KFC has launched a brand new restaurant concept that it hopes will rival Raising Cane’s and Chick-fil-A.
The new concept restaurant opened to much fanfare on Thursday in Orlando, Florida.
The new flavor-forward destination, known as Saucy, offers chicken tenders and eleven different sauces on the menu.
The eleven sauces – a nod to KFC’s chicken recipe with eleven herbs and spices – include Chimichurri Ranch, Peri Peri Ranch, Jalapeño Pesto Ranch, Smokey Bacon Ranch, Thai Sweet ‘N Spicy, Sweet ‘N Saucy BBQ, Saucy’s Sauce, Spicy Mango Chutney, Spicy Ranch, Creole Honey Mustard and Sweet Teriyaki.
In addition to chicken tenders, sauces can be ordered individually or in a flight for those who want to try multiple flavors.
“We have had tenders going on for a long time, starting about 20 years ago,” Christophe Porrier, KFC Chief Concept Officer, said in a statement.
‘Saucy is the modern interpretation of Finger Lickin’ Good based on one of our giants.
‘We have such an iconic product with tenders, and when we put them on steroids with sauces, you have something magical.’
KFC has launched a brand new restaurant concept in Orlando, Florida
There are more than 4,000 ways to order from Saucy, so consumers can “have a different flavor experience every time,” Porrier explains.
Fans have drawn comparisons to Raising Cane’s, as staples like Hawaiian rolls, coleslaw and fries will also be on the Saucy menu.
Saucy also offers two new chicken sandwiches, chocolate mousse and Key Lime cake.
The new location is also expanding its beverage selection with eleven specialty drinks, including a Watermelon Refresher and Peach-Mango Lemonade.
The interior design also differs from a traditional KFC, moving from the usual red to pink color palette.
The restaurant has an indoor dining room, which features a live DJ on Fridays.
There are also drive-thru lanes, and all tenders are hand-breaded and fried in small batches as part of Saucy’s made-to-order model.
KFC said it is planning a slow rollout of more Saucy locations, but did not reveal a timeline or where they might appear.
The eleven sauces offered are a nod to KFC’s chicken recipe with eleven herbs and spices
The restaurant has an indoor dining room, which features a live DJ on Fridays
Sauces are a growing consumer trend, with 34 percent of diners considering what sauces and condiments are available when deciding which restaurants to visit, according to Technomic’s Flavor Consumer Trend Report.
KFC has capitalized on this trend and recently launched its Saucy Nuggets, offering traditional chicken nuggets with a choice of Honey Sriracha, Korean BBQ, Sticky Chicky Sweet ‘n Sour, Nashville Hot and Georgia Gold sauces.
The menu also includes several value combo deals, such as a three-piece tender combo with a toasted bun, fries, medium drink and your choice of sauce for $7.99.