KFC is giving away an entire eight-piece bucket of chicken to anyone who spends $15 through the app or website and joins its Rewards program. The deal runs from July 14 through August 24 and comes with a bigger mission: win back old fans and show off a new-and-improved kitchen.
This isn’t just a promo, it’s a test. KFC wants you to try the food, judge it, and decide if it deserves your attention again. According to KFC, the goal is to break through today’s deal fatigue with real value. Let’s look at what led to this bold move.
KFC’s Sales Took a Hit—Here’s Why
KFC’s U.S. same-store sales dropped 7% in early 2024, marking the brand’s third straight quarterly decline, according to Yum Brands’ first-quarter earnings report. Meanwhile, competitors like Chick-fil-A, Popeyes, Wingstop, and Raising Cane’s kept growing. Circana’s 2024 restaurant rankings show Raising Cane’s and Wingstop saw spending jump by 31% and 41%, while KFC fell 4%.
Chick-fil-A’s standalone stores now average $9.3 million in annual sales, according to its 2024 franchise disclosure document. In a May 2024 earnings call, KFC CEO David Gibbs admitted the brand is “struggling,” citing inflation-weary customers and fierce price wars reshaping the fast-food battlefield.
They Fixed the Chicken—Here’s What Changed
In its July 14 “Kentucky Fried Comeback” announcement, KFC said it’s “doubling down on what made it iconic: freshly prepared Original Recipe® chicken,” citing major improvements in operations, taste, and customer satisfaction. While the company continues highlighting its hand-breaded, pressure-fried chicken, its 2025 campaign materials make no mention of retraining cooks in the 25-minute process first pledged in 2016 or enforcing hold-time rules.
KFC’s use of low-linolenic soybean oil, which cuts artificial trans fat and was first adopted in 2007, also isn’t promoted as a new update, though it still plays a key role in maintaining product quality today.
Want a Free Bucket? Here’s How to Get It
To claim the deal, download the KFC app or go to KFC.com. Tap “Offers,” sign into your Rewards account, and spend at least $15 before tax. The free bucket, eight pieces of bone-in chicken or tenders, will be added at checkout. It’s limited to one bucket per account and only runs through August 24.
Digital-only ordering lets KFC learn what customers buy, how they combine deals, and what extras they add. Experts told Fox Business that promotions like this can boost loyalty program signups by 10% or more in just a few days.
KFC Wants Your Honest Opinion
As part of the “Kentucky Fried Comeback” campaign, KFC invites customers to share honest feedback. The company’s July 14, 2025, press release called it “a simple request: try our chicken, tell us what you think and help co-create this comeback.” Customers rate food quality, taste, and satisfaction through KFC’s “KFC Listens” platform, now live in 90% of restaurants.
This real-time system supports improvements across 30,000 locations worldwide. Research shows that co-creation boosts authenticity and loyalty, and KFC hopes this hands-on approach will deepen customer trust and bring long-term benefits.
Fried Pickles Are Back—and TikTok Is All Over It
KFC’s July 14, 2025, menu drop brought back Kentucky Fried Pickles, crispy dill chips seasoned with the Original Recipe and served with ranch or new Comeback Sauce. The limited-time item landed right in the middle of America’s pickle obsession, with #KFCPickles topping 25 million TikTok views in just one week. According to industry data, pickle-flavored snacks are up 21% year-over-year.
KFC is also reviving its $7 Fill-Up boxes, which returned nationwide on June 5 in partnership with F1 THE MOVIE. Each box includes chicken, sides, pie poppers, and a drink. Together, these value-driven, social-friendly menu moves aim to reignite customer interest and drive traffic amid fierce competition.
The Colonel Is Looking Serious—Here’s Why
KFC is ditching the friendly face of Colonel Sanders, for now. In new billboards and ads, the brand icon wears a stern frown, signaling a more serious tone. “The Colonel would not be happy about our market share,” said KFC U.S. president Catherine Tan-Gillespie. It’s part of a broader campaign that aims to rebuild pride in KFC’s food craftsmanship.
A new cinematic ad titled Obsession, produced with agency Highdive, features a gritty version of the Colonel alongside chef-actor Matty Matheson. Together, they showcase the precision behind KFC’s pressure-fried chicken. The branding shift leans into nostalgia and seriousness, reminding fans the Original Recipe still matters.
KFC Wants Its Crown Back
KFC is no longer the top chicken chain, and the competition is only heating up. Chick-fil-A now dominates with 45% of the U.S. quick-service chicken market. KFC trails at just 11.3%, following three consecutive quarters of declining same-store sales. Meanwhile, Raising Cane’s has leapfrogged into third place with $5.1 billion in 2024 sales, and Popeyes plans to add 800 locations by 2028.
Analysts from Circana and RBC Capital predict a 2025 “value war,” as chicken chains race to offer $5–$7 bundles to keep customers coming. But that race could strain supply. Experts warn the growing demand for smaller, premium birds could drive up chicken costs before the year ends.
Why This Comeback Is Bigger Than Chicken
At first glance, this campaign looks like a free-food promo. But it’s more than that. It’s a chance for KFC to test whether improving the product, and being honest about it, can win back trust.
With the average U.S. fast-food combo meal now costing $11.56, families are spending over $40 per visit, so value and quality are critical.
KFC is betting that its renewed focus on hand-breaded, pressure-fried chicken will strike the right balance. If the move clicks, it could trigger copycat campaigns across the industry. If it doesn’t, rising contenders like Dave’s Hot Chicken and Slim Chickens are poised to seize even more ground.
Taste the Chicken. Decide the Future.
By giving out free buckets, KFC is asking customers to judge whether the Original Recipe still holds up. This isn’t just about fried chicken, it’s a moment for the brand to prove it can change, improve, and reconnect.
If you take the deal, you get a good meal and a chance to shape what comes next. If you pass, you’re voting for something else entirely. Either way, KFC will be listening. So go ahead: open the app, claim your chicken, taste it carefully, and tell them what you really think. Your feedback might just decide where fast food goes next.