These 7 Discontinued KFC Menu Items Deserve A Comeback

There's something about sinking your teeth into a piece of fried chicken that is oh-so satisfying. The crunch of the skin gives way to savory and tender meat — it's an experience that KFC has absolutely perfected. And while the chain is sure to satisfy your classic fried chicken cravings — made even tastier with the help of a secret spice blend and key ingredients most people probably don't notice – KFC has also had a few other menu items that really stood out.

From the chip brand collab of your dreams to a beloved side dish that beautifully rounded out every meal, there are several KFC menu items that fans feel were gone too soon. Some of these item cancellations were so controversial that they even spawned petitions calling for their return. So, read on to find out which seven discontinued offerings definitely deserve a comeback. With their cult followings, one can venture to guess that Colonel Sanders, wild history and all, would probably agree.

Though the Bluegrass State certainly produced one delicious fried chicken chain, its neighbor to the south has an equally mouthwatering take on poultry. So, in 2016, KFC launched its version of Nashville Hot Chicken.

Nice and spicy with a bit of smokiness, the new flavor of fried chicken soon garnered a cult following. By 2019, the chain was offering it alongside Belgian-style waffles for the perfect savory-sweet combo with a kick of heat.

Despite customers' love for the item, in 2023, the chain discontinued the Nashville Hot Sauce as a way to simplify the menu. Customers mourned the loss of the beloved fried chicken flavor, with one even creating a petition in hopes of bringing it back. In 2025, the chain revived the Nashville Hot Sauce along with new Nashville Hot Chicken bowls, but only as a limited run. Fingers crossed that one day, KFC will find a permanent place on its menu for Nashville Hot Chicken.

Sometimes, a big bucket of bone-in fried chicken is a bit too much. If you're still craving that savory meatiness, KFC's popcorn chicken was definitely the way to go. These beautiful bites were essentially irregularly shaped chicken nuggets, but they were one of KFC's top-tier items. It seems the popcorn chicken started mysteriously disappearing from certain store menus around 2022. Then, in 2023, the chicken chain officially dropped the fan-favorite item as it moved toward a more streamlined menu.

Nowadays, the closest thing you'll find to the popcorn chicken is KFC's chicken nuggets, but they just aren't the same. One KFC customer mentioned on Reddit that they tried a Famous Bowl after the popcorn chicken was replaced with the nuggets, and noted that "you really miss the crunch of the popcorn chicken [--] it's a clear downgrade." (If you're looking for a tasty chicken nugget, check out our definitive ranking of fast food chicken nuggets and tenders, which will give you some insight into quick-service chicken that's actually worth your money.)

Though fried chicken and mashed potatoes are certainly an iconic and delicious combo, there was something special about KFC's other starchy side: the potato wedges. In one bite, you were met with a crispy exterior that gave way to a light and fluffy interior. It made for one standout side dish. The perfect finger food to go with your other finger foods.

But fast food chains are always looking for ways to up their game, and, unfortunately, a 2020 menu revamp targeted the beloved potato wedges. They were replaced with Secret Recipe Fries, which were not met with much enthusiasm as fans mourned the loss of the previous delicious side.

Following half a decade of customer protest and online petitions urging KFC to bring the wedges back, the chicken joint actually obliged — but with a catch. Potato wedges were revived in 2025 for just two weeks and only at a handful of Tampa area locations. While it was presumably great for Tampa die-hards to get another taste of the fan-favorite side, here's hoping that KFC will bring back potato wedges for good nationwide.

Though there are plenty of chain restaurants with decent chicken wing offerings, KFC had one that was relatively cost-effective, easily available to consumers, and also quite tasty. And, if you didn't want every part of the bird that came in the buckets of fried chicken, it was convenient to just have the option to order wings.

Despite their popularity, for years it seemed like wings had a rather impermanent spot on the menu, with one KFC customer taking to Reddit to ask, "Why do they keep removing the fried wings every year??" Other redditors speculated that it was a supply issue, but in 2023, the chain dropped the item for good as part of the same menu revamp that axed the Nashville Hot Sauce and popcorn chicken.

Though you can't get those delicious KFC wings anymore, you can still try your hand at whipping up some wings in your own kitchen. If you want to avoid deep frying at home, you can try baking them instead — just make sure to keep in mind these 11 mistakes to avoid when baking chicken wings.

Cheetos and fried chicken. When you first hear those words, you might think of a cheesy grease bomb. And, while it certainly wasn't a health food, if you didn't try the Cheetos Sandwich during its 2019 launch, you missed out big time.

At first glance, the sandwich looked a bit odd (maybe even unappetizing), but the Cheetos added a much-needed crunch, like potato chips in a PB&J. The Cheetos sauce really amped up the flavor, and it complemented the chicken delightfully, while the mayo contributed a creaminess that balanced all that cheese. To top it off, the partnership between KFC and Cheetos gave us advertisements featuring Chester Cheetah in a Colonel Sanders suit.

The sandwich was first tested in North Carolina, Virginia, and Georgia before launching at stores across the nation. The partnership truly was one for the books, and if KFC and Cheetos resuscitated the Cheetos Sandwich again, you can bet customers would swing by the drive-thru to grab another one. So, maybe the chip brand should focus its energy there, instead of making the absolute worst boxed mac and cheese.

Though its name might signal a carnivore's paradise, KFC actually leaned into the plant-based boom taking place over the last few years. In 2022, the fried chicken chain tried its hand at a non-meat entree, and it had surprisingly delicious results.

KFC's Beyond Fried Chicken, made possible through a partnership with Beyond Meat, intrigued folks both in the vegan and vegetarian communities and beyond. Some meat eaters even preferred the faux chicken entree as it was a bit lighter than the regular ol' fried chicken, which can lean a bit greasy and heavy.

From the outset, Beyond Fried Chicken was scheduled as a limited run, but customers were still sad to see it go. (If you're still down about the lack of plant-based meals at KFC, it might be worth exploring these other fast food chains with the best vegan options.)

Fried chicken truly is the name of the game for KFC, but in 2009, the chain gave slightly healthier fare a whirl with the debut of Kentucky Grilled Chicken. The chicken joint sought the help of daytime TV icon Oprah Winfrey, who used her talk show to promote a digital coupon for free grilled chicken. The promise of a free bite to eat caused store traffic to skyrocket nationwide, and KFC actually had to cancel the promotion because of the long lines.

In 2011, KFC tried to keep the momentum going by revamping Kentucky Grilled Chicken and relaunching the menu item with chicken breasts that were 20% larger than the originals. Nonetheless, the chain just couldn't recapture that initial buzz, and grilled chicken disappeared from most store menus sometime around the late 2010s. After its discontinuation, the marinated and seasoned slow-grilled chicken was still on the minds of some KFC customers, with one Reddit user lamenting its loss and noting: "I'd been eating their grilled chicken ever since they first started selling it; It'd been my favorite type of chicken I got from there in over a decade."