KFC Shakes Up Its Menu With Two Bold Changes

While KFC has faced some significant challenges over the years, a new announcement has fans of the chain celebrating. Beginning on October 6, KFC will re-launch its Original Honey BBQ sauce in a meal combo featuring Extra Crispy chicken, a biscuit, medium drink, and your choice of one side. Additionally, the restaurant is adjusting its price for the KFC Chicken Sandwich, which will cost a mere $3.99 (for a limited time). These big changes come hot on the heels of KFC's decision to bring back potato wedges, which were yanked from menus in 2020 until they were added back this year.

In a press release regarding the reintroduction of Original Honey BBQ sauce, Catherine Tan-Gillespie, president of KFC U.S., had this to say: "KFC's Original Honey BBQ wasn't just a menu offering, it became a cultural touchstone that fans have been craving and asking us to bring back for years." As for the reduced-price chicken sandwich, KFC is likely responding to consumer complaints about fast food becoming too expensive, a phenomenon resulting from supply chain issues, rising labor costs, and food inflation. For comparison, our local Chick-fil-A features chicken sandwiches for $5.09, while Popeyes prices its chicken sandwich at $4.99. 

First emerging in the '90s, Honey BBQ sauce has been described as walking a delicate line between smoky and sweet flavors. In addition to the Original Honey BBQ meal, KFC customers can also enjoy the sauce with other menu items, including chicken sandwiches and tenders. As for how long this condiment will be around, that's not entirely clear. According to the press release, Original Honey BBQ will be available while supplies last, which indicates that it's not intended to be a permanent addition. 

These most recent changes are part of a larger effort by KFC to regain its reputation as a quality chicken joint. Consider that we previously named KFC as the worst chain restaurant for fried chicken, a sentiment that's seemingly shared by many other consumers, as well as the originator himself, Colonel Harland Sanders, who criticized KFC's declining quality up to his death. Also consider that KFC is frequently outranked by newer chicken chains, including Chick-fil-A and Popeyes. Here's hoping that these latest changes signal good things to come for the restaurant.