4 KFC Facts Only Die-Hard Fans Know

It’s not difficult to figure out why KFC has been such a popular chain over the decades. First of all, fried chicken is straight up delicious (sorry, vegetarians), but KFC offers a ton of great Southern food besides crunchy poultry. They have warm, flaky biscuits, mashed potatoes with a savory helping of gravy, a variety of sandwiches, and of course, those loaded bowls chock-full of chicken, potatoes, and cheese. Yea, KFC seems to be doing a lot right, and that’s why so many people proudly call it their go-to fried chicken spot. 

Videos by Sporked

But, just because you frequent KFC doesn’t necessarily mean you know everything there is to know about the chain. You just enjoy the food, and that’s fine. But, we’ve compiled five facts about KFC that only die-hard fans would know, and we’re more than willing to share. With these facts in your back pocket, you can feel like an ultra fan the next time a hankering for a bucket of fried chicken hits. Maybe drop one of these facts to one of the employees when you order and see if you get the special Mega Fan Discount (that’s not actually a real thing, so don’t try it). Get ready, because some of these facts just might shake up your secret blend of herbs and spices.

“Colonel” Sanders Never Actually Held That Rank

Colonel Harland Sanders is a name synonymous with KFC, which makes sense since he was the founder of the chain. But, the word “colonel” is a bit misleading. Harland Sanders did serve in the Army for a short period of time, but he never achieved even close to the rank of Colonel. So, how’d he get the title? The “Colonel” rank was actually bestowed upon Harland by Kentucky Governor Ruby Laffoon in 1935 to honor the delicious meals Harland Sanders cooked for hungry travelers.

“Kentucky Fried Chicken” Wasn’t Colonel Sanders’ Idea

It’s easy to assume the man who founded KFC was also the one who came up with the three words “Kentucky Fried Chicken.” But, your assumption would be wrong. Believe it or not, the person who invented the three-word phrase that would burn itself into the brains of everyone worldwide was a simple sign painter named Rodney L. Anderson. Sanders tasked Anderson with painting a sign advertising the fried chicken, and he chose to write “Kentucky Fried Chicken” so customers knew it was different from Southern-style fried chicken. And boy, did those three words stick.

Colonel Sanders’ Nephew’s Big Mistake

The secret recipe for the herbs and spices that are added to KFC’s fried chicken has always been kept under tight wraps by the company, and for good reason. The chain can’t just have any old Joe Schmo recreating that iconic flavor at home. But, funny enough, Colonel Sanders’ nephew almost blew the lid off the whole secret during an interview with a reporter who was covering Corbin, Kentucky, and wanted to mention Sanders’ original restaurant long before KFC was a thing. The nephew shared a photo album that contained a handwritten list of herbs and spices, which everyone assumed was the secret combination. Naturally, KFC and Sanders’ nephew both denied the list was the official mixture.

The KFC Dish Colonel Sanders Hates

Colonel Sanders sold off KFC to a group of investors in 1964, but he stayed on as a brand ambassador to make sure he was still able to offer his opinion on the direction the company was taking. As much as we’d like to think he approved of everything that happened after the sale was finalized, he certainly found frustration with one menu item in particular: the gravy. He said, “My God, that gravy is horrible. They buy tap water for 15 to 20 cents a thousand gallons, and then they mix it with flour and starch and end up with pure wallpaper paste. There’s no nutrition in it and they ought not to be allowed to sell it.” These disparaging comments actually led to a defamation lawsuit against Sanders, but it was ultimately dismissed.