KFC was founded by Harland Sanders in Corbin, Kentucky. Mr. Sanders was an entrepreneur who began selling fried chicken from his roadside restaurant during the Great Depression. He saw the potential of the restaurant franchising concept, and in 1952, Sanders opened the first "Kentucky Fried Chicken" in Utah. KFC, as it's known now, popularized chicken in the fast food industry, diversifying the market once dominated by the hamburger. "Colonel Sanders", as he became known by, became a prominent figure of American cultural history, and his image remains widely used in KFC advertising. However, the company's rapid expansion overwhelmed the ageing Sanders. In 1964, Sanders sold the company to a group of investors. It traded hands a few more times before finally ending up with PepsiCo.

As of 2012, 18,000 KFC restaurant locations existed in 120 countries and territories around the world. 4,600 of those outlets were in the United States, 4,400 in China, and the other 9,000 across the rest of the world.

KFC's original product is pressure fried chicken pieces, seasoned with Sanders' recipe of 11 herbs and spices. Fried chicken, when ordered in larger batches, are served in a cardboard "bucket," which has become an icon of the chain. Since the early 1990s, KFC has expanded its menu to include chicken fillet burgers and wraps, salads, side dishes, desserts and soft drinks.