On a busy street in Dubai, there’s a building that’s impossible to miss. Its bright red facade glows with electric white lights. Three giant archways offer passersby a glimpse of a two-story screen playing constant editorial-style videos. Inside, a stark, almost brutalist construction is offset by two-tone red furniture and a neon wall mural. 

We’re in the middle of a modern chicken war, and KFC wants to reclaim its icon status. Chicken—more specifically, the chicken tender—is undeniably having a moment, even as the rest of the fast-casual food space continues to languish in a post-pandemic, cost-of-living-induced slump. Rising stars like Raising Cane’s, Dave’s Hot Chicken, and Hangry Joe’s Hot Chicken & Wings are doing major sales and social media numbers by wooing young consumers with their signature sauces and chunky pickles. Meanwhile, legacy chicken purveyor KFC has faded into the background.

Now, KFC is ready to throw its drumstick back into the ring. After testing new chicken concepts, beverages, and brand approaches for the past several years, KFC is undertaking a major transformation to reclaim chicken supremacy—including, starting on October 31, testing out what it calls a restaurant concept of the future. 

S. in April 2025. Upon stepping into the role, she noted: “It was so obvious that there’s this huge latent love for the brand. ” At the same time, it was equally clear that while people still hold fond memories of the chain, the challenge lies in keeping it current. S. chicken restaurants by sales, a list still led by Chick-fil-A and Popeyes.

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