KFC's winning strategy: Stop chasing Gen Z specifically

KFC is deliberately rejecting the industry's obsession with Gen Z. The fried chicken chain's global redesign targets all generations instead, a contrarian bet that's starting to pay off.

According to Christophe Poirier, who is the global chief concept officer at KFC, "Gen Z won't stay Gen Z forever. At some point, the Gen Zs will be like me." Instead of making products only for one generation, KFC follows an evolutionary path known as the 'Forever Young' strategy.

Whereas other brands are targeting a specific age group, KFC believes that the strategy makes a dead end. Most of the brands have become obsessed with their young consumers with specific products, marketing, and loyalty programmes.

KFC’s new drink range called “Kwench” reflects just that. It features boba refreshers, sparkling lemonades, iced coffees, and shakes which were created to attract consumers not only during their meal times. “They drink more and more often than they eat,” said Poirier.

Restaurant redesigning, menu innovation that includes returning items such as potato wedges, and rebranding efforts try to cater to all age groups while not forgetting KFC’s brand.

Reportedly, KFC experienced increased visits compared to the previous year in almost every month since August 2025. These improvements were due to menu innovation, value propositions, and nostalgic appeal.

However, gaps in perception have shrunk over time. As noted by Michigan State University’s Forrest Morgeson, KFC greatly reduced the gap in customer satisfaction between itself and Chick-fil-A between 2015 and 2024; however, competitive pressure from Raising Cane's slowed down improvements in 2025.

Poirier invokes Pixar as his template: films engineered to work for children while delivering adult enjoyment. "If a 7-year-old kid goes to KFC with the 77-year-old grandparent, the grandparent should still find what he wants."