KFC Is Giving Meatless Fried Chicken A Trial Run

For many, KFC is the go-to fast food chain for all things fried chicken. With a global presence across numerous countries and over a whopping 25,000 locations and growing, they definitely know a thing or two about fried chicken, per KFC's corporate website. Their fans certainly appreciate their crispy fried chicken, sides like the classic mashed potatoes and gravy, and combo meals.

But if you're a vegetarian or vegan, KFC is likely not even on your radar. After all, someone who prefers plants and grains to meat-centric meals isn't going to fancy visiting a chicken-based restaurant, even if they have a few non-meat options such as salads or sides like black beans, fries, or mashed potatoes. But KFC's menu is about to make some changes for this new year. KFC has just announced that they will be adding non-meat-based chicken to their menu, so if you're curious about fried chicken that isn't actually chicken, you may want to get in line. 

However, you may be surprised to know that this isn't the first time that this fast food chain has added plant-based chicken to their menu offerings. Beyond Meat and KFC did taste-testing in August 2019 and had successful results — supplies ran out in under five hours, according to CNBC. This inspired KFC to taste-test the plant-based chicken in other locations, including Nashville, Tennessee, Charlotte, North Carolina, and Southern California.

KFC is adding Beyond Meat to their menu for a limited time starting on Monday, January 10, 2022. In case you were wondering why they waited until January for the rollout, it has to do with the fact that at the beginning of a new year, many people want to eat better, with their New Year's resolutions fresh in their minds. 

U.S. president of KFC Kevin Hochman said in an interview, "It's January, so it's a time of New Year's resolutions and wanting to do something different in your diet" (per CNBC). He also explained that KFC is aware that they need to meet customer needs and interests, since restaurants should cater to different lifestyle choices. "This is really about where the customer is going; they want to eat more plant-based proteins." However, KFC is not focusing on people who have a non-meat diet for promotional purposes. Beyond Fried Chicken and KFC's real fried chicken share equipment, which most vegetarians and vegans won't be happy to hear.

If you want to get your hands on KFC's Beyond Fried Chicken, it will be available in orders of six or 12 pieces, along with dipping sauce for $6.99 and more, plus tax. Don't wait — make sure to get in line before the meatless chicken runs out.