Fried Chicken Wars: The Fall of KFC in America
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- čas přidán 1. 06. 2024
- Kentucky Fried Chicken has long dominated fried chicken around the world with legacy and scale, but its relevance and popularity in America has been declining for years. As the Colonel has weakened, longtime rivals in Popeyes, Chick Fil-A, Bojangle's, Jollibee, Bonchon, and and others have all laid claims to the chicken throne.
The popular narrative amongst Americans is that KFC’s drop in quality over the years is the result of cost cutting from out-of-touch executives who wouldn’t know good fried chicken if it hit them in the face. When you look at KFC in America, it’s an outdated, run-down, uncreative chain with a boring menu and terrible food. But around the world in South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, Middle East, KFC is a star brand known for quality chicken, great service, and unique offerings.
So how is it that the same company can be so great internationally and so poor in its own home country? In this episode, we’ll cover the fried chicken wars, the strategy and missteps that have brought KFC in America to where it is today, and how legacy and brand power can be just as much a curse as it is a blessing in the world of business.
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🎧 Audio Editing & Mixing: Sonalf
0:00 The Colonel Under Siege
3:47 Evolution of Fried Chicken
7:51 Bewildering Dichotomy
13:56 Legacy with a Side of Nostalgia
17:58 A Failed Turnaround
23:47 Behind the White Suit
0:00 The Colonel Under Siege
3:47 Evolution of Fried Chicken
7:51 Bewildering Dichotomy
13:56 Legacy with a Side of Nostalgia
17:58 A Failed Turnaround
23:47 Behind the White Suit
So much hard work goes into to these videos! Thank you
I love your Section Titles. Seeing the Word Dichotomy in a Video about a fried Chicken Fast Food Brand blows my mind.
This analysis seems to contradict everything you said in last years' video on McDonalds in USA. McD focusing back on nostalgic guilty pleasure is good, KFC doing the same with Colonel's 11 herbs&spices recipe is bad. McD moving to steady income from franchising was good for many years to come, KFC suffering from franchisee revolt because KFC income model is more franchise. Et cetera et cetera. So where do you draw the line or have you completely shift your view too on McD?
Every company is different. Even though we can bucket MCDs and KFC together under fast food, the reality is burgers and fried chicken are two different products consumed in very different occasions.
It is always a mistake to assume that strategies, like people, are fungible and that just because it worked for one company that it will work for another. This is the most common reason of why businesses fail when they boil strategy down to chasing trends and replicating competition as it fails to account for internal competencies and politics.
@@ModernMBA
Thank you for not including annoying background music
Here's something for you: a few months ago in Kenya, KFC ran out of fries 😂 which became a national trending topic because we have hectares of potato farms that *don't* need to be frozen before frying. In fact, most of the local market love the chicken but don't really care for the fries themselves. This led to a discussion on why KFC has only approved Egyptian fries where the supply chain could be shortened and made much cheaper by sourcing local potatoes. Especially considering there aren't many KFC chains across the country, let alone Nairobi 😅
Kenyans do be loving they chicken. Fries not so much.
Thanks for sharing that story xD. We had something similar, a few years ago KFC ran out of chicken in the UK. If I remember correctly, KFC decided to take their supply contract to another company, and since the original company heavily relied on KFC they basically shut down. Then the new contract comes into play and the new suppliers wasn't able keep up. 😂 It was a funny media storm
@@AM-bf9tb naaur, local fries are like crack compared to what I now call corporate fries 😂 I get it, frozen 'corporate_ fries make sense for the business, but definitely not for the consumer. They just taste like cardboard! 😭
We ni mdaku kumamako Malaya.. hio mdomo itakutuma 6 feet chunga sana..
@@Magicalnora Do you know if it's because the local potatoes are not of the "approved" variety? I know chain stores like McDonald's and KFC tend to require a very specific type / subspecies of potatoes for their fries, and that may be why
I don't know much about the farming industry in Kenya, but if it's very disparate (lots of small farmers) it might be challenging for these mega fast food chains to get the exact kind, quality and quantity of potatoes they need in order to support a quickly growing region like Nairobi
When KFC hit China it was phenomenal. Nice menu items tailored to Chinese taste. All items became different. They have the Beijing Chicken wraps，beef sirloins pentagon wrap，black pepper steak over rice，etc. Even the spicy chicken sandwich and popcorn chicken taste different and are larger in size. They kept launching different new menu items and are still good today. When I came to US I found the KFCs depressing with greasy and gross food，and significantly bad menu items. Me and my friends tried Popeyes and Chick fil a and Wendys and would not step into a local KFC unless starving to death.
In countries with a strong food culture and readily available takeaway from streetside vendors and small shops, American chains like KFC have to be at the top of their game to even break in and be worth it for a customer to even try. In America, for a huge amount of the market the only other options might be the other 4-5 middling fast food chains within a 15-20 minute drive from your suburb. So KFC doesn't have to do squat and still get sales.
Yea it is pretty insane how bad KFC is in America. You would think it would be the best since it originated here, but this is not the case.
@@onikwa Great analysis. My other guess is that it takes much higher level of cooking skills to achieve what the foreign KFC chefs did, so they simply won't do it. In many foreign countries, even working as a "burger flipper" at KFC or McDonald's is actually decent job, and ppl will compete to be there cuz local restaurants usually pay less and feel less "premium". Here in US it's totally different. Colonel himself criticized how disgusting the KFC gravy and chicken were after the Corp people changed his recipes claiming "need scholars to cook that" as a reason for the change...
Is that Obama Fried Chicken place any good? Always wondered. If you were there, you know.
Original recipe really takes a back seat in the chinese menu.
KFC in Australia and KFC in America are so incredibly different, I thought KFC was kinda the same everywhere just with additional menu items to cater to local preferences, but they might as well be different shops entirely.
So true. Im from a little island in the Caribbean , and went back on vacation with my girl. We kept hearing about the KFC, so we decided to try it, hands down the best chicken we’ve ever eaten in our life. The way it was seasoned was amazing, we ate fried chicken everyday for a week on vacation. Btw it was the original recipe simply amazing
true and yet their flavours are still missing like in other countries... hmmmm
@@gariejoyce5263stop the cap the original recipe was lost and only one restaurant have close to the original recipe
@@oachilis the chicken we had was called KFC original recipe. who cares if it wasn’t the original recipe from 100 years ago. Whatever original recipe we had on the island was much better than the original recipe here in the states
@@SarthakGoel-ks8thI don't know how the rest of the world can survive without KFC's seasoned salt on their chips. They'd taste horrible with just plain salt.
As a kid in Vietnam, I begged my parents to eat kfc. When I came to America, I begged them not to get me there. 😂
KFC used to be a big food chain, but they got few choices. Trends change the customers' desire to consume anew, hence menu in other restaurants expanded ever since. KFC however always use chicken for the symbolism
And one important point for KFC's popularity overseas, like that of McDonalds, is its being a status symbol for low-middle income people in developing countries. In addition, here in Pakistan, KFC often functions as a family evening out together restaurant and hence, maintains so much attraction in cities.
True that, if we have fried chicken for dinner, it's usually Jan's broasted chicken(Karachi) or KFC
In Malaysia, we just have different recipes on our fried chicken, which is way better than the ones in US.
I think here in the USA we might have a better shot at revitalizing the business if they either sampled the most popular sellers from each international region here or had each franchise owner add in a regional menu. Idk I honestly think it’d be more likely to do the first option.
Similar stuff in Ghana, West Africa
@@dragongrrl3 or if they just added seasoning. Nobody likes bland fried chicken. Salt and pepper chicken is only good if it’s fresh and cooked right. Definitely not kfc.
I'm from the UK and had no idea KFC has slipped so much in the US. In the UK it's mainstream and although some outlets will always be better than others, you generally get a pretty consistent product.
Also from the UK, I always thought that KFC was dominant and no other chicken brand could surpass it, when I watched this video I was surprised that the KFC in America was being beaten in it's own game.
Flavors aside, it feels like the ingredient quality of KFC has been far behind its competitors for half a decade. They lose to Popeyes on flavor overall as well imo, and to almost everyone on menu variety. Franchising is nice for the bottom line but terrible for customers if you don't make the effort to maintain quality, which is the entire reason you go to a chain in the first place.
@@Jason-ie1ih well lmao, when youre from a country besides the USA, a "fast food restaurant" has to have the same standards as every other restaurant they have.
