Fast-food chain KFC reintroduces itself with gratis fried chicken offerings
KFC, the iconic fried chicken fast-food chain, is launching a bold new strategy to reclaim its former prominence in the competitive fast-food sector. This campaign, dubbed the "Kentucky Fried Comeback", was unveiled in July 2025 and aims to revitalise customer interest and increase sales.
At the helm of this comeback is Scott Mezvinsky, who was appointed as the global CEO of KFC in January, tasked with improving the U.S. market. KFC's strategy is multifaceted, combining nostalgia, product quality improvements, active customer engagement, revitalised marketing featuring Colonel Sanders, and value pricing.
The campaign kicks off with a key promotional offer: customers receive a free 8-piece meal with a $15 purchase, driving record-breaking app downloads, digital traffic, and KFC Rewards sign-ups. This offer is designed to encourage taste tests of improvements made through operational changes.
Nostalgia plays a significant role in the strategy, with KFC emphasising its Original Recipe chicken with its signature 11 herbs and spices. To foster direct consumer involvement, KFC created a feedback form inviting customers to "co-create this comeback," with the tagline "your first bucket’s on us."
In a nod to its past successes, KFC is bringing back Colonel Sanders in its ads, with actor Matty Matheson portraying the iconic founder. This move mirrors a prior successful strategy where rotating celebrities dressed as Sanders helped capture customer attention with humor and entertainment.
To address fan demand, KFC has brought back popular menu items like Potato Wedges (discontinued in 2020) and Hot & Spicy Wings (returning after nearly two years). These returns tap into nostalgia and address fan feedback directly.
Value-focused offerings, such as $3.99 Chicken Sandwiches and combos, also feature in the strategy, with the tagline "legendary taste for a legendary price."
Despite store closures, KFC appears to be doing a lot of things right, as evidenced by the second quarter of 2023. The chain introduced a successful chicken sandwich in 2021 and generated new store growth for the first time in 17 years. KFC has also added nearly 21,000 locations outside the U.S. over the past period.
However, KFC is still facing stiff competition, with the chain now less than a quarter of the size of Chick-fil-A and smaller than bone-in chicken chain Popeyes. KFC U.S. barely earned a mention on parent company Yum Brands' earnings calls by last year. Despite these challenges, KFC is using free chicken and more ads to get customers back, while acknowledging its sales struggles.
In conclusion, KFC's Kentucky Fried Comeback campaign is a comprehensive approach designed to reignite customer interest and increase sales in the competitive fried chicken fast food sector. By combining nostalgia, product quality improvements, active customer engagement, revitalised marketing featuring Colonel Sanders, and value pricing, KFC aims to reclaim its former fast-food dominance.
[1] KFC Press Release, "KFC Launches Kentucky Fried Comeback Campaign," July 2025. [2] Ad Age, "KFC's Kentucky Fried Comeback: A Closer Look at the Campaign," August 2025. [3] QSR Magazine, "KFC Brings Back Potato Wedges and Hot & Spicy Wings," September 2025. [4] USA Today, "KFC's New Chicken Sandwich and Deals: A Game-Changer for the Chain?," October 2025. [5] Forbes, "KFC's Kentucky Fried Comeback: A Winning Strategy?" November 2025.
- KFC's business strategy, named the "Kentucky Fried Comeback," involves a combination of aspects like finance, such as value pricing and new product offerings, cooking by bringing back popular menu items, lifestyle changes by encouraging consumer involvement, and marketing through the revitalization of Colonel Sanders' image.
- In an effort to boost sales and customer interest, KFC is offering a free 8-piece meal with a $15 purchase, which is not only driving digital traffic and app downloads but also encouraging customers to taste the improvements made in the food-and-drink offerings.
- As part of the Kentucky Fried Comeback campaign, the fast-food chain has ventured into the realm of cooking by co-creating recipes with customers and has also reintroduced some discontinued items like Potato Wedges and Hot & Spicy Wings to cater to fan demand, thereby reinventing itself in the food-and-drink business landscape.
