KFC Is Switching to Coca-Cola Drinks in the U.S.
After decades of serving Pepsi products, the chicken chain will change its drink supplier, finishing by early 2027.
KFC's restaurants in the United States will stop serving PepsiCo drinks and start serving Coca-Cola, with the switch planned to be complete by the end of the first quarter of 2027. The company that owns KFC, Yum Brands, said on Thursday that it is the first time in decades the chain has changed its drink supplier.
Some KFC restaurants in other countries already serve Coke products. In the U.S., though, KFC has stuck with Pepsi drinks since 1986, when Pepsi bought the chain. At that time KFC was the second-largest customer for Coca-Cola's fountain drinks, behind only McDonald's. Pepsi later spun off KFC, together with Pizza Hut and Taco Bell, which became part of Yum Brands. Even so, the group kept using Pepsi. Taco Bell's well-known Mountain Dew Baja Blast, for example, comes from Pepsi.
The change is part of KFC's effort to win back customers in the U.S. Many diners have moved to rivals such as Chick-fil-A and Popeyes. KFC U.S. President Catherine Tan-Gillespie called the decision "a critical step in the Kentucky Fried Comeback" in a memo to franchise owners and employees. She said a new drink menu and a new partner would give KFC a chance to try new ideas and give customers more reasons to choose it.
Drinks have become an important way for fast-food chains to attract customers. McDonald's and Taco Bell, for instance, have added options such as refreshers and "dirty soda." KFC recently showed new drinks, including iced coffees and shakes, at Open House, its test restaurant in McKinney, Texas.
The company expects every KFC in the U.S. to be serving Coke drinks by the close of the first quarter of 2027. Tan-Gillespie said Pepsi will remain an important partner for KFC's parent company and for the chain's restaurants in other countries.
Big restaurant chains rarely change drink suppliers, but it does happen. In 2024, Pepsi won Subway, the biggest U.S. restaurant chain by number of locations, away from Coke. Coke has also won over Culver's, Arby's and Panda Express in recent years.
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