In the USA, the same person who would complain about some food, is also the same person who would spit in the persons food if they complained...
Thus we have a "fastfood" paradox in the USA where people buy bad food and dont complain about it. McDonalds is basically fiber, and helps people poop and feel regular, so they always (Subconsciously) consume it as a benefit to their guts.
Its all a joke in the USA.
US here, I still like KFC but no, it is nothing compared to how it used to be. It's generally considered cheap crap here now. Which is why I was amazed when a Korean youtuber I watch did a video where he was super excited because he was going to the biggest and best restaurant in town, KFC. I was like WTF? That KFC was nothing like the ones here. They had a much more diverse and interesting menu and the food looked amazing.
Hate KFC here. Popeyes is opening here so that will probably take over.
You left out the driving forces of the inferior quality that is today's KFC: different frying oil, different breading recipe, much smaller chicken. I worked there over 40 years ago, and the chicken sold today is about 1/2 the size it was then and the flavor is markedly different (and in a bad way). If they returned to the true original recipe and went back to buying larger chickens they could much to turn around their domestic death spiral.
Absolutely spot on! The coatings were delicious and really did stick to your fingers. The new coatings are dry and hard. The only thing sticking to your fingers now is grease. They basically changed the only reason to buy their chicken!
"We made our food more expensive and worse in every way. Why isn't the business doing well?!?"
- nearly every fast food boardroom in the US
Meanwhile the few who still put quality first (or at least second) have a loyal fandom, not just a customer base. Chickfila, raising canes, etc
That's what happen when they tried to market it the same price but lower the quality
@@jurassicturtle3666cfas service is what sets it apart, kfc n popeyes no matter what location you go they will be extra rude and rushing you, and they’re staffed by teenagers or some dirty obese person
@@jurassicturtle3666 Some of the suits at the top of some of these restaurants should stop sitting in boardrooms and go out and eat the stuff they're selling and deal with some of the people that staff their stores. Maybe then they wouldn't be so bewildered as to why they are losing money. Would give anything for a bucket of KFC original recipe from the old days.
For those who don't know, the "Zinger" came out in the late 1990's in Europe. In Germany before we went to the club, we all used to stop at KFC to buy them. When I came back to the US in 2001, I didn't understand why KFC did not sell the Zinger anywhere in the States. It was a missed opportunity, because in my opinion, they tasted better than today's Popeyes spicy chicken sandwich.
Zinger is in the Caribbean too.
Zinger is Top Tier
Zinger is in Canada.
The zinger was created in Trinidad 🇹🇹
We do, since the 80s. They are called Chicken Littles in the US, and recently they decided to rename them to Zinger and add the missing slice of wilted lettuce and untoasted sesame seeds to the bun.
Edit: Maybe not everywhere… From what I can tell from the comments, KFC does vary a lot depending on country. At least in China they are extremely well operated and has an equally good marketshare similar to Mc Donalds, which is obviously not the case in many other countries.
KFC in Asia is just absolutely insane. They have probably offered hundreds of local food and creative foods. Each nation has its unique tweak, including some which stays on the menu all the time and some limited ones. Every time talking about fast foods in China, we almost had to mention some of the limited time classics that are received so well, like "嫩牛五方", which is basically the wrapstar filled with beef. They are just too good.
I lived in china for 3 years And KFC in china Was So much better than anything in Mexico and nort America. My friend from the United Kingdom said KFC in china was much better than UK also
I agree! The food culture in Asia goes hard lol
It tried KFC in Japan and it sucked so bad. Barely eatable compared to any other place. Heard same about Vietnam that KFC there is bad too. Maybe Asia meaning only China here
because America doesn't have authentic "food culture" that can serve on their menu, either it is mexican food that got "americanize" or some food from war they made into staple food. It is very hard for them to have an identity, some example of that is California and Arizona is more known to have Spanish identity than anything else.
And did people clown on food from China, and gogble up American food.
KFC claims that they are trying to give a “good value”, and yet their fried chicken is consistently way more expensive and overpriced compared to Popeyes.
Correction:
KFC is trying to give a good value, the franchisees couldn’t give two shits about giving a good value.
@@sentinel151 franchisees aren't the ones with the power to set the standardised pricing
Did he not just say in the video that the franchisees can set their own pricing. Big KFC can suggest a price, but they don’t have to follow it. Kinda like car dealerships.
@@sentinel151 are we watching the same video? He didn’t say that.
@@InvaderMik 11:30 in the video
Thank you for this very comprehensive and informative content. Well presented. You got me glued to your narration.👏🏻
As a Film & Video alumni from Columbia College Chicago: May I say - Among the 'sea' of documentaries on CZcams, yours is VERY well done. Both in research and, narration voice. (Which is sorely poor in other documentary videos.)
Keep up the good work, much success to you.
KFC over here in Romania has become well-known for their Garlic Sauce, proving even further how good they are at adapting to other markets (we eat a lot of garlic despite the stereotype that we are vampires).
It is damn good too. I was surprised when going to the UK that the KFC there tasted a lot worse than in Romania.
You eat a lot of garlic to immunise yourself from it later on, Vampire. Do not think I can't see through your vile tricks.
no, the stereotype is that romanians eat a lot of garlic becuz they live with the vampires, not that they themselves are vampires.
garlic was already popular in romania and the vampire-warding effects r a myth that came from continued appreciation of it.
That's just what a vampire would want you to believe...
Not everyone in Romania is a vampire, just the ones who don’t eat garlic
A lot of the international options looked really good, and I would argue those flavors (Korean, Indian, etc) are very popular here in the US, especially with younger crowds. What's so difficult about incorporating those menu items in America? The innovation is already done.
Some people don't like changes or they are not used to it.
it would definitely fuck with the brand positioning and could be a risky move as most legacy customers(somewhat reliable) may dip while also failing to acquire younger demographics as they have their own loyalties for such foreign tastes. In time though maybe KFC or any other traditional fast food chain may be able to find a sweet spot to transition to newer flavours. Or maybe the market will lose consolidation and there'll be a fragmented market with new players who can't grow beyond a certain point and are known for a certain niche
because kfc has a weird cheap recipe, introducing good food would be deemed too expensive for the executives.
I would think it's the local supply for ingredients and local tastes. They are after all, still a huge company, they'd have to do things on scale so they would need to get massive amounts of ingredients to make it a regular menu item. Economies of scale and what not.
It works overseas since the locals are already used to the food and taste, so there's already a guarantee for people who'd eat em. For places like the USA, it's niche taste, there are people who do like Korean food, but it's not everyone, and certainly not every KFC customer.
It's a novelty so it would gain some early popularity, but it's doubtful it would get that much regular buyers, making it unsustainable on the long run. Menu items get slashed out all the time for that reason despite how good they are.
There's a reason why Indian KFC doesn't have Korean KFC menu items.
@@iand3lond OP was talking about bringing KFC Korea or elsewhere, to the USA. KFC already has those food items, just not available on the US.
Never watched a video I agreed more with. Phenomenal work
ive never had kfc in the usa bc religous reasons. it is rlly that bad? kfc in pakistan is amazing and its actually the number one international fast food chain in pakistan
Great channel, thank you 😊👍
Someone from Singapore here.
KFC used to be a lot more popular, but you'd be able to visibly observe that stores are less crowded with fewer delivery riders waiting to collect their deliveries these days. A lot of other international brands have entered the market, making the space an extremely competitive one (e.g. Church's or Texas Chicken here, Popeye's, Jollibee).
Especially in a country with fairly high purchasing power, KFC seems to struggle against a lot of the other brands that are more premium in their offerings, relegating KFC to the status of being a very stuck in the middle kind of brand. On the value spectrum, Singapore is very well known for cheap hawker food (something like street food but with hygiene standards and proper food stalls), which means that it is extremely challenging to deliver value even as a value fried chicken chain. Fried chicken is also not foreign to the Singaporean food culture, with hawker stalls selling deboned fried chicken meals and shrimp paste fried chicken (a classic amongst the locals).
