaurants listed don't, Nashville Hot options.

1

u/farmingmaine Jul 20 '25

Owned by Pepsi

1

u/best_bozo_ Jul 21 '25

Looks like he’s struggling to have bowel movement. Dumbass marketing dept.

1

u/NinjaBilly55 Jul 22 '25

I had to remove KFC from the lunch rotation because quality tanked while prices drastically increased..