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Tag: KFC

  • KFC to pay $200K for sexual harassment, retaliation charges affecting Orlando workers

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    Global fast food chain Kentucky Fried Chicken has agreed to pay two Orlando employees $100,000 each in compensatory and punitive damages to address sexual harassment and retaliation charges filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, a federal investigative agency.

    “Every employee deserves a workplace free from harassment, discrimination and retaliation,” Kristen Foslid, a regional attorney for the EEOC’s Miami District, said in a statement. “By resolving this matter, the EEOC is ensuring that these workers receive justice, and that KFC implements measures to prevent future misconduct.” 

    The location of the Orlando-based KFC involved in this case is not specified, and the EEOC declined to offer specifics or additional information about the case when reached by Orlando Weekly for comment.

    According to the federal agency, KFC Corp. subjected the two KFC employees in Orlando to a sexually hostile work environment and retaliated against at least one of the workers by firing her in 2022 over speaking up about sexual harassment on the job. No additional details on the harassment that took place were immediately made available by the EEOC.

    The KFC worker who was fired, however, filed charges with the EEOC, which subsequently investigated the matter and found “reasonable cause” that KFC had violated federal Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits sex discrimination, including sexual harassment and retaliation in the workplace. The agency’s investigation also identified another employee affected by the same misconduct.

    According to the EEOC, KFC’s agreement to pay the workers $200,000 comes as the result of a conciliation process, meaning the agency did not take KFC to court but rather resolved the complaint through a pre-litigation conciliation process. Still, like its major fast food competitors Chick-Fil-A and McDonald’s franchises, allegations of sexual harassment aren’t a first for KFC, a Kentucky-headquartered chain with over 30,000 locations in 150 countries and territories worldwide.

    The global fast food chain, known for its “finger lickin’ good” fried chicken, has faced multiple allegations of sexual harassment at various locations in the U.S. over the years, as well as separate charges of workplace health and safety violations, child labor violations, and wage theft, according to U.S. Department of Labor data.

    Sexual harassment is a pervasive issue in the food and hospitality industries especially, with young women particularly vulnerable to harassment on the job. As of 2017, more sexual harassment claims were made in the restaurant industry than any other, affecting both men and women.

    Contributing factors that can make restaurant workers more susceptible to harassment on the job include power dynamics at play in low-wage work environments and a mentality of “the customer is always right” that can downplay or otherwise undermine experiences of customer abuse and harassment targeting workers.

    Florida saw one of the highest numbers of sex-based discrimination claims in the U.S. in 2024, according to EEOC data, lagging only behind Texas (another Southern state with weak state-level labor protections). Nearly 2,000 sex discrimination complaints filed with the federal agency in 2024 came from Florida (compared to roughly 2,800 from Texas), on top of 2,411 charges of illegal retaliation in violation of Title VII.

    In this latest case in Orlando, KFC reportedly agreed to implement annual training on sex discrimination for staff and human resources, according to the EEOC’s news release. KFC will also change its workplace policies to explicitly prohibit sex-based discrimination (something we’re kind of stunned wasn’t already in place) and agreed to report on any future sexual discrimination complaints over the next three years.

    KFC did not return a request for comment from Orlando Weekly on this sexual harassment case, or their existing anti-discrimination policies, ahead of publication. We will add any comment from them that comes in as an update to this post.

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    According to Starbucks Workers United, nearly 4,000 baristas across 34 cities are now on strike amid continued efforts to secure a union contract

    The three-year contract delivers higher pay, stronger job protections, and fully employer-paid healthcare



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    McKenna Schueler
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  • The Rise Of The Pickle Flavor

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    The flavor is everywhere—from KFC and Sonic menus to pickle martinis and lemonade. The tangy trend continues as a cultural favorite

    It has quietly gone from quirky novelty to cultural obsession, here is the story of the rise of the pickle flavor. Over the past few years, grocery aisles, fast-food menus, and cocktail bars have all jumped on the briny bandwagon. What once lived in jars at the back of the fridge is now showing up in sodas, slushies, biscuits, and martinis—and the appetite isn’t slowing.