For KFC, seasonal changes to the menu tends to revolve around just dressing up the chicken differently, or repurposing the same ingredients in different ways. The Zinger is fairly popular here as a staple in the menu, but other traditionally non-fried chicken based fast food brands like McDonald's have been incredibly successful in competing along the angles of fried chicken and fried chicken burger. Most chains here offer options of fried chicken even if they are actually more burger focused, and McDonald's in particular has a more popular fried chicken sandwich option that more than rivals KFC's in terms of consumer popularity, with an almost cult like following. Both the Zinger and the McSpicy are fairly similar in that they are both spicy fried chicken sandwiches, but McDonald's stronger brand presence, aggressive advertising and unique seasonal rotations (Hershey's softserve and chocolate pie seems to be a big winner that McDonald's like to rotate into), as well as a strong digital engagement strategy, has allowed even the other internationally recognised brands like McDonald's to come up on top over KFC.
The standard of KFC is lower compared to its competitors here. Gone are the freshly fried chicken, for the favour of the convenience of serving chicken under a food radiator, which other competitors still offer. On top of the pricing which is still quite high despite the quality, it is no wonder they lost out on their market share.
The standard of KFC here in Singapore is just not it man. It’s really no wonder why the waterway point outlet closed down, because they really don’t stand a chance against the Jollibee just opposite. On the other hand, the macdonalds just 2 stores down the jollibee is doing perfectly fine.
Bro I didn’t even know church’s chicken was in other countries I thought it was only in the American west 💀
KFC here in Singapore is getting worst, I have never ate it for 3 years & all I see on their FB pages are shrinking chicken size & lazy "new" items that are just existing items on the menu mush together. The only thing I get from KFC is their Zinger Stacker because of the big patties but I haven't had it in a long time & I don't know if it still holds the standard
Texas Chicken has been my go to for fried chicken & underrated had it once every year at different locations & the quality & size of chicken is still high, Jollibee is my 2nd choice then Popeye's and lastly McCrispy from McDonald's
similar thing here in Indonesia, it used to be a head-to-head competition between KFC and McDonald's (which btw both has the fried chicken with rice combo here, instead of chicken-corndbread-soup combo in other country). It is a banger combo and will never go wrong, however the formula is so simple, it is now a saturated market in Indonesia. Plus there is also a rising trend from the last 4-5 years where a local-style and beloved ayam geprek (which literally means smashed chicken) franchises everywhere, and is usually cheaper than the price offered in fast food restaurants like KFC, McDonald's, or even Burger King (yes, BK also have chicken-rice combo here).
That, combined with KFC's weak gimmick compared to McDonald's that always got an interesting varieties of seasonal menus. The only thing lots of Indonesian will remember about KFC's seasonal menu was that one heck of a flop of their chocolate-covered chicken which I'm actually surprised that they also did it in other country.
Edit: 1 small thing that I believed to be one of the reason why KFC was declining in Indonesia in the last 3 years was when a giant Indonesian F&B company Indofood decided to stop producing Pepsi in Indonesia, which is a pretty major staple in a KFC meal set.
Here in Indonesia, KFC took their franchise onto "more street-friendly price" and sell cheaper menus like ricebox, cream soup, soda floats, and even spaghetti, because the way of rice + fried chicken has too many competition.
However, one flaw with that marketing route is that local restaurants and food venues are far cheaper and more satisfying. For example i can get large portion of Nasi Bungkus + iced tea for Rp 17k, whilst KFC medium rice box + cola float cost around Rp 25k (inc. taxes). Obviously common people would pick the local vendors, including taste-wise.
However again, due to our social culture for spending more in our weekends/rehabilitate (people call this "healing" or "hedon sedikit"), you'd find KFC more crowded in weekends, and its like all day long..
Regarding the fast food competition here, imo McDonalds is number one since they strengthen on the burgers, which indonesians dont consume daily. But KFC somehow survives with their lower prices coupled with the "healing" and "hedon sedikit" culture from low-middle income people.
Back in 2000s, with limited choice of fancy food (outside of jakarta), fastfood joint like kfc and texas were hell crowded. It's like people would ready to fight for queue and table kwkwkw
@@winters4960 I kinda remember how crowdy fried chicken restaurants like KFC, McD, Texas, and A&W.
Yup.
and the rising of _Ayam Geprek_ vendors who usually sell better taste chicken for 1 dollar aka Rp. 10k
@@ariswiryanta7038 it'snt 1$ anymore, less than a dollar atm.
Excellent video. Seeing all these interesting options outside the US makes my mouth water.
Excellent video. Well done and extra crispy!
You know what depresses me the most seeing this? I didn't see a SINGLE outside the US menu option that didn't make me positively *drool*. I want those curry options so bad. I want all those options so bad. I know they aren't targeted at us and maybe I'm the odd one out here, but I want those options and legit I'd become any fast food places customer if they had curry options.
@Crack Shot Did you watch the video? It showed up quite a few times for the offerings they provided to other countries, and it looked DELICIOUS. It was a side, or a sauce, but a lot of the advertisements showed them pouring it over the fried chicken. I really want to try it.
I think if they brought their international items to the states, i would totally go. I havent been to kfc since i was a kid
@@moralkombat66 I would legit eat there every day if I had the money and they had any of these options. We always get the short end of the stick for these things.
@@auraonline9073 same here, lol
@@moralkombat66 they'd have to up the quality tho KFC in the states is literally just grease with bread crumbs
KFC didn't just do well internationally because of marketing, it's also because of where ingredients are sourced. Other countries have stricter standards on their food and often take a shorter path from farm to table.
@@a7HKdAbmET American cheese also cannot bear the name cheese under European law.
@@Dunkingsonn I don't mind our yellow plastic squares as long as there are enough ingredients and flavors to mask the cheapness of the product.
yeah the only country I would agree that KFC did well because of marketing would be japan because of the kentucky fried christmas
The USA in general is a hard place to get really good veg that is not full of GMO's and tones of other toxic crap because its so big and most of its landlocked. That means everything has to be transported by truck because US rail is non existent. In Europe very few places are more than an hour from a port by high speed rail, most are within 30min. Thats why the food is cheaper and much higher quality.
@@a7HKdAbmET I mean, American Cheese literally isn't able to call itself cheese in the US either. It is Cheese flavored dairy product or sometimes a cheese product depending how close to cheese it is.
0:27 Love for the doggo who patiently waited for their turn 😂
24:03 omg when i saw the subtitles in that ad i was in shock!!!!
As a Vietnamese, i can say with certain that most western fast food chains fail majorly in Vietnam due to how affordable and tasty the local food is, of course except KFC.
KFC is probably the only major western chains that are often packed most day. KFC do have competition like Jollibee and Lotteria but they adapted quite well to the local culture that help them stay in business and growing in the country. KFC is probably the only fast food place where i would actually recommended trying some of the rice lunch menu item since they have good quality rice, good sauce, good portion and fairly competitive pricing compare to the local (being only slightly more expensive then local).
I appreciate you for liking our Local Fast Food Chain (Jollibee) Vietnam.😍 🇵🇭❤️🇻🇳
KFC has already sucked when I was still a primary kid. Nowadays, Popeyes and Jolibee are the best fried chickens in Vietnam
Mmm. I'm lucky to get a good Vietnamese resturant near our house. The food is always so delisious. Was introduced to good vietnamese food back in the early 2000s when my Uncle and Aunt brought us to a resturant in Regina.
I'm not sure about other place, but KFCs in Hanoi is pure garbage
@@vunamdeptrai Man you must have gotten it on a horrible day then cuz im a Hanoian and most of it slap....ok except the fries
Here in the Philippines, the one thing that kept me going back to KFC was their Zinger. But ever since Jollibee introduced their own much tastier and crispier “Chickenwich”. I’ve had much less reasons to visit KFC. I still go there every now and then for their unique items, but, for most of my fried chicken cravings, its Jollibee all the way.
Another Filipino here, KFC sucks now imo, their traditional fried chicken is not good tbh, and their other offerings such as their chicken sandwiches are the worst in the competition. The only thing I love about KFC more than any others is their bucket of fries and lots of gravy, simply the best fries for any fry-related occasion but I digress lol.
But yeah, when it comes to fried chicken, Jollibee is the best, along with Ministop (the size carried ministop lol) and everything else is secondary. Best chicken sandwich is in Bonchon tho, way better than Chickenwich. Just my ¢2.
I'm also in the PH and yeah, I agree. While I can't say much on the Zinger or Chickenwich (because i never got to try them), Jolibee's menu items were genuinely better than KFC's imo.
I can't remember the last time I had good KFC here in the Philippines haha
Since Popeyes entered the market it has been my go to for chicken. I only have KFC on occasion when I start craving their gravy.
