The stunning success of a fast-food upstart has forced KFC into making massive changes to its menu

If you can’t beat ’em, copy ’em. 

Fried chicken powerhouse KFC is completely overhauling its menu just months after being overtaken by one of America’s fastest-growing restaurant chains, Raising Cane’s.

The new strategy at KFC is based around chicken tenders and an extensive line of new sauces – making it look a lot like Raising Cane’s menu.  

Among the new flavors are Chimichurri Ranch and Hot Honey Habanero, while customers can also expect new ‘Dunked’ menu items featuring chicken coated or paired with sauces. 

The move comes as Raising Cane’s – a company that has spent nearly three decades selling a famously simple menu built around chicken fingers – has surged past KFC to become the third-largest chicken chain in the US by sales. 

Restaurant Business editor-in-chief Jonathan Maze told the Daily Mail that Raising Cane’s has ‘legitimately one of the hottest concepts in the restaurant industry today.’ 

The number one and two chicken chains are Chick-fil-A and Popeyes, respectively.

Raising Cane’s now has more than 900 restaurants, making it one of the biggest success stories in fast food thanks to its streamlined operations and meticulously chosen menu items.

Unlike other fast food chains that prioritize limited-edition products, Raising Cane’s features a compact menu of chicken fingers, fries, drinks, Texas toast and coleslaw – plus their famous sauce. 

After seeing the success of Raising Cane’s, a chain which focuses almost exclusively on chicken tenders, company is shifting its attention toward chicken tenders and other boneless products. 

‘In many respects it is the quintessential 2026 restaurant chain,’ Maze told us. ‘It has a simple menu, centered on boneless chicken, along with beverages like tea and lemonade that consumers absolutely love.’

The overhaul marks one of the biggest strategic shifts in the company’s recent history as executives attempt to modernize the brand and appeal to younger consumers.

‘In an increasingly crowded category, we have a clear opportunity to set the standard for modern chicken,’ KFC CEO Scott Mezvinsky said. 

‘This next chapter brings new energy and expression to what makes us iconic,’ he added, ‘while doubling down on our chicken and reimagining how fans experience KFC around the world.’

Industry analysts have also pointed to a growing consumer preference for boneless chicken products, a trend that has fueled the success of chains such as Raising Cane’s and helped reshape the competitive landscape. 

KFC is also introducing redesigned restaurants with a focus on new digital features and adding an entirely new beverage platform called Kwench by KFC. The company teased boba refreshers, sparkling lemonades, iced coffees and milkshake-style drinks. 

Some drinks are already available internationally, although its unclear how long it will be before they hit restaurants in the US. 

KFC’s new drinks come just months after McDonald’s announced its lineup of refreshers and ‘dirty’ sodas, piggybacking off the energy drink craze popping up across the industry. 

According to Maze, KFC is ‘probably’ doing the right thing by pivoting to tenders, sauces and drinks.  

‘KFC is the oldest and still best-known chicken chain in the country and they have the absolute right to do these sorts of things,’ Maze said. ‘But ultimately its consumers know them for their bone-in chicken.’ 

‘You are who you are in this business, for good or for ill,’ he added. ‘As for the beverages, a lot of chains are focusing on drinks KFC is hardly alone, but the U.S. consumer really does want a wider variety of drinks from their restaurant chains and that’s why they’re doing that.’