KFC jumps on Met Gala marketing opportunity

KFC is running a promo for the Met Gala after rumors of celebrities ordering chicken deliveriesPhoto courtesy of KFC

The red carpet is rolled out for tonight’s Met Gala, known as “fashion’s biggest night,” as celebrities descend upon New York City to support the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute by donning extravagant and often theme-driven outfits.

One of those themes is likely to be KFC.

The chain is responding to rumors that emerged after last year’s event that Met Gala attendees had some unique demands at The Mark Hotel, which serves as the unofficial headquarters and pre-show red carpet. Those demands reportedly included hourly KFC deliveries.

So, the brand is teaming up with the hotel for KFC x caviar drops for celebrities as they prepare to walk the red carpet. For customers who aren’t invited to the occasion, KFC is offering a limited-time offer of 50% off a 12-piece chicken-only bucket. The offer will be activated whenever a Colonel-coded look hits the red carpet, such as a white dinner jacket and black tie, an all-white outfit, a cane, or a pocket square.

Rewards members can redeem the offer using the promo code shared by @KFC on KFC.com or in the KFC app. The offer is available until 4 a.m. ET May 5.

This real-time promotion is the latest campaign from KFC as it ramps up its marketing efforts to turn around back-to-back years of sales declines. In September, the chain named Melissa Cash as its chief marketing officer, about six months after Catherine Tan-Gillespie was named president of the U.S. system.

In July, KFC launched a new “Kentucky Fried Comeback” campaign, featuring founder Colonel Sanders as a central figure and showcasing his “obsessive pursuit of the boldest flavor.” The chain has also ramped up its value offerings as the promotional environment remains intense. In March, the chain launched a Box Feasts lineup with three price point options — $7, $9 and $11.

It’s also worth noting that KFC previously leveraged the caviar and fried chicken trend for a New Year’s Eve promotion. The viral food trend first made its way into the zeitgeist during the U.S. Open tennis tournament in April 2025 when fried chicken concept COQODAQ sold six nuggets topped with Petrossian caviar for $100.

In a statement at the time, and as is also the case for KFC’s Met Gala presence, Cash said, “We’re seeing a real appetite for playful, high-low food moments.”