Tbh, I only visit KFC for their ice cream or desserts. For chicken, Jollibee all the way!
I’m South African living in the USA and I absolutely do not enjoy American KFC even though it’s one of my favorite things to eat when I’m home. The quality just isn’t the same, their biscuits are so dry it should be considered a health hazard and I always ALWAYS have issues with either the food or the customer service whenever I’ve tried to give them a chance. If you see me at KFC in the US just know it was my last resort other than that I am not voluntarily going to KFC. I absolutely miss the zinger wings, kfc wraps as well as the kfc mini loaf that we have in South Africa 😢
SUCH A GOOD VIDEO!
Something you don't mention which I think underlies KFC US's real problem: the quality of the chicken itself. There's something wrong with their chicken supply (which I suspect is vertically integrated). I think it starts with that.
The bones are small and weak and you can tell from the taste that the birds are not cared well for.
This is a strong contrast to the chicken you get at BoJangles which are very healthy.
For sure. All the flavorings and menu items aside, I was disgusted by how nasty the chicken in a basic original bucket is in KFC USA, compared to what I had in Vietnam.
broiler chickens.....54 days from egg to slaughterhouse...explains it all
I live in Canada and grew up on a farm where we had chickens. The past few years, the chicken has tasted like old rooster. Stringy too.
the steak from us also got some quality problem with meat having weird unpleasant taste and smell,idk abt u guy but when i eat a local dealer steak in vietnam it some how come out way better with none of those weird taste and smell meat from us has
@@user-sg9ql8nk1u well I cab;t really agree with that at all. Even steak I buy at costco in the US is fantastic.
The sheer difference in menu items is what astounds me. Non-US markets get all these incredible flavours and delicious sounding menu items while for the US their big play was to make it "spicy" and slap it in a bun.
Actually, the Zinger was already popular internationally and had been sold for decades as a permanent menu item in many countries. They just finally brought it to the USA where it failed lol.
@@acudaican The Mighty Zinger in KFC Arabia is one of the best chicken sandwiches I have ever had. While I was initially excited, the Zinger I got in the US was so mediocre I was actually sad. KFC in the US is a joke and they really don't try to not be a joke. If they really wanted to change public perception they should really be taking some of the innovative menu items from the international markets and bringing them to the US while also maintaining the quality of their items.
But they won't.
@@khinzaw77the zinger burger in Australia is an icon, we love it here, especially if you change the mayo to super charged or pepper mayo
@@CuriousFrog Check out pictures of the Mighty Zinger, it's essentially a double zinger. It's incredible, but only available from KFC Arabia unfortunately.
wtf the Zinger wasn't in the US KFC menu? I thought it's a standard to the brand.
I'm trying to listen to the video but the images just end up making me hungry. 😋🤣
Omg I was surprised to see my local Tāmaki makaurau auckland Seoul Chicken in this little corner of the world on this doco?!?! That’s amazing!
As an Aussie, I can't believe the KFC Zinger was new to America in 2016-17... we've had it here since forever, at least all of the 2000's. The Zinger Burger (sorry sandwich) & in more recent years the Zinger Wrap, are my go to choice @ KFC... along with their chips with extra 'chicken salt' (the crack of the food world)! ;-)
legit the burger is older than me, 2004. i'm in nsw
I used to buy tower zinger burgers in Iceland for years and I moved away in 2001 so it must have been available at least from 1996
Amen brother. Zinger stacker is a pinnace of Aussie KFC to me. The slab he mentioned is alright but damn, nothing compares to the Aussie Zinger range.
I really did not expect to see chicken salt mentioned here, it's SA predominantly right? I'm an Aussie living in the US and I can attest to this, I miss the Zinger (and the chicken salt!) so much. Definitely getting one when I visit home next.
KFC Queensland and I think Darwin also has Hot n Spicy chicken which is fucking bonza. Massive shock to the system when I moved to Melbourne and they didn't have it. I barely go back now except for the odd Zinger Stacker here and there. Massive missed opportunity to name it "Zinga" btw
Even here in Australia, where KFC has infamously been getting gradually worse for some time now, the quality of the food still far outstrips KFC in America. I went for a month-long trip to the states this year and one of the first junk food places I went was KFC, because I specifically wanted to experience how different they were between countries. Not only was the chicken awful but the variety on the menu was, too. I was actually kind of astounded how small and same-y the menu was compared to what I was used to in Australia.
Also, the fact that KFC's parent company also owns Pizza Hut explains a lot. Pizza Hut sucks in Australia.
As an Aussie I agree with everything you've said, and this is coming from someone who work at Pizza Hut for 5 years during high school and undergrad. From my experience under Yum brand management, it was never the company but more the franchises who were the problem at the end of the day. Never really cared for brand name, always hired friends of friends and their kids instead of competent individual. A recipe for disaster.
I was a cook at an Aussie KFC. I remember visiting the US one time and trying KFC, it was honestly so disappointing. I've tried it once before in every other country I've visited and none of them have been nearly as bad as the USA. But I think Aussie KFCs take the quality a lot more seriously than American ones do. I remember always making sure the chicken was kept warm, sometimes throwing out chicken which was past it's fresh time, and changing the oil in the cookers fairly consistently which I imagine a lot of franchise-owned KFCs in America don't bother with.
@@jackdavenport5011 Yeah, like. I was a bit general in my original comment because even though Australian KFC is on the downturn, the point stands that we're still WAY ahead of American KFC. It sounds like you and I had the same experience.
aussie kfc is ass! my local runs out of chicken all the time! also the menu is a joke...try it in thailand it's so much better...I can't imagine how bad it must be In usa if it's worse than here.....I just want popeyes to come here and put kfc out of business
Tbh I don't mind pizza hut in my area - qld - beats dominos - KFC is dogshit these days - And I used to love red rooster but even that is hit and miss sometimes :(
Thanks to some issues with how KFC managed the chicken & potato shortage here in Malaysia last year (considering those two materials make up the core of their menu), I feel like their popularity has decreased by a significant margin, with plenty of other fried chicken options available including those from traditionally burger-focused fast food chains like Burger King and A&W taking advantage of KFC's fall by offering their own spin of fried chicken and fast food chains that already have chicken in their menu like McDonald's and Texas Chicken refining their quality.
That said, I don't think KFC is going away from here soon, considering it's still viewed in some groups as the place to splurge on for celebrations and many of its chains here are pretty filled up at lunchtime (not as packed as McDonald's, but still).
You need to try the KFC in the Caribbean islands like Antigua & Jamaica and Trinidad mek de best KFC ❤
I thought Muslim supposed to boycott KFC? Anyway I won't even consider any fast food chain. They are all bad and pricey for their low quality.
@@nyk2000m notice how the original comment was posted 2 months ago. Also, the KFC franchise in the region is managed by a company headed by a Muslim.
But I can agree with the food quality.
IMP Metrics:
-Profit Margin & Operating Margin
-System Sales
-Franchise fees : Volume Strategy that works at large scale
-Same Store Sales
11:16
Also quickly point out Japan KFC’s at Christmas are absolutely thriving the majority of Japanese people buy KFC as Christmas meals and they make huge sales over that period.
It's crazy that they can't just bring their international products here, so many of those would sell so well.
nah... local menu exist due to how cheap it can be made and the culture. Imagine making food inspired by Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, Indonesia but with American ingredient. Taste like True American
Also American won't think about Chocolate chicken.
@@Osvster Yes and no. NOT everything would translate well. Yet there's a TON of Japanophiles an others that would gobble that shit up. Not to mention there's menu items that can be made plenty cheap here in the US.
An even if it wouldn't taste quite as good....a LOT of it would STILL taste better than what they have now.
Not to mention you're overlooking the Power of Novelty. Americans have never even DREAMED of many of these flavors!
We could say the same thing about exclusively American fast food chains that Americans rave about. Works both ways I guess.
Supply chains are everything to such a massively distributed, franchised company. What is plentiful and cheap in one country might be far more expensive to source in another. Maybe they'll be able to justify the startup costs of innovative menu items once they've lost so many franchises that both logistics costs are low enough and desperation high enough to force their hand.
@@Melancthon7332 There's a number of things you could probably easily source in America if they tried. That or get something similar enough.
But they're not wanting to make big risks. They weren't willing to really invest in the American KFCs as they did in other countries.
it's amazing the amount of fast-food chains in america, I didn't know most of the ones mentioned in the video. interesting
Aaaye that random Jolibee shoutout !