    A recent global trend study found 63% of consumers hold a positive sentiment toward pickle flavor, a striking number for something was once considered divisive. The approval rating has given food and beverage companies confidence to launch bolder, more adventurous pickle-inspired products, knowing consumers aren’t just willing but eager to try them.

    RELATED: The History Of The Cocktail Party

    At its core, pickle flavor is a blend of tangy vinegar, fresh dill, garlic, and a touch of salt. It delivers a punchy brightness cutting through rich or fatty foods, while the herbal dill notes give it freshness. The combination explains its broad appeal: it satisfies cravings for something salty, sour, and refreshing at the same time. It also offers nostalgia, reminding people of homemade deli sandwiches, summer picnics, and even Southern fried chicken.

    Big brands are leading the charge in keeping pickle front and center. Earlier this year, KFC Canada launched a limited-time Pickled Menu including crispy chicken sandwiches with pickle sauce, pickle-seasoned fries, pickle chips, and even the polarizing but buzzworthy Pickle Pepsi. Online reactions dubbed it “one of the best drops of the year,” proving there’s real excitement for these tangy twists.

    Meanwhile, Sonic teamed up with Grillo’s Pickles to create its Big Dill Meal, which features burgers layered with pickle toppings, sides dusted with pickle seasoning, and a bright green Picklerita Slush. To top it off, the chain leaned into pickle culture with pickle-scented merchandise, making the flavor more of a lifestyle than a limited-time promotion.

    Bars and restaurants are also experimenting. Pickle juice has become a darling ingredient behind the counter, used in pickle martinis, pickle margaritas, and even pickle micheladas. The briny liquid works like citrus—balancing sweetness and rounding out alcohol with acidity. Bartenders say it’s particularly appealing to younger drinkers who are searching for playful, Instagram-ready twists on classics.

    RELATED: End-of-Summer Digital Detox Is 2025’s Coolest Trend

    The list of new pickle-flavored creations keeps growing. Among the most talked about:

    • Pickle Pepsi (KFC)
    • Pickle chips and fries (KFC)
    • Big Dill Burger and Picklerita Slush (Sonic + Grillo’s Pickles)
    • Pickle martinis and margaritas (various cocktail bars)
    • Pickle lemonade (making waves online)
    • Pickle biscuits (a Southern home-baking trend)
    • Celebrity-branded pickles, like Pamela Anderson’s artisanal line infused with rose petals and pink peppercorn

    While some food trends fade as quickly as they rise, pickle flavor shows no signs of disappearing. With widespread consumer approval, constant reinvention, and both mass-market and artisanal players embracing it, pickle is proving to be more than a fad. Instead, it’s becoming a modern flavor staple—one bridging comfort, creativity, and just enough shock value to keep people curious.

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    Sarah Johns

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  • KFC New Zealand Launches Airline Delivering Mates to Super Rugby Matches

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    AUCKLAND, New Zealand, February 11, 2025 (Newswire.com)
    –
    Hold onto your drumsticks because this Super Rugby season KFC is taking fan loyalty to new heights – literally.

    Introducing Zing Air, KFC’s first private airline service, delivering lucky fans from around New Zealand, straight from their hometown to a rugby match to support their favourite team.

    In celebration of KFC’s 12-year partnership with five New Zealand Super Rugby Pacific teams (Blues, Hurricanes, Gallagher Chiefs, Highlanders and Crusaders), KFC has developed a flight plan to get Kiwis to the match faster than you can say “extra seasoning”.

    From Auckland to Wellington, or Hamilton to Dunedin, flights will depart from several major cities around New Zealand, sharing the love of rugby and chicken throughout the country.

    The first KFC Zing Air flight departs from Auckland to Wellington on Saturday, 1 March, where passengers can watch the Hurricanes take on the Blues.

    Four more flights will depart from different spots throughout the season to ensure fans throughout New Zealand can board KFC Zing Air and support their team.

