Latest news with #Saucy
Toronto Star
10-08-2025
- Politics
- Toronto Star
Republican Winsome Earle-Sears is on the defensive in Virginia's race for governor
Republican Winsome Earle-Sears greets voters at her military-themed rally at Saucy's Sit-Down Bar.B.Q in Hopewell, Va., on Aug. 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Olivia Diaz) flag wire: true flag sponsored: false article_type: : sWebsitePrimaryPublication : publications/toronto_star bHasMigratedAvatar : false :
Business Insider
06-08-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
KFC and Taco Bell are doubling down on Gen Z
Yum Brands is all in on capturing the Gen Z market, its CEO David Gibbs announced during his final call as chief executive on Tuesday. Gibbs, who will be succeeded by CFO Chris Turner in October, told investors during the company's Q2 earnings call that he believes the company is employing the right innovation strategy as its brands double down on trending drink and sauce concepts aimed at younger customers. The parent company of Taco Bell, KFC, Pizza Hut, and Habit Burger & Grill, reported its quarterly earnings before the bell. With $1.44 adjusted earnings per share and $1.93 billion in revenue, it narrowly missed analyst expectations. Taco Bell's Live Más Café model, focused on customizable drinks, will be expanding this year, as will KFC's chicken strip and sauce concept, Saucy, and its Kwench line of drinks, Gibbs said. Both chains' specialty spinoffs, designed to attract Gen Z customers, have been driving increasing sales, according to the earnings call. In March, Taco Bell announced it would launch twice as many new menu items in 2025 as it did in 2024, focusing largely on limited-time offerings to drive consumer excitement. Combined with its December launch of the Live Más Café, the new launches are panning out well for the quick-service conglomerate. "The café was inspired by Gen Z's love for curated, customizable drinks and offers over 30 signature beverages from Churro Chillers and specialty coffees to Refrescas and Dirty Mountain Dew Baja Blast Dream sodas," Gibbs told investors during the call, adding that the test store saw "a significant increase in transactions while more beverage users are visiting the café and choosing to dine in." Data from the location intelligence and foot traffic data software firm found that Taco Bell carried Yum Brands' US foot traffic in Q2. New, value-driven menu offerings drove Taco Bell's visits up 2.6% year over year, with average visits per location growing by 1.5%, the firm found. Yum Brands announced last month it would expand its Live Más Café model within existing Taco Bell restaurants to 30 locations across Southern California and Texas by year-end. "While Taco Bell is sort of leading the way on getting into the new category entry points on beverages for Yum!, we see the same opportunity for KFC," Gibbs said. "And KFC has their own program, Kwench, which is now going into test. I'm very excited about the impact that that can have on the business." KFC's Kwench line of drinks, including refreshers, shakes, and iced coffees, is being tested at select locations, primarily in Australia and the UK. Gibbs did not elaborate on whether or when the new drink offerings would be tested in the US market. Despite soft numbers in the US, KFC's international business in South Africa, Spain, Canada, and Japan strengthened the chain's sales in Q2. Business Insider previously reported that the first week of KFC's " Kentucky Fried Comeback" campaign in the US market saw a record-breaking surge in KFC Rewards sign-ups, unprecedented digital traffic for the chain, and a marked improvement in foot traffic from the week prior, suggesting the turnaround might have some early traction. In an effort to attract younger customers in the States, KFC also plans to continue leveraging its new Saucy restaurant concept, focusing on customizable chicken tenders and a variety of dipping sauces. Gibbs announced plans to open "several additional test units" by year's end near the existing Saucy location in Orlando, which opened in December. "We continue to be encouraged that weekly sales have averaged materially higher than the pre-existing KFC since opening and that we're connecting with a younger demographic as 1/3 of Saucy consumers are under age 30," Gibbs said during the Tuesday call. "We have a lot of learning ahead of us, and we are eager to leverage the invaluable consumer insights relevant for our larger KFC US system."
