- KFC reaches milestone of 75 restaurants in the West Midlands, supporting 2,300 jobs.
- Contribution comes as new research reveals West Midlands is home to the UK’s biggest fried chicken fans, with the region representing a significant future growth opportunity for KFC.
- KFC’s Boneless Banquet crowned the West Midlands’ favourite KFC menu item – selling 16m in the region last year – more than in any other part of the UK, as KFC expands its boneless menu with the launch of Tenders & Dips to capitalise on the region’s growing appetite for fried chicken.
KFC – the UK’s original fried chicken brand – makes £60million contribution to the West Midlands economy1 as it reaches the milestone of 75 restaurants in the West Midlands, supporting 2,300 jobs across the region.
The record contribution – made up of the opening of new restaurants, refurbishments of existing ones, and investment in jobs and its supply chain – marks 50 years of KFC in the region and reflects the significant long-term growth opportunity the brand sees in the West Midlands.
With the UK fried chicken market expected to reach £6 billion by 2035, new KFC research reveals the West Midlands is leading the nation’s growing appetite for fried chicken.
The survey of 3,000 UK consumers, including 1,000 from the West Midlands, found the region is home to the UK’s biggest fried chicken fans, with 89% enjoying fried chicken and 24% eating more than they did five years ago, compared with 70% and 17% nationally.
The West Midlands is also setting the pace for changing consumer tastes in fried chicken, with consumers demanding bigger flavours, greater choice and a shift towards boneless chicken. More than a third (35%) of West Midlanders say boneless is now their favourite way to enjoy fried chicken, with half (54%) saying dipping sauces are an important part of the fried chicken experience.
This trend is already playing out in KFC’s restaurants in the region, where the Boneless Banquet is the best-selling menu item in the West Midlands – with KFC selling a whopping 16million in 2025, the equivalent to 30 every minute. KFC sells more here than in any other part of the UK.
Responding to changing consumer tastes, last month KFC unveiled the biggest expansion of its boneless menu to date. The new Tenders & Dips range pairs Original Recipe Chicken Tenders with nine bold dipping sauces – from Sweet Teriyaki and Hot Honey Habanero to Garlic Parm and Mango Masala – giving customers more ways to mix, match and personalise every meal. Inspired by thriving food cultures from cities across the UK, including Birmingham, the new range of dips reflects growing demand for bolder flavours, greater choice and a more customisable fried chicken experience.
Jo Tivers, Director of Food & Quality, said: “For 50 years, generations of Brummies, Yam Yams and Wulfrunians have been coming to KFC for our freshly prepared chicken, so they know great fried chicken when they taste it. It’s fantastic to see that passion is stronger than ever, and it’s no surprise that our West Midlands customers bought 16 million Boneless Banquets last year alone! We know we’re a firm favourite here, but we never stand still when it comes to innovating for our customers. Our Tenders & Dips range will help us do exactly that, with a whole host of delicious limited-time launches in the pipeline starting with our very special Crispy Naan3.”
Since opening its first restaurant, KFC has become part of communities across the West Midlands, from retail parks and drive-thrus to local high streets and city centres.
Today, it works with 10 franchise partners in the region, operating more than 75 restaurants, supporting 2,300 jobs.
Beyond its restaurants, KFC helps create safe spaces and employment opportunities for young people across the West Midlands through the KFC Youth Foundation and its partners. In 2025, The KFC Foundation issued £40,000 of grants to causes across the West Midlands. KFC also donates surplus food to community kitchens throughout the region via its partnership with the Felix Project, and helps young people into work and training opportunities through the KFC Hatch programme.
KFC’s commitment to the West Midlands forms part of its £1.5 billion UK & Ireland growth plan over the next five years, which will see KFC open 500 new restaurants over the next decade and create more than 7,000 jobs across the business and its supply chain.
As part of this, KFC is undertaking a global brand refresh that customers will start to see in the UK & Ireland from this summer, across packaging, advertising and restaurant environments. This refresh is the next evolution for the brand to reflect today’s culture and customer expectations4.
1 Annual KFC investment in the West Midlands in 2025, made up of the opening of new restaurants, refurbishment of existing ones, investment in jobs and supply chain spending.
2 Percentage of West Midlands residents who eat fried chicken once a week:
- Solihull 20%
- Birmingham 19%
- Wolverhampton 19%
- Sandwell 19%
- Coventry 17%
- Walsall 15%
- Dudley 11%
3 Customers will be able to get their hands on the latest new menu items in Birmingham, including the full, Crispy Naan range, available from 20 July until 3 August.
4 KFC’s refreshed visual identity is bringing a bolder, more contemporary look and feel across social, advertising and customer touchpoints. It reflects KFC’s ambition to stay culturally relevant with a new generation of customers, while remaining rooted in the heritage, quality and flavour that have made the brand iconic for generations.