    Passengers on Zing Air can expect to fly on a private jet with a mate, accommodation for the night and primo seats at the game. And, of course, the Colonel’s finest chicken, coated in the iconic 11 Secret herbs and spices, will be served as part of a pre-match meal.

    Blues CEO Andrew Hore is thrilled that even more Super Rugby fans will be able to cheer their favourite team on: “It’s always harder for a team to play away from home. This new initiative not only boosts attendance at rugby games, but it also ensures that when teams are facing opponents on the road, they’ll have the support of their biggest fans, thanks to KFC helping transport them to the game.”

    Arif Khan, Restaurant Brand Chief Executive, commented: “If there’s one thing KFC and Super Rugby have in common, it’s the unifying force to bring people together. Last year, we delivered fans to the game via the KFC Gravy Train and now, with KFC Zing Air, we’ve cooked up a brand-new way for fans to get even closer to the action, both on the field and in the sky”.

    He added: “This Super Rugby season, we can’t wait to see Kiwis enjoying KFC and rugby with their mates, whether they’re lucky enough to be flying high with Zing Air, cheering in the stands, or kicking back at home with a bucket”.

    All Zing Air flights are carbon-neutral. KFC has engaged with a carbon offsetting scheme, EKOS, to offset 100% of the carbon emissions from flights via a native planting project, the Kern Creek Forest Conservation Project in Maruia.

    KFC Zing Air passes are open from today with several double passes across five flights up for grabs throughout the season.

    For more information on KFC Zing Air, head to https://kfc.co.nz/ZingAir

    Source: KFC

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  • KFC to pilot new restaurant concept in Orlando

    KFC to pilot new restaurant concept in Orlando

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    KFC is bringing an especially “finger-lickin’ good” dining experience to Orlando.

    The beloved fried chicken chain will pilot new “KFC Original” restaurant concepts at 16 Orlando locations, with a new menu, new decor, new technology and updated service speed.

    According to the brand, interior changes include KFC Original window art and artwork, an updated playlist for in-store dining, digital ordering kiosks and new kitchen technology. There will be a streamlined drive-thru with “easy to read” menus, and hand-breaded chicken will be fried in small batches for more frequent batches of fresh chicken.

    These changes are all steps toward the chain’s goal of achieving more accurate, speedier service and an overall improved dining experience, according to a release.

    Participating Orlando-area locations include:

    • 510 Cagan View Road, Clermont
    • 4466 Pleasant Hill Road, Poinciana
    • 5173 S. Kirkman Road, Orlando
    • 5680 Irlo Bronson Highway, Kissimmee
    • 1978 E. Osceola Parkway, Kissimmee
    • 356 E. Main St., Apopka
    • 5780 Central Florida Parkway, Orlando
    • 11302 S. Orange Blossom Trail, Orlando
    • 5808 Cinderlane Parkway, Orlando
    • 6041 S. Goldenrod Road, Orlando
    • 5200 S. John Young Parkway, Orlando
    • 3601 S. Orlando Drive, Sanford
    • 4659 W. First St.,  Sanford
    • 4670 South St., Titusville
    • 4250 Aloma Ave., Winter Park
    • 436 S. Semoran Blvd., Orlando

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    Chloe Greenberg

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  • KFC is putting a spin on fan-favorite menu item. Here’s when you can try it

    KFC is putting a spin on fan-favorite menu item. Here’s when you can try it

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    KFC is expanding its menu with two new offerings, available April 1.

    KFC is expanding its menu with two new offerings, available April 1.


    PATRICK L.PFISTER .

    Photo by Yum Brands

    A KFC fan favorite is getting a twist, and a new dessert is coming to U.S. menus.

    KFC’s saucy nuggets are a spin on the restaurant’s original hand-breaded nuggets and will appear alongside the new apple pie poppers starting Monday, April 1, according to the Kentucky-based chicken chain.

