KFC: 16 Things You Didn’t Know (Part 2)

You were astounded by our first set of five facts you didn’t know about KFC, and now we are back with five more mind-blowing facts! Colonel Sanders won’t be letting you in on these juicy secrets, so read on to find out all that there is know about this historical fast food chain! Make sure you come back for our part three article, revealing the top six of our list on what you didn’t know about KFC!

Number Eleven: It All Started at Home. Most patrons of this wildly successful chain remain unaware that the business started in the kitchen of Colonel Sanders himself, as early as the year 1930. Sanders bought a Shell gas station in Kentucky, and figured he could make even more profit by selling home-cooked meals as well. In addition to his famous chicken, he also sold steaks, country-style ham, and macaroni and cheese.

Number Ten: The First Restaurant. While his first sales took place in his own personal kitchen, four years of food service success urged him to purchase the gas station across from his own and fit it with six tables for his customers. He served so much food after this installment that the station was transformed into a 132-seat restaurant. He also purchased the motel down the road, and deemed the entire destination to be “Sanders Court & Café”.

Number Nine: The Name Game. The restaurant chain was known simply as “Kentucky Fried Chicken”, rather than “KFC”. The title “KFC” was simply an endearing nickname for its longer, original title. In 1991, the name was shortened to just KFC, but not for the ease of pronunciation. With the word “fried” in the store name, the company believe that people would be deterred because of the word’s health connotations.

Number Eight: No Military Status. With a name like “The Colonel”, most people seem to just assume that it is a title gained from military status. However, to think so would be incorrect. Sanders was actually given the title of a Colonel of the State of Kentucky, along with 5,000 other bearers of the name. Although, it did make quite the iconic character to serve you friend chicken. It was an advertising hit.

Number Seven: The Buckethead. KFC’s food is loved by many across the globe, including Guns N’ Roses’ former guitarist. Known as “Buckethead”, he has gained a reputation for performing accompanied by a KFC chicken bucket as a hat. Although, he did add a personal touch: a bright orange banner that reads “FUNERAL”.