Kentucky Fried Chicken officially shortened its name to KFC in 1991, and the reason behind the rebranding has fueled rumors ever since.One persistent myth falsely claims the Commonwealth of Kentucky trademarked the state's name and forced the company to pay licensing fees.Another urban legend alleged KFC was breeding extra-large, "genetically modified organisms" with extra legs, so they couldn’t technically call their signature dish "chicken" anymore.THE KFC MENU ITEM COLONEL SANDERS HATED BECAME ONE OF THE CHAIN'S BIGGEST STAPLESThe reason behind KFC's name change in 1991 has sparked many rumors and urban legends.(iStock)The mutant chicken rumors resulted in Chinese courts finding several companies liable for spreading false claims that damaged KFC’s reputation.
KFC China won a defamation lawsuit that resulted in three tech firms being fined for damaging KFC’s brand, Reuters reported in 2016.Another theory is that the updated name was intended to distance the restaurant chain from unhealthy connotations with fried food, according to The Takeout.Kentucky Fried Chicken was "struggling with declining earnings, higher prices and an evil word in its name — fried" when it changed its name, reported the Lexington Herald Leader.Around the same period, the chain also introduced skinless fried chicken, first called "Lite’n Crispy," and later sold as "Skinfree Crispy."TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ"Fried chicken on the bone is not growing as fast as the entire poultry segment," Kyle T.
Craig, president of Kentucky Fried Chicken USA, said in a 1991 interview with United Press International."We want to position KFC to a more contemporary image," he said, adding, "Fried is not a contemporary image."KFC’s website includes company history that says its founder, Harland Sanders, opened a roadside service station in 1930 and began serving his southern-style chicken.According to the company website, KFC has the widest global footprint of any quick-service ...