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Before starting KFC, Harland Sanders worked as a firefighter, lawyer, and insurance salesman—failing at each venture.
In 1939, he found success by perfecting pressure-cooked fried chicken at his Kentucky gas station.
This small-town cook's path to founding an iconic chicken franchise took a mix of twisting unexpected turns along the way.
Harland Sanders drifted between jobs for decades—railroad worker, insurance salesman, gas station operator—finding little success.
At age 40, in 1930, he found a little success in serving meals to travelers at his Corbin, Kentucky service station.
There, he created his famous fried chicken recipe that would transform him into Colonel Sanders, founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken.
In the 1960s, John Wayne Gacy operated several Kentucky Fried Chicken franchises.
During this period, he abused his employees both mentally and physically, foreshadowing his later violence.
While KFC grew into a global brand, Gacy's brief role as a franchise owner was a dark chapter in his path toward becoming a serial killer.
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When Sanders sold KFC, the deal allowed him to keep control of his chicken recipe while KFC paid him to remain its public face.
He stayed involved as the company's taste-tester and mascot, but without having to deal with the day-to-day operations of the business.
This arrangement protected Sanders's legacy and gave KFC an authentic brand symbol.
The company grew globally while its founder stepped back—compensated, but no longer in charge.
Despite a lifetime salary and oversight role, Colonel Sanders was enraged at Kentucky Fried Chicken's declining quality under its corporate rule in the 1970s.
He attacked the deteriorating food standards, particularly targeting the gravy, which he called "horrible" and compared to "wallpaper paste."
PepsiCo bought KFC for $850 million in 1986.
The deal merged PepsiCo's beverage and snack empire—including Pepsi, Frito-Lay, and Taco Bell—with Colonel Sanders' fried chicken business.
Though PepsiCo had never run restaurants before, their distribution network and marketing power positioned KFC for rapid growth.
The acquisition launched KFC's worldwide expansion far beyond its origins in 1930s Kentucky.
In 1991, Kentucky Fried Chicken rebranded to "KFC" in response to growing health consciousness.
The company removed "Fried" from its name while continuing to serve deep fried chicken.
The move helped to distance the brand from negative associations with fried food in health-conscious markets.
But not much was changed with the food offered.
During a 1997 PETA protest, an activist doused a KFC mascot wearing a Colonel Sanders costume in red fake blood.
The protest targeted KFC's chicken suppliers, whom PETA accused of animal cruelty.
In 2002, Pizza Hut and Domino's added fried chicken to their menus, cutting into KFC's sales.
These pizza chains succeeded in attracting KFC's customers by offering nearly identical chicken products.
In the 2000s, KFC had failed to innovate or distinguish its signature dish.
The brand's stagnation in developing new flavors and products meant customers saw little difference between KFC's chicken and competitors' versions.
The crisis forced KFC to update its outdated menu items.
In 2010, KFC introduced the Double Down—a sandwich that replaced bread buns with two fried chicken filets.
Between these filets lay bacon and cheese.
The sandwich sparked immediate controversy, containing 540 calories and 32 grams of fat!
But most people loved it nonetheless.
However, critics condemned its obvious excess, while customers flocked to try this unconventional creation.
By embracing indulgence over health concerns, KFC had created its most memorable menu item—a sandwich that turned conventional fast food architecture on its head.
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