KFC is serving up another major menu change, and it’s one fans probably never saw coming—although maybe they should have.
Back in June, the international fried chicken chain announced that it was “going in a new direction” and rolling out a global rebrand that would refresh its menu, its look and its branding. Then, three months later, it unveiled an all-new “next generation” restaurant concept serving its first-ever breakfast menu. Now, weeks after opening its inaugural (and only) Open House, KFC has another major update and it’s got to do with what’s in your cup.
Earlier this afternoon, the fast-food giant announced a new partnership with The Coca-Cola Company, calling it the “next step” in KFC’s overall rebrand.
“I’m incredibly excited to bring KFC and Coca-Cola together,” Catherine Tan-Gillespie, president of KFC U.S., said in a press release shared on Thursday, Oct. 15, suggesting that the partnership is about “more than what’s in the cup.”
“It is another step in our work to evolve KFC, strengthen our restaurants, menu offerings and create a more relevant experience for today’s customers,” Tan-Gillespie added. “Coca-Cola shares our ambition for the future of this brand, and I’m excited about what we can create together.”
KFC Is Switching to Coca-Cola Products—Here’s What Fans Can Expect
Currently, KFC serves fan-favorite Pepsi products, including the namesake original Pepsi and its Zero Sugar counterpart, the lemon-lime-flavored soda Starry, Mountain Dew (including its exclusive Sweet Lightning), Aquafina, in addition to KFC’s own lemonade and iced tea recipes. But that only appears to be lasting for the next few weeks, as once Coca-Cola options hit the dispensers, all the Pepsi options will be out.
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So, if you’ve never tried Mountain Dew Sweet Lightning, run, don’t walk to KFC, as its days are numbered.
That said, it looks like KFC is working to score some exclusive Coke products of its own, suggesting the new partnership creates “new opportunities for beverage innovation and food-and-drink pairings as KFC works to strengthen its customer experience.” In fact, it also sounds like KFC may even be upgrading its dispensers to Freestyle machines, as the company notes in the release, “Coca-Cola’s extensive system capabilities will also support KFC restaurants across the U.S.,” though the chain wasn’t quite ready to comment on that front yet. However, should it happen, it would mean customers could create their own Coca-Cola concoctions and ultimately enjoy more expansive options that they can’t find anywhere else.
“This exciting new partnership brings Coca-Cola and KFC together across the U.S. for the first time,” Dagmar Boggs, president of foodservice & on-premise, North America at The Coca-Cola Company, added. “By pairing KFC’s iconic food and flavors with the breadth of Coca-Cola’s beverage portfolio and innovation capabilities, we have an incredible opportunity to make every visit more refreshing, create memorable consumer experiences and unlock new growth possibilities together.”
KFC said it will begin transitioning over to Coca-Cola products beginning in January 2027, with the full rollout expected to be completed at all U.S. restaurants by spring 2027. It’s unclear if KFC will eventually extend the partnership to its international markets as well.
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