Miami Herald
06-05-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
KFC expands spin-off restaurant concept amid plunging sales
Business KFC expands spin-off restaurant concept amid plunging sales The past few years have been tough on restaurants, and even fast-food joints haven't been spared. Inflation has changed the way consumers spend their money. Even though fast food is known as an economical alternative to casual dining, the cost of picking up dinner still exceeds the cost of a cheap home-cooked meal – especially if you've got a Costco membership and can load up on groceries in bulk at very low prices. Don't miss the move: Subscribe to TheStreet's free daily newsletter That's why a lot of dining establishments have needed to change course in the past couple of years, whether by innovating their menus or introducing new perks and rewards programs to keep customers coming back. Related: Iconic restaurant closing after successful 10-year run At a time when food prices are still rising, and more hikes could be in store once tariff policies come to a head, restaurant chains must stay in tune with consumers' needs. And it's equally important that they get creative as needed to keep up with their own competition. KFC expands spin-off restaurant concept. Image source: Jeff Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images It's been a rough go for KFC During the first fiscal quarter of 2025, Taco Bell was Yum Brands' shining star. Same-store sales increased by an impressive 9%. KFC, on the other hand, experienced a 1% decline in U.S. same-store sales. And that's alarming, given that chicken is such a staple protein within the restaurant space. Related: Struggling restaurant chain's decision will disappoint fans Circana reported last month that among quick service restaurants and chicken chains, KFC had fallen into fifth place in terms of consumer spending, trailing behind competitors such as Popeyes, Chick-fil-A, Raising Cane's, and Wingstop. KFC has long promoted itself as a value brand known for its classic comfort menu. But KFC needs to spread its chicken wings if it wants to succeed in an exceedingly competitive space. KFC branches out with new restaurant concept In late 2024, KFC introduced a restaurant spinoff called Saucy. Saucy's menu centers on chicken tenders, and the draw is the restaurant's array of irresistible dipping sauces. The menu also features a fun mix of teas and refreshers. Related: Huge sports bar chain celebrates success with drink deal "Everyone is obsessed with sauce – more is more," said KFC Chief New Concept Officer, Christophe Poirier in the company's Saucy announcement. "With Saucy, we've taken KFC's famous Original Recipe and amplified it with a brand-new concept that lets consumers play with flavor." At Saucy's, dipping sauce is indeed the hook. Customers can choose from mouth-watering flavors that include: Chimichurri Ranch Jalapeno Pesto Ranch Spicy Mango Chutney Smoky Bacon Ranch Sweet Teriyaki Thai Sweet 'N Spicy Meanwhile, Saucy's beverage lineup is the perfect complement to its dipping sauce varieties. Diners can cool their taste buds with flavors such as peach-mango lemonade and classic iced tea. At a time when sales are hurting, KFC has a real opportunity to use Saucy to attract customers and elevate its brand. So far, Saucy sales have been impressive, so much so that the company is aiming to open at least 20 more restaurants. More Fast Food & Restaurant News: At a time when there's an abundance of chicken chains saturating the market, Saucy has the potential to help KFC revitalize its brand. The question, though, will be whether consumers need yet another chicken joint, or whether the bold flavors of Saucy's dipping sauce lineup are able to set it apart from the competition. "Saucy is unlike anything else in the market, and the experience it provides is in a class of its own," said Poirier. "When you've already mastered great chicken, the sauce gets to be the fun part." The Arena Media Brands, LLC THESTREET is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc. This story was originally published May 6, 2025 at 9:33 AM.
Miami Herald
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Miami Herald
KFC is bringing back a much-beloved customer favorite
Legacy fast-food chains have discovered a powerful way to reengage longtime customers, and it's as simple as bringing back something that's been missing from their menus for a long time. Perhaps one of the most successful examples of this was Taco Bell taking the Mexican Pizza off its menu in September 2020, citing packaging expenses as the reason. This led to a customer uproar, and a little under two years later, Taco Bell brought the famed pizza back (in the exact same packaging, mind you) with a big campaign backed by Doja Cat. Don't miss the move: SIGN UP for TheStreet's FREE Daily newsletter Other chains saw all this go down and realized that they could benefit hugely from reintroducing old menu items customer miss. Taco Bell made a theme out of it when it introduced its "Decades" menu in October 2024, bringing back menu items from different decades including the Tostada, the Meximelt, the Gordita Supreme, and the Green Sauce Burrito. It was a limited-time promotion, but it was a huge hit for the brand, playing on the nostalgia of loyal customers to the tune of success. Now KFC (YUM) has decided to borrow a page from the Taco Bell playbook with hopes it will drum up success for its spring menu. After five years of customers asking KFC to bring it back to the menu, the company has finally confirmed that Chicken & Waffles is making a triumphant return. You can try it in three ways: A Tenders & Waffle box, which comes with three Original Recipe tenders, waffle, and syrup for $7; a Two-Piece Fried Chicken & Waffle box, which comes with KFC Original Recipe fried chicken, waffle, and syrup; and a Chicken & Waffles Fan Favorite Box, which comes with four pieces of Original Recipe fried chicken, 12 nuggets, four waffles, and four syrups and sauces. Along with the Chicken & Waffles comeback, KFC will offer a dessert item called Strawberry & Crème Poppers, which wrap a strawberry and creme filling inside a buttery, flaky crust. "Chicken & Waffles hasn't been on our menu in over five years, but it's one of those iconic combos our fans never stopped asking for," a KFC spokesperson said to Food & Wine. "We've been listening, and bringing it back felt like the right kind of reunion of familiarity and indulgence, all without sacrificing value." While KFC did see moderate growth in 2024 with a 3% rise in system sales, Yum Brands wants to achieve much more. In December 2024, it launched its first-ever KFC concept restaurant, Saucy, which highlights consumer customization with a selection of 11 dipping sauces to choose from, paired with chicken tenders. It also offers a variety of other menu items unavailable at KFC, including a Spicy Queso Crunch sandwich and a Hot Honey Watermelon Refresher. Saucy currently has only one physical location in Orlando, Fla., but KFC says to expect more coming soon. As Saucy finds its footing, KFC is focusing on new collaborations, such as one with Mike's Hot Honey, as well as a big tech rollout in over 1,000 locations featuring self-ordering kiosks. These are everywhere in the fast-food world now and save precious time for a chain's employees, who can focus on fulfilling orders and customer service instead of being stuck behind the register taking orders. Related: Historic restaurant unexpectedly closes its doors The Arena Media Brands, LLC THESTREET is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc.
