"Food Wars" hosts Harry Kersh and Joe Avella rank every single KFC menu item. This is "Food Wars: Tier List."
From exclusive menu items to portion sizes, we wanted to find all the differences between the US and UK KFC menus in 2024 and see what's changed since 2020. This is "Food Wars."
Catherine Smith
I'm a busy working parent, and sometimes it feels like a second job to think about what to cook for dinner for our family of four.
Factor in the cost-of-living crisis and rising grocery prices, and it's no wonder so many of us are searching for creative, economical ways to feed our families.
So, when I saw an ad for the Kentucky Fried Chicken "Bargain Bucket" deal that comes with 10 pieces of fried chicken and four servings of fries for 25 pounds (about $31), I had an idea.
My family isn't big on takeout, but I knew I could make multiple meals out of one bucket of chicken. Plus, it's conveniently already seasoned and cooked — I was sold!
Here's how I turned my order into multiple meals for my family of four.
Catherine Smith
Throughout the week, I wanted to add fresh produce to each dish for extra balance and color. Plus, whenever possible, I planned to pair the chicken with cupboard staples and produce I already had on hand.
The individual pieces of chicken were quite big, and on the first night, we all had one piece and a bag of the included fries.
I added a side salad and coleslaw to this meal to make it more substantial and varied. We all loved it and found the portion sizes to be perfect.
Catherine Smith
The next day, I put together a tasty lunch with another four pieces of fried chicken, this time pairing each with vegetable rice and another side salad.
It was filling, tasty, and easy to prepare since I was just using items we had on hand.
Even if I'd had to pick up extra ingredients, vegetable rice is affordable to prepare. Rice is fairly inexpensive and you can add whatever vegetables are on sale that week to it — even frozen ones work.
Catherine Smith
For the third meal, I stripped some of the chicken off the bone and used it to make burritos.
I kept mine simple with just chicken and cheese, but to make them more filling, I could've added beans, corn, potatoes, or rice.
For a more complete meal, I paired the burritos with tortilla chips and another side salad. Again, it was cheap and easy to prepare.
Catherine Smith
For the last meal, I tore up a piece of chicken to use as a mix-in for a large vegetable omelet for the whole family. It was a good and hearty breakfast.
I may have been able to stretch the chicken even further by freezing the bones from throughout the week to make a homemade stock at a later date.
Catherine Smith
I made four meals for four people for about 25 pounds. I'm in the UK, but KFC offers similar deals in other countries, including the US, where an eight-piece bucket of chicken is about $25.
I still prefer fully home-cooked meals, but I think KFC's "Bargain Bucket" is an excellent value — especially when I'm short on time.
Although a rotisserie chicken could serve a similar purpose, I appreciated the flavorful KFC breading and not having to pick apart a larger bird.
I'd consider buying the bucket for my family once a month or so, especially during an extra busy week.
Terri Peters
Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) has a new spin-off in town that's all about chicken tenders and dips — and it's called Saucy.
The restaurant's first location opened in Orlando in late December, about 90 minutes away from my home.
Although I couldn't tell you the last time I went to KFC, I was excited to try Saucy, as it's a concept the chain hopes to expand around the country.
Here's what it was like and why I'll absolutely be back.
Terri Peters
The stars of the menu at Saucy are the chicken tenders and the 11 dipping sauces. The number of sauces is a nod to the 11 herbs and spices in KFC's original fried-chicken recipe.
Saucy sauces include: chimichurri ranch, peri-peri ranch, jalapeño-pesto ranch, smoky bacon ranch, Thai sweet and spicy, Sweet 'N Saucy BBQ, Saucy's Sauce, spicy mango chutney, Saucy ranch, Creole honey mustard, and sweet teriyaki.
Otherwise, the menu is fairly short and simple, with a slew of non-alcoholic beverages, a few chicken sandwiches, two desserts, and sides like toasted Hawaiian rolls and coleslaw.
Terri Peters
Although Saucy has a drive-thru, we chose to dine in. I'm glad we did: Saucy feels like a 100% modern twist on its Kentucky-fried roots.
I loved its funky decor, which was bright with shades of pink and hints of red that seemed to pay homage to KFC.
With its futuristic light pendants and cool sculptures resembling dripping sauce, Saucy had a vibe all its own and felt very different from the KFC dining rooms of my youth.
Terri Peters
Ordering at Saucy was easy and contactless.
We used one of several touchscreens to order, paid at the kiosk, and then waited for our name to be called so we could collect our food.
Terri Peters
My husband and I were able to try everything we wanted to at Saucy for under $40.
We ordered a six-tender box combo ($16) that came with two sauces, fries, coleslaw, and a toasted Hawaiian roll; a Key-lime-cake dessert ($4); an extra coleslaw ($2); two tropical black teas ($4); a spicy-queso-crunch sandwich ($5); and nine additional sauces (49 cents each).
Terri Peters
We got our tenders with crinkle-cut fries and a toasted Hawaiian roll, though we could've also chosen coleslaw as a side.
Saucy's tenders are apparently made using the same recipe as KFC's. Still, I thought the tenders I got at Saucy seemed plumper, moister, and crispier than any I remember getting on past KFC runs.
Terri Peters
Our meal at Saucy was nothing short of incredible — truly the kind of fast food that tasted like it could've been from a sit-down restaurant.
Nothing we had was overly greasy, and the tasty sauces made our dining experience even more enjoyable. I liked that there seemed to be one for everyone, from several ranch-based dips and classics like barbecue sauce to even Asian-inspired delights.
Although we had some clear favorite sauces, there wasn't a single one we didn't enjoy.
Terri Peters
My husband also got the spicy-queso-crunch chicken sandwich ($5).
We liked the crunchy, battered chicken tender topped with queso sauce and spicy peppers on a buttery Hawaiian roll. Still, we'd probably skip it next time. The tenders and many dipping sauces were the clear stars of our meal.
Terri Peters
Saucy had both a chocolate and Key-lime cake available for dessert, and both were served in a plastic can.
We chose the latter, which cost $4. It was the perfect size, especially considering how full we were from our meal.
I liked the citrusy icing and cake layers and felt this was a wonderful sweet ending to our meal. Plus, the spoonable cake was easy to share.
Terri Peters
When we'd dipped and nibbled until we had no room left in our stomachs, it was time to pack up our leftovers to take home.
Our to-go container had room for just five sauces, so we kept our favorites: jalapeño-pesto ranch and per-peri ranch, two spicy and flavorful dips we really loved; smoky bacon ranch, our favorite of the ranch-based dips; and sweet teriyaki and Thai sweet and spicy, which were packed with tons of flavor and sweet twists.
Terri Peters
As a lover of chicken tenders, I was smitten with Saucy. The food was really good, and dipping delicious fried chicken tenders in all of those sauces was tons of fun.
Our meal also felt surprisingly affordable, especially since we got far more food than the two of us could finish — and next time, we'd order less.
Based on my finger-lickin'-good experience, I'd definitely go back to Saucy, even if its only location is a 90-minute drive from me.
If you're visiting Orlando, I suggest treating yourself to a little culinary sauce journey at Saucy. Hopefully, though, more locations will open soon.
