KFC UK & Ireland has announced the phased rollout of its new Tenders & Dips range, as part of its growth strategy to deliver what the next generation of fried chicken fans want: boneless chicken designed for dipping, dunking and snacking, and even bigger flavour.
With younger consumers driving the majority of growth in the UK chicken market – which is estimated to grow to £6bn by 2035 – the new range is the latest move in KFC’s strategy to evolve its brand to meet the preferences of this important customer group. According to new research from KFC, Gen Z visit a fried chicken restaurant twice as often as the average UK consumer[1], with a third (35%) of Gen Z saying they eat it more often than they did five years ago, demonstrating the clear growth opportunity that catering to this younger customer base poses.
Marking the biggest expansion of KFC’s boneless menu to date, the new range pairs KFC’s Original Recipe Chicken Tenders (available in portions of 3, 5 and 10) with nine new dipping sauces – from Original Sauce and Hot Honey Habanero to Garlic Parm and Mango Masala – giving customers more ways to mix, match and make their meal their own.
As part of KFC’s strategy to connect the brand with the next generation of consumers, Tenders & Dips is the first major UK&I campaign to showcase KFC’s refreshed visual identity, bringing a bolder, more contemporary look and feel across social, advertising and customer touchpoints. This builds on KFC’s success growing the brand’s appeal and reach with younger consumers, particularly through social media. Earlier this year, KFC tapped into social media’s pickle craze with the Pickle Mania menu, which became the most successful Limited Time Offer in KFC UK&I’s history. KFC is now the most followed fried chicken account on TikTok in the UK, having grown its follower base 18-fold from 100k followers in April 2025 to 1.8million followers today.
The rollout of Tenders & Dips comes as new research finds boneless has become the UK’s favourite way to enjoy fried chicken (37%), with more than half (52%) of consumers saying dipping sauces are an important part of the experience.
Monica Silic, chief marketing officer, KFC UK & Ireland, said: “The future of fried chicken is being shaped by Gen Z customers wanting more flavour, choice and ways to make the experience their own. That’s why menu innovation is such an important part of how we’re continuing to build a brand that connects with the next generation, who are driving demand in the category.
“Tenders & Dips isn’t just a new menu launch. It’s the start of our next chapter and growth strategy that reflects where we’re headed as a business and how we’re connecting with today’s customers. By building on what we’re famous for – incredible chicken and unmistakable flavour – we’re helping shape the future of the category. Tenders & Dips will give our customers more ways to customise their meal while bringing fresh energy to the category.”
The rollout forms part of KFC’s growth strategy in the UK, which is focused on delivering the flavour, choice, brand and experiences sought by the next generation of consumers who are driving the growth in fried chicken. Earlier this year, KFC UK & Ireland launched Kwench, its new speciality drinks platform, due to increasing demand amongst younger consumers for flavoured and functional drinks.
It follows a £1.5 billion growth plan from KFC UK & Ireland and its franchise partners announced last year, which will see KFC open 500 new restaurants and create more than 7,000 new jobs over the next decade.
As a priority growth market for Yum! globally, Tenders & Dips is making its global debut in the UK & Ireland across select KFC restaurants and delivery platforms, including Uber Eats, Deliveroo and Just Eat from this week. The global rollout will expand across the U.S. and Australia, with additional markets following through 2026.
Boneless expansion is at the heart of a wider global refresh of the KFC brand that customers will start to see in the UK & Ireland from this summer, with a move to more modernised restaurant spaces and refreshed branding across packaging, advertising and restaurant environments. The refreshed identity reflects KFC’s ambition to stay culturally relevant with a new generation of customers, while remaining rooted in the heritage, quality and flavour that have made the brand iconic for generations.
