KFC’s newest store looks absolutely nothing like a KFC

KFC’s “finger lickin’ good” slogan usually refers to chicken, but it’s taking on different meaning at its newest location.

KFC’s “finger lickin’ good” slogan usually refers to chicken, but it’s taking on different meaning at its newest location. Sauce and dips are the star at “Saucy,” a prototype opening Friday in Orlando. The restaurant, which ditches the chain’s familiar red for pink, is centered around 11 new dips and chicken tenders — both favorites of Gen-Z eaters who crave adventurous flavors and boneless chicken. The launch of Saucy comes amid challenging times for the Yum Brands-owned chain, which has posted several consecutive quarters of declines for its US restaurants. KFC’s attempts at value meals and limited time offerings haven’t resonated with consumers, causing it to struggle against trendier chicken chains, like Wingstop and Raising Cane’s. With Saucy, the idea was to modernize the “finger lickin’ good” slogan and focus on one of its most “iconic products,” which are its tenders, according to Christophe Poirier, KFC’s chief concept officer. “Building on this modernized ‘finger lickin’ good,’ we came up with a new vision, which is a lot of sauces, a lot of color and a lot of drinks,” Poirer told CNN, adding that it’s “specifically targeted to Gen Z.” Tenders are appealing to younger eaters because they are easy to eat on-the-go and can be generously customized, Poirer said. A survey of restaurants menus from Technomic Ignite, a food consulting firm, shows that the availability of chicken tenders has grown more than 5% over the past five years.