    For $5.99, customers can get 10 nuggets in one of five flavors:

    • Honey sriracha
    • Korean BBQ
    • Sticky chicky sweet n’ sour
    • Nashville hot
    • Georgia gold

    KFC’s new saucy nuggets are available in five flavors, including returning favorites Georgia Gold and Nashville Hot.
    KFC’s new saucy nuggets are available in five flavors, including returning favorites Georgia Gold and Nashville Hot. Photo by KFC

    Those looking for something sweet can try the apple pie poppers, made with apple pie filling “wrapped in a buttery and flaky crust,” according to a product description.

    The new additions come a month after KFC launched the “chizza,” a mashup of fried chicken and pizza, in the U.S. for a limited time. It first debuted in the Philippines in 2015 and soon became an “international hit,” according to the restaurant chain.

    Additional information wasn’t available.

    Find your nearest KFC here.

    Tanasia is a national Real-Time reporter based in Atlanta covering news across Georgia, Mississippi and the Southeast. Her sub-beat is retail and consumer news. She’s an alumna of Kennesaw State University and joined McClatchy in 2020.

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    Tanasia Kenney

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  • Popeyes Dethrones KFC, Battles Chick-fil-A for Top Chicken Chain | Entrepreneur

    Popeyes Dethrones KFC, Battles Chick-fil-A for Top Chicken Chain | Entrepreneur

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    Popeyes is now the nation’s No. 2 chicken chain, CNBC reported.

    After a decade in the No. 2 spot, KFC has been dethroned by Popeyes and now holds the bronze medal. Chick-fil-A is still No. 1.

    Popeyes, a chain owned by parent company Restaurant Brands International, went viral after launching its chicken sandwich in 2019, which set off the “chicken sandwich wars,” with customers lining up for hours at locations across the country. The trend prompted other fast-food chains such as Burger King, Wendy’s, and Sonic to add chicken sandwiches to their menus, causing occasional shortages of poultry.

    KFC, which is owned by Yum Brands, has experienced a market share decline over the past year, dropping from 16.1% to 11.3%, according to Barclays research, per CNBC. However, despite its new No. 2 title, Popeyes also saw a decrease in its market share during the same period, dropping from 15% to 11.9%. Chick-fil-A, meanwhile, expanded its market share from 38.3% to 45.5%.

    But it doesn’t look like Popeyes wants to say No. 2.

    “Game on, Chick-fil-A,” Restaurant Brands International chair Patrick Doyle said at a conference in mid-September, when prompted about its new spot as No. 2 behind Chick-fil-A.

    Related: People in the U.K. Are Lining Up at Dawn for a Fast Food Chain’s Chicken

    Last month, Popeyes said it was redesigning its kitchens with intuitive workstations and automatic batter makers, as well as improving operational efficiency after the initial frenzy around the chicken sandwich led to complaints about slow and inaccurate orders, Bloomberg reported.

    When Sami Siddiqui, Popeye’s president for the U.S. and Canada asked franchisees about “what would be possible” when consistently serving hot and perfect food. Their response was straightforward: “Well, then we’d be Chick-fil-A,” per Bloomberg.

    Related: Top 12 Chicken Franchises to Buy in 2023

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    Madeline Garfinkle

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  • KFC Brings Back Double Down Sandwich After 10 Years | Entrepreneur

    KFC Brings Back Double Down Sandwich After 10 Years | Entrepreneur

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    Chicken and nostalgia lovers are in luck with the latest resurgence of one of KFC’s fan-favorite menu items.

    Starting March 6, the fried chicken chain is bringing back the famed Double Down sandwich for a limited run after retiring it in 2014. The sandwich first hit menus in 2010.

    The sandwich is bun-less — instead, two fried chicken filets are used as the bread and cheese, bacon, and sauce are added inside the poultry buns.

    KFC first teased the return of the menu item on Twitter with a poll on Tuesday asking fans if the crispy meal should return to menus — 67.5% of voters said “yes” in some capacity.

