The changes are intended to make the brand “more relevant, more expressive, and more in tune with modern culture,” KFC stated. The bucket, KFC’s most recognizable asset, is being refreshed with what the chain described as “new energy.”

KFC’s U.S. creative agency, Highdive, was not involved in the rebrand.

The menu changes are centered on boneless chicken, new beverages and a bigger emphasis on sauces, reflecting an expansion of various initiatives the chain has been testing in global markets.

In Florida, for example, KFC has been testing a sauce-driven chicken tenders concept called Saucy by KFC since late 2024. That concept has influenced a global rollout of more than 20 sauces that markets can adapt to local tastes, including Chimichurri Ranch and Hot Honey Habanero, the brand stated.

Yum Brands CEO Chris Turner, speaking during a quarterly conference call in April, said KFC was “already earning a big return on the Saucy investment across the global business.”

KFC is expanding its range of boneless chicken offerings, including tenders designed for dipping. In some markets, KFC is offering “dunked and dipped” menu items, including tenders and wings coated in sauce. These products are already available in South Africa and India.

The chain is also expanding its beverage offerings. Kwench by KFC includes drinks such as boba refreshers, milkshakes, sparkling lemonades and iced coffees, the brand stated. Currently available in select restaurants in the U.K. and Ireland, Kwench will move from pilot status to a permanent menu offering in Australia and Canada this year.

KFC’s beverage push comes as fast-food chains increasingly view drinks as a growth engine beyond traditional meal occasions. McDonald’s this spring launched a permanent line of specialty beverages featuring refreshers, flavored sodas, cold foam and boba, while chains including Sonic and dirty-soda brand Swig have demonstrated a consumer appetite for customizable drinks.

The changes are intended to differentiate the chain in a crowded chicken market, bringing “new energy and expression to what makes us iconic,” Scott Mezvinsky, CEO of KFC Global, said in a statement.

Alongside the menu changes, KFC plans to introduce new restaurant designs. An open-concept restaurant, reportedly to be called Open House and include table service, will debut in McKinney, Texas, this summer. And a two-story KFC concept is set to open in Dubai this fall.

Upcoming new and remodeled KFC locations are set to be “designed for hospitality, not just efficiency,” the chain stated, incorporating updated design elements intended to support different dining occasions throughout the day. The brand did not provide additional details.

The overhaul comes as KFC’s growth is increasingly tied to its international business. Yum Brands reported KFC global system sales growth of 6% in the first quarter and same-store sales growth of 2%, and highlighted strong performance in markets including the U.K., Korea and Latin America. Yum no longer reports KFC’s U.S. same-store sales, saying the domestic business accounts for less than 5% of operating profit. However, executives on the first-quarter conference call said they were pleased with its recent trajectory, pointing to value offerings and menu innovations.