In Vietnam, chicken rice menu is the bomb. You get a plate of rice and chicken soup, which is traditionally Vietnamese, along side crispy chicken tenders and gravy, which is foreign. The meal is definitely adapted for the locals to make something so comforting yet so interesting because teenagers and kids would want to go here for their birthday
@Witty Witty bruh wth . . .
Amazing coverage on the topic. Modern MBA really sold me on the idea the KFC is purposefully neglecting the US to make a bigger foothold on the various international markets. All the ads in this piece were amazing. The Asian and South American menu commercials looked SO GOOD... the US menu ads are just sad and the food is so tired and uninspired. I would love to go to a KFC in Beijing... i would rather hunt and gather in the wild than go to a US KFC. It's definitely a different tactic to hit hard in the international markets. Honestly, it's a win-win... I don't need another chicken chain, there are plenty to fill the void KFC leaves. And they get to be competitive in other markets and lay claim to international success where our national brands cannot. Have fun overseas KFC! All the best and success for you!
I don't get how you can neglect it either, it's not an all or nothing. You can use the same things in the international markets state side.
@@hockeymikey It has to do with management. Each country's kfc has management hired from that country.
@@hockeymikey two main reasons. 1. With the extremely competition like Popeye's, Church's or Chick-fil-A dominating America, KFC is struggling to remain relevant there. Subpar food and subpar service. Doesn't matter how old you are or how famous you are; make shit food and the customer will vote with thier money. KFC aren't McDonald's or Disney where they can just shit out anything and make a killing, they don't have the power to print infinite money. They are focusing so heavily internationally so that, should Chick-fil-A or thier other American competition make a significant foreign push, they'll have to fight an established local giant. They want a local monopoly before thier competition can follow.
2. In England especially, Americans have a reputation for worshipping mediocrity like it's the second coming and just eating up anything thier corporate overlords force upon them. Throw enough money at marketing something and Americans will award you with a killer profit margin. Sure, we Brits can be just as bad but the complacent American consumer is as much a stereotype over here as the rude prick of an American tourist in a Hawaiian shirt. Why bother changing when they can just give anything and make money?
You've missed the Nando's fast chain model. They took chicken upmarket and is growing fast in Europe especially UK, Australia etc.
tbh in pakistan nandos is seen as a fancy restaurant one would go to at a special occasion. kfc is always chosen for guilty pleasure meals
0:12 well well well
I think this is true for almost all overseas American restaurants. Most other countries actually have standards in quality of food and how it’s sourced. I ate everything as a kid, but I really didn’t like KFC as a kid. It didn’t taste like anything. So when I went to Japan, and the Russia, I was surprised at how good they were. Granted, I did get the local specialties, so that may have had something to do with it. LOL
I've heard that Subway is terrible, but in Australia, I never understood the hate.
Its weird too because the same goes for Burger King. Its good here.
@@kaelisprime9087 same story for me with KFC in Mexico. In my experience the fried chicken served here usually taste very juicy and flavorful, rarely ever getting a batch that tasted bland. And for a bit of context we don't often get region specialties
So I was confused when I heard my friends calling KFC trash until I watched this video
@@granmastersword I guess its a franchise sort of thing. This one KFC I've been to makes the chicken and the skin soft and soggy. But this other one makes the chicken very crispy and flavourful.
@kaelisprime9087 there is no burger king in Australia. How much do you get paid to advertise Subway with bullshit statements?
Holy hell LMAO, look at the FDA there's a lot more standards and quality that you realize.
I for one am not “tired” of the 11 herbs and spices, I just want them to fry my chicken with oil that isn’t 3 months old and just generally put more effort into preventing it from becoming bone dry, its weird because i used to live near a location just a couple of years ago that was totally decent and id go there all the time, but that was like a diamond in the rough
You know they change the grease 1 time a month , it doesn't taste good whatsoever , leaves me feeling sick afterwards
Thank you!!..its this! sooo much this!.....I actually love the taste of original recipe fried chicken when executed properly....the problem is problem is the quality is of such a low standard that the chicken is either waaaay overcooked or the oil that its cooked in taste old ....or the quality of the chicken itself is sub par...its not that Americans are bored with 11 herbs and spices... its the quality that is shit!....look at In n Out burger super limited menu but the quality of the product is what sells it!
I actually really like the taste of KFC's spice mix, especially with extra-crispy chicken. I just want that extra crispy chicken to not feel and look like it came from the bottom of a grease pit.
Reminds me of General Motors, too dependent on overseas sales.
watching this made me really hungry
When I lived in Korea I went on a trip with some friends and we were nervous to order KFC but the chicken was sooo good and different. When I visited my family in Grenada, KFC was also really good and had some different menu items as well.
The best fried chicken I’ve ever had was at a KFC in Bangalore. In the 15 years since I had it, nothing else has come close. The thing that really set it apart was how fresh it was: it went right from the fryer into the bucket. I know most places just fry in batches and keep warm till service, but freshly-fried food is infinitely better.
Unfortunately, that really only works at high volumes, because actually frying to order takes way too long. You need to be able to throw chicken in the fryer with the confidence that someone will be there to eat it in 15 minutes. It’s a catch 22: you need quality to drive order volume, but you need order volume to drive quality. IMO, the most successful places push for quality at all costs, because they know it’ll pay off in the long term. But constantly throwing out stale but perfectly edible food must be agonizing to a struggling restaurateur.
KFC has gone down in quality since. I'd much rather eat chicken at a restaurant than KFC
Dumpster diving...❤
Thats why mcd has a waiting list now. The fewer people the slower the waiting list.
You say "frying to order takes to long..." But I'd wait.
Plus, it's 2023. Get an app and you can "have confidence that someone will be there in 15 minutes" (or at least that, if it's their fault, they won't blame you for their soggy chicken)
KFC in India isnt good at all. They have a monopoly on American Froed Chicken. They have never been great. They are so much better options through local eateries. Heck even Chillis make muxh better wings
The koreatown branch on olympic is pretty good. That's in LA. Branches aren't very consistent.
In the midwest of USA the quality can change depending on the franchise owner. I live near two KFC's the bad one, that's closer, has run out of chicken multiple times and the chicken is either too dry or soggy with grease. While the good one is way busier, during lunch and dinner rush, and I have not heard anything about that location running out. (also the good one has more consistency with the chicken being overall ok)
This story has definitely done one thing. Made me hungry, though the problem is so much of it is not available in the US. And I saw a flash of a news story about a judge telling the franchisees to “get it together” on their advertising. This was a point your story seriously missed out on. One of the reasons I rarely go to KFC for their specials or sales, is because I know I’ll rarely be able to get it for the advertised price. The strategy of attracting customers with advertising it’s value, only if all the franchises “participate”. As in the fine print of the ads that say “only at participating” stores. Or “only available at participating locations”. I’ve gone to several KFC’s in different towns in Oregon and have never found the $5 Fill-up available. Usually it’s closer to $5.50 or even $6. The 2for$6 is usually 2for$7. When I mention the tv advertising, they apologize and say that their stores aren’t participating in that promotion.
this is a great point- and honestly in the US, most fast food franchises will get more expensive in relatively expensive cities, and cheaper in less expensive areas in the same way that KFC does. they might advertise as being super cheap and affordable, and maybe it really is comparatively cheap in those relatively expensive areas, but it's still going to be up to the franchisees and not something special or unique.
It's the same with Subway. Tried using a coupon for that stupid sandwich place.
None of the THREE Subways around me would take them. What the hell is Corporate at these places thinking???
@@bh4462 I've had that problem with subway also. I completely agree. They should be required to follow the same play book, because it looks a lot like a bait and switch scheme from where I'm sitting. Using fake prices to get people in the door, and then telling them that those prices don't apply.
A Bulgarian here. KFC is a respected brand over here and is surprisingly good even after these years. The chicken is actually well-fried and crispy, I could discuss the juiciness a little bit more but whatever, and their sandwiches are a banger. As he stated in the video, we have furniture for us to sit on while eating and a nice atmosphere as a whole. While it seems that the US has drawn the short stick. I've seen people complain about other brands in the US like Burger king or Mcdonald's and I can say with confidence that almost none of the complaints apply to Bulgaria or the majority of Europe.
