KFC Closed Over 300 Restaurant Locations In The Last Year
KFC Closed Over 300 Restaurant Locations In The Last Year
Megan SchalteggerSat, August 22, 2026 at 5:30 PM UTC
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KFC Closed Over 300 Restaurant LocationsNurPhoto - Getty Images
KFC is an icon in the fast food space, but apparently, its brand recognition isn’t enough to compete with its fast-growing fried chicken rivals. The chain has closed over 300 locations over the last year alone, representing a 7.6% loss in the company’s national footprint, The New York Post reports.
44 locations were shuttered in California between July 2025 and July 2026, while Texas lost 34 stores and Ohio shut down 18. Kansas lost the highest percentage of its restaurants during that period, with 8 permanently closing out of its total of 38.
According to the same analysis from The Post, which evaluated Google ratings, the reason for these closures is likely tied to KFC’s decline in popularity. It was ranked the lowest among the country’s top chicken chains with an average of 3.42 stars across its 2,885 rated locations. Chick-fil-A scored the coveted number one spot with an average of 4.3 stars across 3,306 locations and Raising Cane’s trailed closely behind with 4.29 stars.
Despite the troubling news, KFC’s parent company Yum! Brands has reported a unit growth of 7% in its second-quarter results report, which was released just last month. And despite the national decline in locations, the chain is still showing growth internationally. 660 new restaurants popped up in over 55 countries in the first quarter of 2026.
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KFC is clearly devoted to changing that reputation, too. On June 15, 2026, the brand launched its new and improved identity—along with a menu revamp—that is centered around boneless chicken, beverages, and crave-worthy sauces.
“KFC is bringing consumers a more flavor-forward experience built to unlock flavor exploration, personalization and craveability while giving fans more ways tocustomize to make the menu their own,” the company said in its report. “KFC's aspiration is to have core elements of its strategy live across its Top 20 markets by the end of 2027.”
And hey, at least they cracked the top five on our fried chicken sandwich ranking!
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Source: “AOL Money”
