Original
or extra crispy? It's
the question heard in KFC locations from Baton Rouge to Beijing.
The
entire planet, it seems, has come to recognize KFC as an authentic
American flavor and, over the decades, an international fast food
"original".
The
Colonel's secret recipe of 11 herbs and spices that creates the
famous "finger lickin' good" chicken is only one measure
of the company's success. As it adapted to the times and regional
tastes, KFC has grown from its early beginnings as a roadside
diner in a small Kentucky town to a multinational chain serving
12 million customers a day in 109 countries around the world.
Born
and raised in Henryville, Indiana, KFC founder "Colonel"
Harland Sanders (whose smiling visage still adorns the company
logo) got his start in serving up his moist and delicious fried
chicken in the midst of the Great Depression in 1930.
Serving
travelers stopping by his gas station in Corbin, Kentucky "Sanders
Court & Cafe" soon became famous throughout the state.
Sander's
was later promoted to his honorary title of "Colonel"
in 1936, when the Kentucky governor recognized Sanders for his
contribution to Kentucky culture and cuisine.
With
even more new-found fame, the restaurant was expanded to seat
over 100 with a motel added opposite the restaurant. As the business
grew, the old fashioned skillet method of deep frying chicken
was replaced with a pressure cooker to reduce cooking time without
effecting the flavor that Sander's fans had come to love.
The
recipe? Sanders' wouldn't tell, and in 1940 proclaimed it a company
secret that remains closely-guarded to this day.
By
the 1950's, Sanders sold off his cafe and motel to seek out national
outlets and, a decade later, 600 franchises had opened in both
the US and Canada. In 1964, Sanders cashed in on his famous name
and recipe, and sold off the entire franchise operation for $2
million.
Today,
KFC operates more than 5,200 restaurants in the United States
and boasts more than 15,000 franchises worldwide.
The
KFC bucket,
introduced in 1957.
KFC
fun facts
The famous
Kentucky Fried Chicken bucket was introduced in 1957.
When KFC
first entered the Chinese market, its advertising slogan "finger
lickin' good" somehow clumsily translated to "eat
your fingers off." The company survived the gaff and today
Kentucky Fried Chicken remains the most popular western fast
food in all of China, and the largest KFC market outside the
US with over 1200 franchises.
The world's
largest KFC restaurant is located in (where else?) Beijing,
China.
Kentucky
Fried Chicken's official name change to KFC gave rise to the
infamous "mutant chicken" legend in 1991. The widespread
belief was that the company was required by the government to
rename itself because they served a genetically-altered bird
that could no longer be deemed "chicken". The urban
myth was later proven to be just that. Today, the company has
returned to its roots, doing business as both KFC and Kentucky
Fried Chicken.
In 2007,
KFC made a major change to their recipe when they started frying
their chicken in a different oil resulting in a 0 grams of trans
fat. In further response to the health-conscience, the company
added Kentucky Grilled Chicken to the menu in 2009 billing it
as the "unfried side of Kentucky Fried."
Desserts
- Chocolate chip cake, Quaker Chewy S'mores Granola Bars, Apple
Pie Minis, Little Bucket Parfaits, Sara Lee desserts
Sides
- Home-Style Biscuits, mashed potatoes & gravy, mac &
cheese, cole slaw, corn on the cob, bbq baked beans, green beans,
potato wedges, seasoned rice
Sauces - Honey BBQ sauce, Fiery Buffalo sauce or sweet
'n spicy
Salads
- Roasted Caesar Salad, Crispy Caesar Salad, Caesar Side Salad,
House Side Salad, Roasted BLT Salad, Crispy BLT Salad
More about KFC around the Web:
KFC.com-
The official site featuring the complete menu, nutrition and calorie
information, special promotions and printable coupons, company
history and fun facts, job listings.
KFC
- Wikipedia - An extensive history including company stats,
milestones and advertising campaigns, menu and nutrition information,
photos, related references and resources.
KFC
- Colonel Sanders Cafe and Museum - Historical facts,
visitor information and directions to the tourist attraction in
Corbin, Kentucky where KFC got its start.