I don't think the US drew the short stick more than there's so much competition nationally, state-wide, and even city specific in the US that a lot of times KFC is an afterthought in the US. KFC was really smart to understand the market and shift focus on the quality of product outside the United States. The same issue applies for both Burger King and McDonald's as fast food burger chains in the US are significantly better. I live in the middle of the United States and had Culvers tonight for dinner; a fast food chain specific to the Midwest states. It offered a better burger experience than anything I ever tasted at Burger King or McDonald's.
It's sort of like the Starbucks in Australia situation. Local was just better then the fast food chain from another country.
Used to be better, now I barely go there. The chicken is dry and tastes different every time.
i don't like bulgarians
My favorite is BB.Q Chicken. They aren't very common, I only know of 6 locations in all of California, but if you are lucky enough to live near one I highly recommend giving them a try. Their chicken is so crispy, we ate it the next day straight out of the refrigerator without reheating it is still had some crisp! The meat is nice and tender and juicy as well.
In Singapore KFC always come out with a local flavour to pleased us. So far, we have the Sichuan spicy, Malay sambal sauce, and recently the butter cereal coatings.
Every time a KFC restaurant opens, it is, initially, fabulous. Everything is cooked perfectly, the service is friendly and accurate (and fast), and the chicken is wonderful. And then the corporate trainers leave. The extra supervisory help on loan from other locations goes back to their home stores, and the food and service drastically and quickly degrade.
I think they get paid fair
Yet this doesnt happen in other countries. Almost like it's a uniquely US problem of not paying employees a living wage.
@@sotonin I'm pretty sure that it isn't a Uniquely American problem. If anything, the fact that America considers it to be a problem is what is novel. Do you think Pakistan pays their workers 60,000 PKR/hour? Does Thailand pay 700 Bhat /hr? Does Japan pay 2775 Yen/hr? No. They do not.
@@TheBrothergreen How do you feel to compare the USA's wages against third world country to justify what is happening?
Cause it may be a beginning of an answer....
When you set your standard to the lowest, don't expect something else than the lowest...
@@lepangolin4080 Japan is a 3rd world country?
Also, I took a wander through the EU. $20/hr minimum wages (that's what i was using as a baseline above for a "living wage") isn't a thing. It's only available in certain pockets, just like here. Besides, you're either russian or chinese, right? Don't be putting down the 3rd world like that. It'll get you killed.
I lived in Indonesia almost every single fast food franchises have a fried chicken menu and the competition for fried chicken here is fierce as hell.
Philippines as well, even Mcdonald's and Wendy's have fried chicken on their menus.
Don't forget there's also competition from cheap kaki-lima fried chicken sellers wkwkwwkk
@@excalibro8365 dont forget pecel lele exist in every street corner.
Ayam geprek vendors by-street: "hoo, are you challenging me?"
As an Australian, I have never in my life seen a Popcorn chicken Slab
Listening to this video, not 1 time did it I ever eat fried chicken until I went into the ARMY
KFC is always coming out with new and exciting flavors here in the Philippines. It's something friends and family share with each other whether they have tried it already or not. Filipinos also love gravy and when you dine-in, you can get as much gravy as you want. Gravy offered by Jollibee and McDonald's are quite bare and you have to pay for a refill.
😊😊😊😊😊😊😊
They also have good spaghetti.
Popeyes beats them all..
that's according to my taste buds.
I always taste a hint of rawness in KFC's chicken regardless of location. I like Jollibee and Shakey's chickens more.
Tbh when I tried Popeyes it wasn't that good maybe it's not spicy enough
I’m from Jamaica and every time I go I make sure to get KFC and the lines are long. It’s so good I freeze some and bring it back to the US in my suitcase. Nothing in the US can even compare
even the street wise 2 meal is smaller than it was when i was young
In my local experience, KFC has mainly fallen to the public here demanding nicer sit-in restaurant style fried chicken with better recipes, ingredients, and customer service. Chic Fil A pretty much dominates fried chicken around here with most of the KFC and Popeyes stores either shuttering or looking like nearly abandoned establishments on life support.
Any fried chicken option that doesn't include a choice for dark meat is not worth stopping at.
Chic Fil A here only serves to fill the niche for sandwiches, Popeyes and Churchs fill the demand for cheap fried chicken, and more local brands like Champy's and Han-Mi have taken over the 'pay a bit more for quality' brands.
None of them seem to be doing better due to sitdown areas though, especially not amidst the pandemic where everyone's lobbies were closed.
Where are you? Popeyes and Chic Fil A are pretty much on the same level here. People, including my family, usually switch back and forth.
KFC has some of the same problems as Subway in the US. Grew stores to the point of saturation, many run by terrible owners, dirty restaurants, worsening quality, rude staff, etc. There's simply more choices and better options now.
KFC, Pizza Hut and McDonalds outside the US are like Michelin star-restaurants compared to the dumps they are in US. I know because I tried both.
I particularly fondly remember a McDonalds in Alexandria, Egypt. The hamburger with that awesome pickle, the soft serve and the strawberry milkshake, all transported me back to my experiences in McDonalds in the US as a child,
Then I spend a decade in the US, the ice cream machine is always broken and the fries have curly black hairs in them. Gives a new meaning to "curly fries" 😂
Not here in singapore tho. They are everywhere and its an everyday food rather than the once in a while food you eat to enjoy like those michelin food. Mcdonalds' burgers are nice and cheap, kfc is boring in singapore and pizza hut is majorly over priced and we have other cheaper and better brands and also dominos. The kfc chicken is stale when you buy especially in between lunch and dinner.
pizza hut in uk is dead.
Legit, first I learnt of it was Company Man's video about thier decline. And I was like "they're declining?!!!!!!" I'm British and live literally three minutes walk from a KFC that is thriving (it legit has more customers than my local Mickey D's despite the KFC lacking a drive-in) and is even more popular than ever so that was quite shocking. Not surprised they're all but giving up in America though. That country always gets the short end of the stick when it comes to fast food.
@@cagdasyalcin190489 Pizza Hut when I lived in the UK was some of the grossest and depressing thing (can’t even calm it food) I’ve ever ordered. The couple of times I did they got my order wrong as well. Delivered a weird baked crust with random ingredients that was a worker’s meal! 😂 Even their dessert cookies were dry. And their ice cream stale like how?
Pizza hut in canada is great :3 idk what they do to the crust but its the only pizza crust i go out of my way to eat
:15 I felt that deep in my soul.
I literally Just got a KFC ad on this video about adding pizzas.😅
Interesting video. I noticed people in the US prop up Popeyes and Chic Fil A so much as their go to fried chicken brand. Though speaking as a Malaysian, the situation here is absolutely the opposite. People hold KFC dearly and while Chic Fil A was never a thing for us, Popeyes has tried to enter the market and last I heard in 2019 they only have 1 store in an airport left which means it's a commercial disaster. The locals complained that Popeyes chicken was far too salty and the price was too expensive for them to justify buying compared to cheaper alternatives (KFC, McDonalds). I too felt that this was definitely the case since people feel that they have more brand loyalty to KFC who have been here since the 70s and have adapted to local tastes (we even have our own slang for KFC called 'kepci' here) compared to Popeyes which got too cocky with their rep back home that they forget that the locals do not have the same taste as Americans do nor do they understand that we are too geographically and culturally removed from US Southern States to understand it's appeal. Same issue with FiveGuys vs McDonalds where FiveGuys set their prices so high the locals just outright said no thanks (an entire meal costs nearly RM50 as opposed to getting a value meal from McDs for like RM20. Half the price for better value) Jollibee recently opened here in 2022 as well and the reception was pretty meh all things considered as it didn't force KFC to compete as the dominant fried chicken brand. It didn't have the same effect as FamilyMart vs 7Eleven which forced the latter to up their standards to compete in the convenience store market. The only other competitor that is actually doing well and understands us would be Church's Chicken (although we know it as Texas Chicken). They do pretty well marketing wise and people do like it well enough which means there is room for competition. All in all I think for nearly 50 years that KFC has been in the local market, a part of their strategy has worked very well for us as even the brands people taut as better like FiveGuys/Popeyes cannot do well due to being so culturally tone deaf that they're begging to fail in our markets. What works for home base (US) will not work for us and it definitely shows.
Very well said! As a Malaysian KFC stand similar to McDonald as my comfort fast food. I only go Carls jr, Texas chicken or kyochon when I am feeling fancy. Miss Popeye's, Papa John's and Wendy's tho
And remember in local net news just a month ago where a Brits guy declared our KFC was the best worldwide?
and we, in very typical Malesian fashion, mocked him and ask "who paid you for this promotion"?
