New boneless platforms, a 20-plus-item sauce pantry and immersive restaurant formats signal where global QSR chicken demand is heading.
KFC is in the middle of an ambitious global refresh — and most of the action is happening outside the United States.
Starting in the United Kingdom and Ireland, the brand is rolling out new menu platforms, a revamped beverage program, next-generation restaurant formats and updated branding across its 34,000-plus locations in more than 150 countries. Here are five key developments to watch.
Boneless chicken is the new global growth engine. KFC's two new menu platforms — Dipped and Dunked — are built entirely around boneless formats, the company announced in a press release. Dipped pairs crispy tenders and other boneless items with sauces from a new 20-plus-item global sauce pantry. Dunked, already live in South Africa and India, delivers tenders, wings and sandwiches fully coated in sauce. Both platforms are designed to meet rising international demand for customizable, snackable chicken formats.
A global sauce strategy is replacing one-size-fits-all menus. The new sauce pantry gives KFC a common global framework while allowing individual markets to localize flavor profiles. Examples include Chimichurri Ranch and Hot Honey Habanero. For chicken suppliers and flavor developers, this signals a meaningful shift toward scalable customization across international QSR.
The UK and Ireland are the global launch pad. KFC is rolling out new Tenders, nine new sauces and refreshed branding across UK and Ireland communications and digital touchpoints in the coming weeks. The market is serving as the test bed before broader rollout to Australia and other markets through 2026.
A new beverage platform is going permanent in Australia and Canada. KWENCH by KFC — featuring Boba Refreshers, Krunch Shakes, Sparkling Lemonades and Iced Coffees — is expanding from pilot to permanent menu in Australia and Canada this year. The platform is designed to drive customer visits beyond mealtimes, a meaningful revenue opportunity for franchise operators globally.
Dubai is getting the most ambitious new restaurant format. A fully immersive, two-story KFC is set to open in Dubai this fall, representing the boldest expression of the brand's next-generation design. Alongside a new open-concept location in McKinney, Texas, the Dubai restaurant signals that international markets are central — not secondary — to KFC's physical expansion strategy.
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