KFC Shortened Its Name in 1991 to Shed 'Fried' Image as 30,000-Store Brand Overhauls Again
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Jul 18
KFC Shortened Its Name in 1991 to Shed 'Fried' Image as 30,000-Store Brand Overhauls Again
1 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jul 18
Summary
KFC’s 1991 rebrand was aimed at giving Kentucky Fried Chicken a more contemporary image, not at dodging licensing claims or mutant-chicken rumors that later spread online.
1991 executives said the chain was battling declining earnings and higher prices, and viewed “fried” as an outdated, unhealthy-sounding word as bone-in fried chicken lagged the broader poultry market.
Branding experts also say the shorter name helped advertising—“KFC” was faster to read, easier to fit on signs and more recognizable to younger consumers in crowded retail settings.
False rumors still had legal fallout: in 2016, KFC China won a defamation case against three tech firms over claims that its chickens were genetically modified.
The chain now says it has more than 30,000 restaurants in 150 countries and is rolling out another brand refresh with updated store designs, menu changes and a tweaked Colonel Sanders image.