Looking at this, I think I get him
Agree 💯 I tried Popeyes once but it's just didn't hit it for me but however in my state (Perlis) KFC seem sloppy to them cause they prefer McDonald since the spiciness just top tier. I tried once and I do enjoy the chicken from McD just I have to hit toilet a lot after that. 😂😂😂 They're good but KFC have sort of nostalgia even though I grew up eating mcD the most but KFC just too familiar and feel like home. In my state you can find like a lot of new fried chicken brand especially the local but they didn't have something that KFC have, probably lacking msg for sure 😂😂😂. But still I agree with you
Popeyes is super mid in the US tbh. It only has a good rep because most of the US has trash fried chicken options.
I'm right next over from you (I'm Indonesian) and yeah this checks out, except the part of Popeye's as we don't have that here
I'm told it recently remodeled, but a few years ago I visited the original KFC restaurant/museum in Corbin, KY and it was run down and gross. The food was nothing special and it was understaffed. It basically looked like every other KFC in the US. The company obviously hasn't cared about the brand's reputation for a while. Hopefully it changes, I like the food and I would love to try some of the international options here in the US.
yeah, it's franchisers being shitty. KFC seems to have tried but franchise owners just want to coast. it'll take a while before KFC bounces back.
You need to go to Claudia sanders dinner house, beautiful and amazing food there, it was the colonels and his wife’s home while they were alive
@@alvarovq Is that the only non-KFC place where the "11 herbs and spices" are used on their fried chicken?
US has a workforce problem. They cannot compete on salary so they usually get the worst employees. I was shocked when I first went to a fast food place in US some 20 years ago, dirtiest I had ever seen.
Same here in Canada, Michael.
would be nice if there was one nearby, but it's like 2 towns over/ I remember their mashed potatoes and gravy was really good. Also looks like they make better foods outside the us.. most of those outside foods made my mouth water...
Dayum im craving some chicken after i watched kfc ads for almost 30 mins. Daym
I've lived in the US my whole life and every KFC meal has been really sad and depressing. Internationally, my friends rave about it and it is seen as a mark of quality. Always wondered why, but this video helps me understand that they just neglected the core product for a long, long time.
Canada KFC is also kinda junk. The chicken strips are only pasable at best.
KFC in Thailand is crap. McDonald’s chicken is far better
Internationally, it may be because locals add their own twist to the chicken to enhance the flavor. At least that's how it is in my country.
@@lupusdei0819 fr, thailand's mcdonald is just another breed.
i lived in thailand for 3yrs, the mcdonalds there r just so good for some reason??? Employees are nice and I never related to the "ice cream machine broken" joke bc its non existence both in thailand and my country
When they launched the Zinger in the US in 2017, it had already been a menu item for years all around the world (Canadian here, 2011 intro for that menu item) so it completely blows my mind that it was marketed so heavily as the best new thing in the states... But also why wait so long if it was successful elsewhere? Corporate makes some crazy decisions.
Even here in canada kfc isnt anything special anymore. The chicken used to be far better and the buckets bigger. Before mary browns also started cost cutting they were pretty good. Now popeyes is my go to for fried chicken or i just hit up some local small places like this great korean one.
We’ve had the Zinger in Australia for as long as I can remember (at least 20 years+) so I was similarly surprised to see it marked as a new item in the USA in 2017.
No, The zinger started at home in the US. I remember ordering it in the 90's and 2000's when I was a kid growing up.
The first KFC zinger sandwich was started in my country Trinidad and Tobago 🇹🇹 in 1984 so it’s been around for quite some time. Shocked about it being introduced in the US so many years after
@@nadea7197 My bad your right about the origin but I remember 20+ years ago in the US there was a sandwich called the "zinger" that was basically chicken tenders on a bun with a spicy sauce that I would order all the time growing up. ahh here it is czcams.com/video/Qch2efTPh58/video.html&ab_channel=cwaraksa1
We don't even have gravy here in Belgium.
As an Australian the popcorn chicken slab is not our favourite it’s the zinger box with or without supercharged sauce
KFC in America is far different than the ones we have in Malaysia. So far in quality. I guess it depends on the store location/management. The only complaint we have here is small chicken (yes we love those mutant chickens, the bigger the better)
😂😂😂mutant chicken. I know what you mean, like the drumstick has tiny short bones with huge big meat at the end. Like a really short chicken bodybuilder.
Indonesia here, KFC is used to be popular about a decade ago but now it's quite empty. My guess is because of a lot of entrepreneurship involving Fried Chicken is literally everywhere on Indonesia. Some of the famous one are Hisana Fried Chicken (HFC), C'bezt Fried Chicken and California Fried Chicken (CFC).
Before you asked, yes. California Fried Chicken aka CFC is actually from Indonesia. Despite the name that's somewhat American. It was not exactly 100% Indonesian because formerly known as a franchise of Pioneer Take Out aka Pioneers Chicken. But we know what happened to them, so some people acknowledged that CFC is an Indonesian product. My memory is not quite good so correct me if I'm wrong.
CFC used the Pioneer flag until 1989 when the Pioneer brand finalized its foreclosure (Pioneer went bankrupt in 1988). Hisana and C'Bezt are just a Jakarta phenomenon and neither comes even close to the scale of operations of KFC. That said, the dominant chicken shop in Indonesia is actually A&W, which is supremely ironic because it's originally a burger joint.
Depends on location, I think. Lots of KFC outlets I visited still have healthy number of customers.
One of the recent fried chicken joint that I've actually seen almost everywhere is Rocket Fried Chicken. I'm impressed with their strategy since rather than going big like other franchises, they opted to go small. They even exist in remote regencies thus allowing them to get more customers, slowly and silently. Also they're dirt cheap.
Factual content.
12:26 the revenue breakdown chart of franchise fees vs self-operated store sales. For 2013-2017, the percentages add to 100, but for 2018+ they do not. What's the missing revenue?
I recently did a video comparing KFC in the US, UK and Rwanda, and I was pretty shocked to see the contrast between the UK KFC website, which is pretty eye-catching and has lots of healthier options, and the US site which did look a bit underwhelming. Rwanda’s KFC is extremely bare-bones though, the only side you can get is fries and the only sauce is ketchup. I feel we got a bit short-changed there.
Don't worry, the food itself is still pretty bad here in the UK.
@@marshtomp8 That's reassuring 😄
Honestly I'm surprised to hear that Rwanda has KFCs. I'm sure it will get better over time like Rwanda has though.
@@marshtomp8 it’s way better then North America though. I’ve lived in both and would take the uk chicken anyday
Even in Malaysia where was once the world's largest consumer of KFC (80s), it no longer holds the same aroma, taste and texture as it was once known. Growing up with it for 5 decades now, cost cutting has led to bland, rubbery, anemic chicken.
I'm an employee in the UK Branch of KFC as a cook and team member and I'm telling you when I saw the KFC chicken at the start, I gagged, you guys have it so bad
After watching this informative video, I was tempted and went right ahead and ordered some...mm...KFC
Back when I was in college, my professor in construction management was also the general manager of KFC Philippines then. During his time in KFC, they started to make their own meat and other ingredients. Others such as Jollibee and Mcdonalds still ordered their chicken from Magnolia and Bounty Fresh. I would say the early 2010s was the peak of KFC Philippines. Jollibee and Mcdonalds had no say in quality.
When my professor left KFC in 2015, the quality dropped rock bottom. Flavorless chicken. Watery gravy. Much more expensive compared to Jollibee, Mcdonalds, and Burger King(Jollibee owns the Philippine franchise of Burger King). Jollibee and Mcdonalds sucked too, but KFC was worse than them.
Currently, Popeyes has the best fried chicken in town.
I never cared for Popeyes. It was always too greasy when I got it. And I'm not a huge fan of cajun flavors at all.
I'm also from PH and I think Popeyes is overrated. As a person who cooks, KFC in PH is still top tier when it comes to flavor and spice. KFC price is also pretty cheap and have a lot of variety, in KFC u can get a Fried Chicken Meal with Rice, Mashed Potatoes, Soup, and a Drink for 2 Dollars and a half maybe, while in Jollibee and the rest u can get a Fried Chicken with Rice and Drink for 2 Dollars. Jollibee is pretty much my second since no one can beat the juiciness and uniqueness of it, Popeyes for me is like a third since I think its just okay but still great compare to others. Out of all the fast food fried chickens I think McDonalds is dead last, that thing tastes like pure flour and grease (so fcking bland).
