KFC has been serving its iconic fried chicken since Colonel Harland Sanders opened his first store in the 1950s, but the chain has had several unpopular and discontinued products over the years.
While the fast food giant operates more than 25,000 restaurants globally, not all of its menu items have been a hit with fans worldwide.
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Menu items can be discontinued for several reasons, but it typically comes down to supply chain challenges or low sales.
KFC fans are still missing some of the chain’s past meals and cling onto hope that they may one day make a comeback.
The U.S. Sun compiled a full list of discontinued items from the chicken chain.
1. CHICKEN WINGS
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It might be surprising that a fast food chain known for its fried chicken doesn’t sell chicken wings, but the menu item didn’t last in U.S. stores despite its mass appeal.
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Each chicken wing came bone in and had the option for customers to add on a sauce for some extra flavor.
The menu item disappeared in February of this year in American stores, but many international stores still offer the iconic KFC item.
It is likely KFC discontinued the dish as it hoped to simplify menus.
Many fast food giants cut down their menus in recent years as they looked to make kitchens more efficient and increase customer satisfaction.
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Still, the decision has left many KFC fans floored and confused as to why the staple item is no longer available.
“That is probably the most baffling decision I've ever seen from a corporate entity in my entire life,” one KFC customer wrote on Reddit.
“I feel like chicken wings are a pretty standard menu item from a restaurant that sells chicken. What chicken restaurant doesn't serve chicken wings? That would be like if McDonald's discontinued french fries or if Denny's discontinued pancakes or if Sonic discontinued milkshakes.”
2. COUNTRY STYLE BARBECUE RIBS
KFC’s country style barbecue ribs were first offered in the 1970s as an additional protein option at the chicken-centric restaurant.
The response to the pork dish was mixed, with some recalling the product as a delicious diversion from KFC’s traditional chicken meals.
“They were huge, meaty, fatty hunks of beef with a barbeque sauce that has stayed in my taste memory for 30 years and counting,” one nostalgic shopper said on the website In The 70s. “My mouth still waters when I think of those ribs.”
Another KFC fan wrote: “BEST RIBS EVER! We would go to the local KFC down the road off base and bring back as much as we could carry. They always ran out, sometimes to the point of brawls over the last rib. Those were great ribs. Bring them back PLEASE!”
Still, others said it paled in comparison to classic Southern barbecue, and customer disappointment was common.
3. NASHVILLE HOT CHICKEN
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A more recent departure at KFC’s restaurants was the Nashville Hot Chicken.
Customers adored the Nashville hot chicken sauce served over KFC’s traditional bone-in and chicken tenders, and the menu item was a mainstay from 2016 to 2023.
But in February of this year, the fun was over.
As the chicken chain looked to simplify its menu, the Nashville Hot Chicken was just one more victim, and fans have been missing the beloved item since.
KFC fans hold out hope that the spicy menu addition could soon make a return, however.
“Plz bring back Nashville hot!” one KFC fan wrote on Reddit. “In general I love KFC still, but when we go there to get Nashville hot, we expect to leave with Nashville hot.”
Still, others said the decision has caused them to boycott KFC altogether.
“KFC is hands down my favorite fast food place and they are ruining it for no reason,” one unhappy customer said on Reddit.
“We have lines out into the road during prime hours at our location. Removing… Nashville hot from the menu are terrible business decisions, I don’t eat fast food often but now will be looking at different options when on the run.”
4. GRILLED CHICKEN
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Many KFC customers are unaware, but at one time, the famous chicken chain actually served a grilled version of its chicken combos.
The item was first introduced in 2009, and while many customers enjoyed the flavor of the healthier chicken option, KFC spent a huge amount of money promoting the product to fans.
In fact, several KFC restaurant owners even sued KFC’s parent company, Yum! Brands, after experiencing a significant drop in sales in 2010.
By 2018, it became largely impossible to find grilled chicken at the chain, and KFC has stuck with its more popular fried chicken meals ever since.
Previous employees have attempted to explain the chicken meal’s departure at stores online.
“We stopped selling grilled chicken a few years ago where I work,” one employee shared on Reddit. “Apparently it didn't sell well and does not last as long in the warmers so it went bad quickly and resulted in more waste. A shame tho cause it was my favorite.”
Another employee said: “I also find it hilarious that, when we had it, nobody bought it, but we dropped it and suddenly everyone wants it, like some sort of forbidden fruit.”
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