KFC Says the Twister Is Back. That’s… Debatable. 

KFC just brought back a fan-favorite menu item from the ‘90s… or so they say. It’s a bit different than fans remember. Different enough to warrant a little discourse on whether or not it can even be called its original name. Kinda scandalous, don’t you think? Let’s talk about it. 

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The menu item in question: The KFC Twister, an iconic wrap that was officially discontinued in 2014, to the dismay of fans everywhere. 

As much as I’d love to insert the “close enough, welcome back xyz” meme here, the fan consensus is that KFC’s newly revived Twister is not, in fact, close enough to the original—and should not be welcomed back as such, considering how drastically it changed. 

What’s the big difference between the two? I’m so glad you asked. 

The OG KFC Twister featured a pita wrap with roast chicken, ranch dressing, bacon bits and shredded cheddar. 

The current KFC Twister is a flour tortilla wrap with two crispy chicken tenders, lettuce, tomato, and KFC’s Pepper Mayo. (You can order a version that has bacon, too.) But no ranch, no cheese, fried chicken instead of roast, and possibly a different kind of tortilla wrap, too. Hmm… 

That kinda feels like a completely different menu item, does it not? 

It certainly does to me! And look, I’m all about growth and improvement. I’m also not one to begrudge a crispy chicken tender inside a pita wrap—that sounds delicious. (Dare I say more delicious than the OG grilled chicken? Don’t come for me…) 

But it really begs the question: Can nostalgia bait still work if the item changes this much? I don’t think so. I remember when Altoid Tangerine Sours came back, and people (me) were disappointed that they didn’t taste the exact same as they remembered. Then again, the new flavors of the old Altoid Sours were a big hit for us, so done right, change can certainly be a good thing. 

Luckily, it looks like KFC is listening to feedback from fans.

The KFC Twister wrap is a limited-time release—as short as a month while supplies last—and KFC has made it clear that they’re paying close attention to people’s complaints. “The passion around the Twister has been loud and clear,” said a spokesperson for the company, “and that kind of demand doesn’t go unnoticed.” 

If the Twister comes back for a part two, who knows. It could be bigger and better than ever.