KFC Plans to Test New Open House Concept

KFC Plans a Bold New Concept Designed to Reinvent the Brand From the Ground Up

KFC is preparing to test a new restaurant concept called Open House, set to debut later this summer in McKinney, Texas- a Dallas suburb located close to parent company Yum! Brands' Plano headquarters. The concept is being developed under the direction of KFC U.S. President Catherine Tan-Gillespie, who framed the project in sweeping terms during a recent interview. "We're taking the idea that we can do all the things with our system, but how do we jolt the system and jump forward a decade?" she said. "What would the reinvention of KFC look like if the Colonel was here today? How do we take all of his legacy, his DNA, to a next generation concept?" Open House, in other words, is not a modest refresh- it is an attempt to fundamentally reimagine what a KFC restaurant can be.

What We Know About the Open House Experience So Far

Details about Open House remain limited at this stage, but the broad strokes are taking shape. The menu will include both new items and signature KFC offerings presented in a fresh way, while the overall experience will differ markedly from a conventional KFC location. Table service, a drive-thru, and takeout options will all be available, pointing to a format built around channel maximisation rather than a single service model. Tan-Gillespie described the vision as "serving hot chicken in a warm and welcoming environment with a bold new restaurant design," adding that the concept represents "the reinvention of product, promotion, and place." The emphasis on hospitality as a foundational value is a deliberate callback to the brand's origins- a reminder that the Colonel's restaurants were built as much on warmth and welcome as they were on fried chicken.

A Turnaround Strategy That Is Already Gaining Traction

Open House arrives at a moment when KFC's broader comeback plan is beginning to show real results. Tan-Gillespie was appointed to her role in April 2025 and quickly put in place a roadmap centred on four key pillars- product, promotion, place, and pricing. The early signs have been encouraging - KFC has now recorded three consecutive quarters of same-store sales growth after enduring seven straight quarters of decline. One of the stated objectives of the Open House concept is to understand what happens when the brand holistically changes all four of those pillars within a single restaurant simultaneously- using the location as a living laboratory for the full scope of what the turnaround strategy can deliver.

Franchisees Are Already On Board

While the initial Open House location will be company-owned, Tan-Gillespie confirmed that a KFC franchisee has already agreed to develop one as well- a meaningful early signal of confidence from the franchise community. Franchisee buy-in is critical for any new concept that a major chain hopes to scale beyond a handful of test units, and the fact that an operator has committed to the format before it has even opened its doors suggests the vision is resonating beyond the corporate level. More details about the franchisee development and the broader rollout timeline are expected to be announced soon.

Beyond Open House, KFC's innovation pipeline is running at considerable pace. Tan-Gillespie revealed that at least 100 menu innovations are currently in some phase of consumer testing, the majority of which were introduced at the company's global Marketing Planning Meeting held in early May. Among the most notable directions is a more aggressive push into beverages, including dirty soda, along with potential US introductions from the Kwench beverage platform that has already expanded across several global markets. Yum! CEO Chris Turner has also signalled that KFC will offer expanded flavours through sauces, drawing on learnings from its Saucy spinoff concept. All of this activity is being coordinated through KFC's Global Innovation Hub, launched in September, which serves as a centralised database of historical products, tested ideas, and consumer insights designed to significantly shorten the development cycle.

Saucy Continues to Expand as KFC Builds a Multi-Concept Portfolio

Running parallel to the Open House development is the continued expansion of Saucy, KFC's chicken tenders-and-sauce-focused spinoff concept that debuted in late 2024. The brand has now moved beyond its original Florida footprint for the first time, entering new markets as it builds momentum. Former Yum! CEO David Gibbs identified Saucy as one of the key catalysts for KFC's broader turnaround, and the concept's progress suggests that confidence was well placed. Together, Saucy and Open House point to a KFC that is no longer content to compete on its legacy alone- but is instead actively building a portfolio of concepts designed to meet different customer needs, occasions, and formats, all under the broader umbrella of one of the world's most recognisable fast-food brands.

What We Know About the Open House Experience So Far

A Turnaround Strategy That Is Already Gaining Traction

Franchisees Are Already On Board

Menu Innovation in Overdrive- Beverages, Sauces, and 100+ Ideas in Testing

Saucy Continues to Expand as KFC Builds a Multi-Concept Portfolio

KFC Plans to Test New Open House Concept

KFC Plans a Bold New Concept Designed to Reinvent the Brand From the Ground Up

What We Know About the Open House Experience So Far

A Turnaround Strategy That Is Already Gaining Traction

Franchisees Are Already On Board

Menu Innovation in Overdrive- Beverages, Sauces, and 100+ Ideas in Testing

Saucy Continues to Expand as KFC Builds a Multi-Concept Portfolio

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KFC Plans to Test New Open House Concept

KFC Plans a Bold New Concept Designed to Reinvent the Brand From the Ground Up

What We Know About the Open House Experience So Far

A Turnaround Strategy That Is Already Gaining Traction

Franchisees Are Already On Board

Menu Innovation in Overdrive- Beverages, Sauces, and 100+ Ideas in Testing

Saucy Continues to Expand as KFC Builds a Multi-Concept Portfolio