KFC Celebrates 50 Years

KFC, the world's most popular chicken Restaurant chain, will celebrate its 50th birthday August 4, 2002. While Colonel Harland D. Sanders first served his now famous original recipe at his cafe in Corbin, Ky., it was franchisee Pete Harman who helped bring the Kentucky Fried Chicken® restaurant chain to life.

Harman thought the Colonel's fried chicken was so delicious, he offered to serve it to his customers at his family cafe. On August 4, 1952, the Colonel's™ Original Recipe® Chicken with 11 secret herbs and spices was sold at the world's first Kentucky Fried Chicken location in Salt Lake City. Due to the overwhelming response, the Colonel decided to cash in his $105 social security check and Franchise his dream. From that day forward, he traveled from town to town selling his secret recipe to restaurant owners across the country, becoming the pioneer of home meal replacements.

Over a decade later in 1969 when the company went public, Colonel Sanders bought the first 100 shares of KFC® stock. In the years that followed, KFC owned nearly half of all chicken quick-service sales in the U.S.*

Today, there more than 11,000 KFC stores in more than 80 countries, serving 8 million customers each day.

"50 years later, we are still providing consumers with the Colonel's famous hot and fresh fried chicken made with his secret recipe of 11 herbs and spices," says Cheryl Bachelder, CEO and chief concept officer of KFC Corporation. "We differentiate ourselves from Fast Food restaurants by consistently delivering high quality food, value and freshness to each customer every day."

Fun Chicken Facts ... Did you Know*

•  914 million pounds of chicken is served in KFC restaurants per year
• Over 26 million people visit a KFC restaurant a week in the United States
• Laid head-to-claw, KFC chickens consumed last year could encircle the earth at the equator more than 8 1/2 times
• On average, the typical U.S. household serves chicken 7 times per month
• On average, 82 pounds of chicken per person is consumed each year worldwide
• KFC opens approximately 2 restaurants a day worldwide
• According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the world's largest chicken weighs 22 pounds - the chicken's name? Weirdo!

KFC Background

KFC remains true to its original brand heritage and is still the world's most popular chicken restaurant chain, thanks in part to the Colonel's Original Recipe® chicken, as well as innovative products like Popcorn Chicken and Twisters® that keep KFC consumers coming back for more.

KFC Corporation, based in Louisville, Ky., is the world's most popular chicken restaurant chain specializing in Original Recipe®, Extra Crispy, Colonel's Crispy Strips® chicken and Popcorn Chicken with home-style sides and freshly made chicken sandwiches. Since its founding by Colonel Harland Sanders in 1952, KFC has been serving customers delicious, already-prepared complete family meals at affordable prices. There are over 11,000 KFC outlets in more than 80 countries and territories around the world serving some 8 million customers each day. KFC Corporation is a subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc., (NYSE: YUM) Louisville, Ky.

*Sources
1999 ACNielsen Media International Study
KFC Public Affairs Department, KFC Corporation
CyberPulse™ internet survey
National Chicken Council

For franchise information visit KFC on BISON.