The only thing good in KFC Philippines is the garlic butter chicken which is seasonal... and maybe the bucket of fries.
Lies again? Online Reservations KFC Asian
I was so excited to try Popeyes when they finally got here in the Philippines... and was just hella disappointed. I don't get the hype. The chicken sandwich is mid. The chicken is dry. The biscuits are shit. I don't get it.
I tried KFC in Peru and Canada and here is my opinion :
- Canada one , in Toronto to be more specific, is similar to the USA one but they usually combine it with Taco Bell and their workers seems to be cross train to be able to serve those two at the same time. Food is okay , but I do feel most people choose popeyes or Church chicken or Korean fried chicken or Jollebee over KFC because of price , quality and and better promotions.
- In Peru however, in the capital Lima , KFC is the biggest fast food around , the ones with the fastest deliveries (they have their own motorcycles and own delivery people) and does not relied on delivery apps. This is due to Peru most consume protein is chicken plus the price been there , also helps. Furthermore, Peru chicken is mostly fresh , is not frozen unlike the ones in Canada and US. Also KFC in Peru adapt to what the culture and what the customer want with its promotion.
yeah, here in Peru KFC is doing well, there's Popeyes too but it isn't as popular as KFC yet, especially among middle age people cause their first thought of fried chicken is KFC or "pollo broaster". Although if other brands come maybe they could attract young people
@@pachakutimundi6813 This for KFC here in Peru. It's VERY popular here. I'm a Popeye's gal but since moving here, KFC is so good. Like it's delivery is sure fast. Plus they introduce new stuff fairly often. And a variety of deserts. And come Christmas time different offers.
Popeye's is getting there in popularity. But KFC definitely dominates the broaster chicken market. Plus as mentioned the chicken is pretty fresh.
And we consume a LOT of chicken. The amount of chicken places we have here. Both chain restaurants (Norkys, Rocky's and Pardo) and mom and pop places are very popular
I still have to try Seoul fried chicken off whyte avenue in Edmonton.
Australian here. The Zinger box has legendary status here and is considered a staple food.
Bought some last week off Chinden, Boise, ID...ordered crispy..got regular...super greasy...and small leg and 2 theighs...I mean small! Slaw was very good. And, the biscuit was old... crumbled away it was so dry.
In Vietnam KFC was the first and still one of the strongest fast food chain here. They have adopted to the cuisine quite well and have managed to shred the conception among the local that they are expensive fancy Western food.
They are successful perhaps because of the way they add rice items in the menu that other fast food chain couldn’t, even McDonald. It is simple but effective: a piece of fried chicken with rice, root vegetables soup and gravy. That item has become a staple on the menu for as long as I can remember, and it is really good at a fair price.
They're here for much longer; compared to any other brands.
Nice to know that KFC has managed that in Vietnam as its presence adds to the options for consumers (local v Western fast food). Speaking of your food: I've traveled fairly extensively around the world and have come to the conclusion that if I had to enjoy only one cuisine for the rest of my life it would be Vietnamese :) It is magnificent at all levels, from cheap to expensive, healthy to fun and formal to fast food.
Not to mention KFC and other fastfood brand like McDonald are considered luxury food. So in some way it helps with the quality
To be fair American style buns tastes like plastic cakes
Damn, player! That is one impressive, well researched and well put together video. I don't even care about the subject matter all that much, but I was kept glued to this chicken business analysis for almost half an hour. Really professional work!
Tbh, the only chicken business analysis that I knew was that in Sethical's Baku series the only meal that is consistently ridoculed/ordered is the Popeyes Chikin B I S K I T
no it's not. This soley comes down to them using toxic garbage ingredients in the USA, such as frying stuff in toxic soybean oil sludge. He's doing nothing but creating a goofy, exaggerated, fluffed out diversion for what in reality is a simple matter that he wants to turn people's attention away from.
I used to love their original taste/recipe chicken when I was a kid. Now, whenever I try to order them, they always say there are only spicy and non-spicy chicken available, and those two are tasteless at best.
Once, they called back to ask if I could wait 30 minutes for it to be cooked, of course I said yes. The next time I try to convince them that I can wait, just to get an answer that it's only possible when there are at least 9 pieces ordered, and since I ordered 6, they couldn't do. I quickly cancelled the order altogether and went for Jollibee until now.
I got a kfc ad on a kdc video lol
KFC in Trinidad and Tobago has a reputation of being one of the tastiest in the franchise. lt is also where the Zinger sandwich was created. It's common for Trinbagonians in US or Canada etc to request that friends or relatives making a trip to bring them KFC from T&T and for Trinbagonians abroad to head straight to KFC at the Trinidad and Tobago airports on return home
You can't bring food entering the country. They will seize it and fine you
@@lucky889s9 entering which country?
@@curtisthomas2670 you can't bring food or fruit entering US or Canada or most countries. Quarantine Law, plus the plane will smell funky
@@lucky889s9 dunno where you're getting that, I've brought kfc and home cooked foods in my carryon or checked or sent with someone with nothing ever being seized.
Interesting to see how KFC differs here in Germany than from their home market in the US. I think a big point in it's success and standing here in Germany is due to a lack of competition. With only a few Fastfood Brands available compared to the US there are not many options.
In Munich there are only 25 McD., 15 BK., 10 Subway, 3 Pizzahut, 7 KFC, 1 Five Guys (numbers taken from the respective Homepages) - that's all the US companies that are available.
The main competition that KFC has to face in Munich is Brathendl trailers. 😁
Always trust a German to research the numbers haha
We have the exact same American chains here in Italy (except for pizzahut obviously lol) and also Starbucks
Well yeah KFC works because of weak competition, but I think we can also agree that his take on KFC in Europe („KFC is a star brand known for its quality chicken, great service and unique offerings“) is very delusional 😂 None of that is true…
@@user-sc5ft5jp9y that was a funny one, gotta admit i laughed
12:28 Ok but like... why did 2018 and up just stop adding up to 100% when you combine the two?
Liked the video, even though it could have been trimmed by 10 minutes as you kept repeating certain information and statements over and over.
Anyway, KFC has also stopped trying in my home country. My last memory of KFC was ordering chicken poppers ("fun shots") that were 60 per cent breading. When the KFC branch in front of my condo building shut down during the pandemic, I doubt any of my neighbors shed a tear. I certainly didn't.
This channel has quickly become one of my favorite business analysis channels as the topics are very well researched and provide real insight as opposed to others which have clear gaps. Keep up the excellent work
KFC in India tastes good compared to the ones that I had in Europe. It tasted bland & boring but in India the popcorn chicken is my favourite. The breading in which its fried here is different and tasty along with the dry spice sprinkle on fried chicken.
Almost every recipe here is different and a bit more spicy compared to west.
You would like MITANI CHICKEN SALT then.
I'm from Europe and I find our KFC spicy (sometimes even too spicy). I guess Indian KFC would be too intense for me 😅
@@poprostukeit6744 I had kfc in the Netherlands and was really bland, if the kfc all over Europe is bland as that then yes you have one of the most sensitive stomachs. But tbh eating that kind of bland food is better in the long run compared to spicy food I eat anyway, since I just don't care anymore.
I disagree. KFC in India isn’t juicy like KFC in Middle East or even the USA. They make the fried like a chicken pakoda of sorts. It doesn’t have much flavor and you get a overwhelming feeling of being heavy.
@@MrAkrocker I didn't say anything about chicken in KFC being juicy and yes that pakora taste is what popcorn chicken makes it the staple of Indian KFC which is why it's a safe bet in any branch of kfc India. Also I find Indian KFC to be a lot lighter compared to some of local chicken stuff I ate throughout India. And one last thing I compared it to Europe, not middle East or usa. While I agree Middle East could have more flavour can't say the same about US. Indian KFC definitely has flavours I don't know what you're taking about especially the curry crunch that used to be my favourite which unfortunately got shut down for some reason. Its sad though overall kfc standards have been falling down like you said.
I hadn't had KFC for a few years and decided to go back for some good nostalgia trip. Found out they removed the potato wedges. Haven't gone back since. Those potato wedges were the one special thing about KFC and without them I simply don't see the point of going there when Jolibees is near me.
In Canada, Mary Browns is also a chain that's taking business away from KFC.