Upmarket KFC Has No Need For Plebeian Chicken With Bones, Nor That Colonel Fellow

As we first mentioned earlier this summer, a new upmarket KFC is throwing the baby out with the bone water, and by baby of course we mean the image of Colonel Sanders and chicken bones. The chain is set to open a new “KFC eleven” (lowercase theirs) early next month near the company headquarters in Lousiville, KY. It’s gonna be fancier, see?

This new style of KFC will feature flatbreads with toppings, rice bowls, salads and only boneless pieces of Original Recipe chicken, reports the Associated Press.

And to top it all off, the familiar image of the Colonel, he of the rounded spectacles and snowy chin, won’t be on prominent display.  The “eleven” in the name is a nod to the chain’s 11 herbs and spices used in Col. Sander’s initial chicken innovation though, so he’ll be there in spirit.

KFC is just another chain that’s lately — like Applebee’s and Red Lobster, just to name a couple — trying to class up its image, based on the idea that young, hip and happenin’ 20-somethings are drawn to the upscale chains like Chipotle and Panera Bread.

So why take out the bones? KFC’s president John Cywinski says it’s because KFC is basically synonymous with “buckets of fried chicken on the bone” as a weekend or dinner kind of cuisine. This new location is a test for the company to try to navigate the waters of classier fare and bring in more customers, especially women.

If you want this woman through your doors, keep that handsome Colonel around, am I right? Raaaarr.

Drops Bones, Colonel in Upmarket Restaurant [Associated Press]

Want more consumer news? Visit our parent organization, Consumer Reports, for the latest on scams, recalls, and other consumer issues.