After more than three years of relentless fan demand, KFC brings back the menu item people never stopped asking for
PLANO, Texas, July 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — After days of mounting online speculation, KFC® is proving good things come to those who wait. Today, fan-favorite Popcorn Chicken* returns to menus nationwide, marking the comeback of one of the brand’s most requested items in recent memory.
First introduced in the early 1990s, Popcorn Chicken quickly earned cult status for being an endlessly craveable crispy bite before disappearing from menus in 2023. Now, with the comeback of this beloved menu item, KFC is fueling the Popcorn Chicken obsession once again.
“For years, KFC has heard directly from fans clamoring for Popcorn Chicken’s return. We read every comment, every DM, and even every online petition signature, and the message was impossible to ignore,” said Melissa Cash, Chief Marketing Officer, KFC U.S. “As we continue our Kentucky Fried Comeback journey, this menu item return shows our commitment to listening to our most passionate fans by giving them exactly what they’re craving. We’re nodding to nostalgia as we simultaneously modernize the brand and how it shows up throughout the world.”
This kind of fandom doesn’t happen by accident. It’s the same obsessive energy sports fans bring to nail-biter games or reality TV lovers have for can’t-look-away plot twists. Turns out, the biggest moments in pop culture and the biggest cravings have one thing in common: they both start with popcorn. KFC’s just bringing the chicken to the party.
Available starting today and only while supplies last, fans can get their hands on crunchy, snackable, endlessly dippable Popcorn Chicken in three ways:
- $10 Popcorn Chicken Bucket*: Leading the lineup, an abundant 16 oz. bucket of Popcorn Chicken that’s meant to be shared around the table (even if you do want to keep it all to yourself). Served with 4 dipping sauces, this is the perfect deal for fans who want nothing but the chicken, in serious quantity without sacrificing serious value.
- Popcorn Chicken Big Box*: 6 oz. of Popcorn Chicken, 2 Original Recipe® Tenders, a medium order of fries, a medium drink, 2 dipping sauces and a chocolate chunk cookie for $10.99.
- Popcorn Chicken Combo*: 6 oz. of Popcorn Chicken, a medium order of fries, a medium drink and 1 dipping sauce for $8.49.
Popcorn Chicken has one of the most obsessive fanbases KFC has ever seen, and the brand is meeting that obsession head-on by inserting itself into the internet’s favorite reaction: the popcorn GIF. Through a new partnership with GIPHY, KFC is rolling out a collection of exclusive Popcorn Chicken GIFs starring the Colonel himself, giving fans a Kentucky Fried way to react in the exact moments they’re already reaching for a popcorn meme. The collection is available now on GIPHY.
From sports finals taking place on the world stage, to summer’s juiciest reality TV moments, KFC is making sure Popcorn Chicken is back just in time for the summer moments that make you say “grab the popcorn”—because if you’re going to watch the drama unfold, you might as well be snacking on the main character.
* Prices and participation vary, while supplies last. Tax, tip and fees extra.
About KFC
KFC Corporation, based in Plano, TX., has been serving up Finger Lickin’ Good Original Recipe® fried chicken since 1952, including chicken on the bone, nuggets and tenders. Beyond the top secret 11 herbs & spices, KFC specialties include the KFC Chicken Sandwich, Extra Crispy™ chicken, KFC Famous Bowls®, Pot Pies, Secret Recipe Fries, biscuits and homestyle sides. There are over 30,000 KFC restaurants in 150 countries and territories around the world. KFC Corporation is a subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc., Louisville, Ky. (NYSE: YUM). For more information, visit www.kfc.com. Follow KFC on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and TikTok.
Media Contact:
kfcusmedia@yum.com
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SOURCE Kentucky Fried Chicken
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