KFC BROUGHT BACK POPCORN CHICKEN WITH A $10 BUCKET
KFC Popcorn Chicken returned to menus after years of fan begging, and the comeback came with a $10 bucket.
The chain announced on July 13, 2026, that the bite-size favorite was back nationwide starting that day, for a limited time and only while supplies last. KFC said in a release on PR Newswire that Popcorn Chicken first showed up in the early 1990s, gained a following and then disappeared in 2023.
The company said the return followed customer requests, including comments, direct messages and online petition signatures. USA TODAY reported the details.
“For years, KFC has heard directly from fans clamoring for Popcorn Chicken’s return. We read every comment, every DM, and even every online petition signature, and the message was impossible to ignore,” KFC Chief Marketing Officer Melissa Cash said in a statement.
Cash framed the move as part of what the company calls its “Kentucky Fried Comeback” journey.
“As we continue our Kentucky Fried Comeback journey, this menu item return shows our commitment to listening to our most passionate fans by giving them exactly what they’re craving.”
She also leaned hard into the throwback angle. “We’re nodding to nostalgia as we simultaneously modernize the brand and how it shows up throughout the world,” Cash said, MediaPost reported.
The launch came as KFC was working to revamp its offerings. The chain has also been making headlines with an Oreo chicken burger.
How much it costs
KFC offered three ways to buy Popcorn Chicken, and the star of the lineup was the bucket.
The Popcorn Chicken Bucket holds 16 ounces of chicken and comes with dipping sauces, all for $10. USA TODAY described it as shareable.
The Popcorn Chicken Big Box costs $10.99. It comes with Popcorn Chicken, Original Recipe Tenders, medium fries, a medium drink, dipping sauces and a chocolate chunk cookie.
The Popcorn Chicken Combo is the budget pick at $8.49. It includes Popcorn Chicken, medium fries, a medium drink and a dipping sauce.
KFC said prices and participation vary by restaurant.
The chain also teamed up with Giphy on GIFs for the relaunch, and some of them feature Colonel Sanders.
How fans reacted
Customers took to X to celebrate, USA TODAY reported.
“Peak KFC is back,” one X user wrote.
Another posted, “My prayers have been answered. Thank the Lord,” alongside crying, laughing-crying and prayer-hands emojis.
A third said they had stayed away from the chain since the item vanished. “Haven’t had KFC since 2023. Let’s run it back yall,” the user wrote.
Where it stands now
KFC has not announced an end date for the return.
