KFC Australia has launched a significant menu overhaul, starting with a revamped chicken tender that is 30 per cent larger and crispier than the previous version — a direct response to rising competition and a measurable drop in customer satisfaction with its boneless chicken offerings.
The relaunch, which hit stores this week, signals the beginning of a broader push by the fast food giant to reassert its dominance in the fried chicken market amid growing pressure from rivals including El Jannah, Guzman y Gomez, Wingstop and a wave of independent operators carving into its customer base.
Why KFC decided its chicken tenders needed an overhaul
According to KFC's chief marketing officer for the South Pacific region, the chain acknowledged its tenders had fallen short. "We didn't have the best tenders in the market," she said, noting the product had come across as too small and sometimes dry — issues that were fuelling customer complaints and hurting sales.
"It was always about size," she added, signalling the company's intention to apply the same quality benchmark across its entire product portfolio. "We're going to set the benchmark here, and then we're going to do that with every single product in our portfolio."
The revamped tenders come with a slight price increase. A three-pack bundle, previously $9.45, now retails for $10.95, while a five-pack has moved from $12.95 to $14.95. The relaunch also coincides with the introduction of 11 new dipping sauces, including Korean BBQ, Hot Honey, Smokey Maple and "Liquid Gold" — the latter of which triggered a notable spike in Google searches when it was introduced in mid-March.
Could the Original Recipe be next?
The tender overhaul is described as the first step in a wider reassessment of KFC's core menu — one that could eventually extend to its most iconic product. The marketing chief stopped short of ruling out a rework of the Original Recipe, the signature blend developed by Colonel Harland Sanders in 1940. "We are not redoing the Original just yet, but I'm not saying no," she said.
The urgency behind the revamp is also informed by KFC's global performance. In the United States, the chain recorded a 4.6 per cent sales decline in 2025, following a 5.2 per cent fall the year prior, with the brand slipping to fourth place in its home market as rivals Chick-fil-A and Raising Cane continue to capture market share. KFC's global chief executive has conceded the brand failed to keep pace with shifting consumer tastes.
Chasing trends faster — from 'Picklecore' to popping pearls
Alongside the quality improvements, KFC Australia is dramatically accelerating the pace at which it introduces new menu items. New products, previously rolled out roughly every six weeks, are now being launched every four weeks, with the company also working to compress the product development cycle from nine to twelve months to as little as four months.
The chain's "Picklecore" range — a pickle-flavoured menu extension that originated in Canada before moving to the UK — was delivered to Australian customers in just four months, even though local consumer research had not confirmed the trend had caught on domestically. "We just took a punt," the marketing chief said. The gamble paid off, with some stores recording their best-ever sales week during Picklecore's launch — though she acknowledged the momentum faded quickly by week two.
"Food is very much like fast fashion," she said. "The news hits within week one, and by week four it's old news."
Social media is driving much of this acceleration in consumer expectations. KFC and its major fast food competitors are also investing heavily in visually striking beverage ranges — featuring toppings such as popping pearls and cold foam — designed to generate online engagement and draw customers into stores, with the added benefit of commanding higher profit margins at relatively low cost.