    “The Double Down is one of the most buzzworthy fast food menu items ever,” said Nick Chavez, KFC’s CMO in the U.S., in a release. “After nearly a decade of people begging for its return, we’re embracing the chaos, bringing back our most iconic sandwich ever for just four weeks.”

    Delighted fans took to social media to express their excitement over the indulgent menu item upon news that the chain was relaunching it nationwide.

    KFC spokesman Rick Maynard told CNN Money in 2010 that over 10 million Double Downs were sold in the sandwich’s original run, even though sales numbers in Q2 2010 (when the sandwich was first rolled out) did not skyrocket.

    Analysts said that the product “seemed to get a lot of publicity,” which is likely what KFC is trying to do with the resurgence of the item, considering the return is scheduled for one month only.

    KFC went through a “menu simplification” earlier this month when it removed several items — including chicken wings, popcorn chicken, Nashville Hot sauce, and strawberry lemonade — from its menu to increase efficiency.

    “It’s really to deliver our most popular products perfectly each time and to actually make room for new products,” said Brittany Wilson, KFC’s U.S. director of brand marketing, in a statement to Yahoo Finance.

    KFC is a part of Yum! Brands which is also the parent company of Taco Bell and Pizza Hut.

    Yum! Brands was up just over 5% in a one-year period as of Wednesday afternoon.

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    Emily Rella

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  • KFC Apologizes for ‘Treat Yourself’ on Kristallnacht App Notification

    KFC Apologizes for ‘Treat Yourself’ on Kristallnacht App Notification

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    KFC Germany has apologized over what it said was a mistakenly sent notification inviting customers to “treat themselves” to KFC on the anniversary of Kristallnacht, when Jewish homes and businesses in Germany were looted leading up to World War II and the Holocaust, according to The Jerusalem Post.

    KFC provided a statement to Entrepreneur via email. It was “obviously wrong, insensitive, and unacceptable, and for this, we sincerely apologize,” the company said.

    The notification was sent to KFC app users in Germany. It said, per the Post, “Commemoration of the Reichspogromnacht – Treat yourself to more tender cheese with the crispy chicken. Now at KFCheese!”

    Reichspogromnacht is the German name for Kristallnacht.

    Kristallnacht occurred on November 9 and 10, 1938, as part of an ongoing campaign in Nazi Germany to discriminate and commit violence against Jewish people in the country. Hitler’s paramilitary group, the SAs, used the pretext of the assassination of German diplomat Ernst vom Rath to organize mass violence, which included breaking windows in Jewish homes in businesses — hence, the name Kristallnacht, or the “Night of Broken Glass.” As many as 1,400 synagogues were destroyed and hundreds of thousands were sent to concentration camps.

    New photos of the November nights were donated to Israel’s Holocaust museum Yad Vashem on Wednesday, per the Associated Press.

    Users took to social media to express outrage about KFC’s notification, including Dalia Grinfeld of European Affairs at the Anti-Defamation League, a group that fights antisemitism.

    Per a Google translation of the Tweet, the user wrote, “How wrong can you actually be at #Reichspogromnacht… Shame on you!”

    Other users posted the notification as well:

    The company said the notification happened because of an automatic holiday event schedule.

    KFC uses “a semi-automated content creation process linked to calendars that include national observances. In this instance, our internal review process was not properly followed, resulting in a non-approved notification being shared,” it wrote.

    The company further said it was stopping all communications on the app. “We understand and respect the gravity and history of this day, and remain committed to equity, inclusion, and belonging for all,” its statement said.

    The notification error comes amid a public rise in antisemitism. According to the Anti-Defamation League, there has been a 34% increase in instances of anti-semitic violence in the U.S. in 2021 compared to 2020.

    Rapper and designer Kanye West, now known as Ye, was dropped from several brands, including Adidas, after unprofessional behavior and comments about violence against Jewish people. Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving is currently serving a five-game suspension for sharing, then deleting, an antisemitic documentary on social media. Nike’s co-founder told CNBC that Irving’s deal with the athletic company is “likely over.”

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    Gabrielle Bienasz

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