You’ve seen the previous 10 things you didn’t know about KFC in parts one and two, and it is high time we give you the juiciest of all of the facts in our top six! Read on to discover the most shocking facts of the whole bunch. We guarantee that one of these things you didn’t know about KFC will catch you by surprise!
Number Six: The Other Stars. Although it is commonly ignored, the founding company of KFC also owns two other stars in the fast food industry: Pizza Hut and Taco Bell. That is why so many of these restaurants can be seen sharing a building with one another. Formerly Tricon Global Restaurants, Inc., the company now bears the name of YUM!, as of 2002.
Number Five: The First Bucket. The KFC bucket of chicken has become one of the most well-recognized commercial icons. Remarkably, it wasn’t always so. The chain first took off in 1942, but the first “bucket meal” wasn’t even sold until 1957- 15 years after the fact. The concept originated at a store in South Salt Lake, and gained so much popularity that it became a store-wide hit.
Number Four: The First Franchise. KFC, bearing the implications of the word “Kentucky” in its name, has always been associated with the state of Kentucky. Although this is the location in which Sanders’ business originated, its first franchise premiered in Utah. Owned by Pete Harman, the franchise opened its doors in 1952. This location was the first to bear the name “Kentucky Fried Chicken”.
Number Three: Entering China. China wasn’t always so cultured in regards to cuisine as it is today. In the modern day, many Western food service chains line the streets of China, but KFC was the first to open the doors to the concept. Not only that, the chain flourished from it! KFC has reached record popularity in China, and owns about 4,563 stores there alone. They even create custom menus to appeal to all kinds of diners.
Number Two: The Statistics. We all know that KFC has become a world-renowned and ultimately successful fast food chain, but allow us to put that into perspective with some numbers. Only beat by the infamous McDonald’s, KFC is the second most successful restaurant of its kind. There are 18,875 total stores spread out across 118 countries. A whopping 4,491 of those stores are found in America.
Number One: The Half-Masted Day. Harland Sanders, or “The Colonel”, passed away December 16th, 1980, leaving his legend behind. On this fateful day, the state of Kentucky paid homage to its legendary icon by flying all flags in the state at half-mast. This continued for about four days of remembrance.