Advertisement
KFC is getting ready to shake things up because Gen Z doesn’t love the classic fried chicken buckets anymore. Young customers today prefer boneless options like tenders, wings, and nuggets instead of traditional drumsticks with bones.
For years, KFC has focused mainly on bone-in chicken. But that old-school approach isn’t working like it used to. The chain has now fallen to the fourth spot among America’s top chicken brands, losing out to newer rivals like Raising Cane’s, which offers simpler boneless meals.
Studies show that sales of bone-in chicken have dropped by 4% since 2020, while boneless items have gone up by 11%. Many restaurants are also removing bone-in chicken from their menus. In the past four years, bone-in options have fallen by over 70%, while boneless ones have increased by almost 30%.
Gen Z, the generation that eats the most fast food, now makes up only about 6% of KFC’s customers. They prefer easy-to-eat white meat with no bones, which doesn’t match KFC’s traditional image.
Catherine Tan-Gillespie, the President of KFC US, said the company knows it has to change. Falling to fourth place was a big wake-up call. She said KFC wants to feel like an American icon again and is exploring new ways to make the menu more appealing. That includes rethinking how KFC serves chicken, such as introducing “buckets of tenders” and even smaller “buckets for one or two people.”
KFC hasn’t announced when the new menu will roll out, but this is part of a bigger plan. The company has also launched a new restaurant concept called Saucy, which focuses only on chicken tenders and dipping sauces. The first Saucy opened in Orlando in 2024, and another is coming soon to Jacksonville.
KFC has also been trying fun marketing ideas to stay relevant. In the past year, it’s made headlines for odd but viral promotions like chicken-flavored toothpaste, gravy ice cream, and even a “pickle Pepsi” in Canada.
The big question now is whether boneless buckets will win Gen Z back. But one thing’s clear, KFC is done playing it safe and is ready to fight for its place in the chicken world again.