Popular chicken chain brings back beloved menu item after 5 years

When launching new products no longer delivers positive results, sometimes the best way forward is to look back. For this popular chicken chain, bringing back menu items that once defined the brand and made it a household name may be its last shot at turning things around and saving its business from dying.

Yum! Brands' (YUM) Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) has recently undergone multiple changes to stay relevant in an increasingly competitive and ever-evolving fast-food industry.

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Now, after years of banishing some of its classics, the chicken chain is bringing back two beloved menu items to reconnect with its loyal customers.

This highly awaited announcement comes after disappointing news. In June, the American Customer Satisfaction Index released its yearly Restaurant and Food Delivery Study for 2025, and the results were less than stellar for KFC.

KFC's customer satisfaction score dropped 5% to 77, while Chick-fil-A continued to dominate the chicken category for the 11th consecutive year with a score of 83. Rising competitors like Raising Cane's and Popeyes also contributed to its market share loss.

But the chain's issues go deeper; KFC's U.S. sector has seen concerning slowdowns, with system sales down 5% for the full year of 2024 and same-store sales declining 5%.

Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) brings back beloved menu items.

Image source: Kentucky Fried Chicken

To please its longtime fans, KFC announced it is bringing back its beloved Potato Wedges after a five-year hiatus. Initially introduced in the mid-1990s, they became one of the chicken chain's most popular side items before being discontinued in 2020.

Joining the wedges are the Hot & Spicy Wings, returning after nearly a two-year absence. The wings are double-hand-breaded in KFC's signature Extra Crispy flour and tossed in a spicy marinade.

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This comeback was ignited by a surprise re-release of the Potato Wedges in Tampa, Florida, locations, where the high demand led them to quickly sell out at some restaurants, an early indicator of the menu item's continued popularity.

Both the Potato Wedges and Hot & Spicy Wings will be available at all KFC restaurants nationwide beginning August 18, while supplies last.

KFC unveils a new turnaround strategy to win back customers

These major menu item relaunches are part of KFC's new turnaround strategy to reverse declining sales and win back customers. The chain is shifting its focus back to its core menu, improving operations, and offering value-driven promotions to regain the market share it has lost to emerging chicken rivals.

“We're well aware of the latest fried chicken rankings, and I'm fired up to launch a bold Kentucky Fried Comeback and remind America exactly who we are. If people can give their ex a million second chances, I hope our fans can give us one,” said KFC U.S. President Catherine Tan-Gillespie in a press release.

To drive traffic and engagement, KFC is offering free buckets of chicken through its app, expanding in-app deals, and enhancing rewards for loyal customers.

KFC is also bringing Colonel Sanders back to its advertising, adding a nostalgic twist to remind customers of the brand it once was, but this time, with an angry expression to show his disapproval of the chicken chain's missteps.