KFC Prioritizes Technology and Innovation for 2020

Parent company Yum! Brands, the owner of Taco Bell, KFC, Pizza Hut and WingStreet, has been pioneering technological innovations at it expands globally in a fast-moving industry. QSR reported that KFC in particular has been ramping up initiatives and building out framework toward what the brand is calling “frictionless fried chicken.”

Essentially, this means optimized delivery, online ordering, pick-up and drive-thru capabilities, rolled out across the entire system over time. According to QSR, part of this push towards more seamless carryout and delivery options stems from the simple fact that most of KFC’s food—including freshly-prepared buckets of fried chicken—just takes longer to prepare than other fast food places.

One of the main visionaries spearheading KFC’s move into the future is Chief Technology Officer Christoper Caldwell. The brand quietly launched online ordering last month, and in spite of no paid media push, “the floodgates opened,” Caldwell told QSR.

The new tech has been of particular interest to franchisees as well. “Seventy-eight to eighty percent of the questions [from franchisees] are on technology and innovation,” said Caldwell to QSR. “It’s just mind-blowing how quickly it’s changed. I think a lot of that is franchisees see now the impact technology can have on the business.”

One test of KFC’s new delivery capabilities includes the “Seasoned Tickets” promotion, wherein for a $75 buy-in, customers sign up for 10-weeks of wings delivered to their doorstep.