The fried chicken war - KFC seeks to revive its brand.

Once an icon, KFC is facing declining sales and increasing competition, falling behind rivals in customer base and receiving negative reviews, ranking among the worst fried chicken chains.

However, this fried chicken giant declares they haven't given up. With a new leadership team, a large-scale campaign, and a carefully calculated strategy, KFC is betting big on a transformation to regain its lost position.

Against this backdrop, the company's new leadership team is launching a brand revival campaign called Kentucky Fried Comeback in July 2025, aiming to reclaim its former glory.

Catherine Tan-Gillespie, President of KFC USA, said that competitors, including sister brands within the same group, seem eager to enter the fried chicken market, proving it's an attractive playing field. However, like many other long-established brands, KFC has somewhat lost its competitive edge.

Ms. Tan-Gillespie, who has 10 years of experience at KFC and has held positions as Chief Marketing Officer and Chief Development Officer, was appointed President of KFC America effective April 1st. Along with the new CEO, Scott Mezvinsky, who will take office in January 2025, Ms. Tan-Gillespie is aiming to revitalize the 72-year-old fried chicken chain.

Ms. Tan-Gillespie said that in the first week of the campaign, thanks to the promotion offering a free 8-piece chicken meal with orders of $15 or more, the company saw "a surge in KFC Rewards membership sign-ups and app downloads, along with unprecedented digital traffic. This was also the chain's highest week of digital sales and transactions ever."

For over 10 years, KFC's total revenue has consistently lagged behind competitors like Chick-fil-A and Popeyes.

The situation worsened in June 2025, when KFC lost its third-place position to a newcomer, Raising Cane's, a 28-year-old fried chicken chain that, according to CNBC, had already surpassed $5.1 billion in revenue by 2024. At the same time, KFC's annual same-store sales declined for the fifth consecutive quarter.

The American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) also showed disappointing results, with consumer satisfaction with KFC declining by 5% in 2024.

Earlier this month, Yelp released its ranking of the top 20 fried chicken chains serving chicken sandwiches nationwide, and KFC only came in at number 18. The long-established fried chicken chain also failed to make the top 5 in any region across the United States.

The initial phase of the comeback plan focused on refreshing the menu with fried pickles. Simultaneously, KFC also boosted nostalgia by bringing back the iconic Colonel Sanders image in its marketing materials.

Notably, Matty Matheson, the renowned Canadian chef known for his role in the hit series "The Bear" on the video streaming subscription service Hulu, will star in a series of commercials for the chain.

Experts believe KFC's strategy has many promising aspects, but the road ahead is fraught with challenges. RJ Hottovy, Head of Research and Analysis at data firm Placer.ai, suggests that changes to the menu, promotions, and new marketing campaigns will help increase brand awareness in the short term.

However, the market remains fiercely competitive, and a true comeback will require more significant improvements in menu, marketing, and property strategy.

Usha Haley, head of international business and professor of management at the Barton School of Business at Wichita State University, said that in a world where consumers are increasingly price-sensitive and have more choices than ever before, KFC must ensure it remains appealing to the broadest possible customer base while maintaining the reputation that has helped the brand grow to over 30,000 restaurants worldwide .

(VNA/Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/cuoc-chien-ga-ran-kfc-tim-cach-hoi-sinh-thuong-hieu-post1056265.vnp