The History and Evolution Behind the KFC Logo: What Changed Over Time?

The iconic face of Colonel Sanders is instantly recognizable, but the KFC logo we know today has undergone a massive transformation since the brand’s beginnings in the 1950s.

As one of the world’s most famous fast food chains, Kentucky Fried Chicken hasn’t just changed what we eat, it’s changed how we see and connect with a brand. Over the decades, KFC has updated its logo to reflect new trends, improve clarity, and appeal to evolving audiences, all while keeping its core identity intact.

In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the history behind the KFC logo, explore what’s changed visually and strategically over time, and break down the design elements that have helped it remain both relevant and recognizable across generations.

The debut of Kentucky Fried Chicken: 1952-1959

The first official KFC made a market debut in 1952, marking the beginning of Colonel Harland Sanders’ journey as the face of a rapidly growing fried chicken empire.

The original logo was a plain black, all-caps serif wordmark that spelled out “Kentucky Fried Chicken.” It had a classic, no-frills appearance typical of 1950s design. Alongside the text, there were three stylized chicken illustrations, placed below the wordmark. These chickens visually reinforced the brand’s core product, fried chicken, without relying on flashy graphics or a mascot.

At the time, the logo was strictly black and white, keeping product costs low for signage, menus, and packaging, especially important for KFC's early franchising phase.

The design was minimal, clear, and food-focused. There were no corporate embellishments or branding elements, but let’s face it, in the 1950s, the black and white colors were trending, so this was an excellent move from KFC.

The introduction of Colonel Sanders' face: 1959-1978

This era of KFC branding was a turning point. Between 1959 and 1978, the company embraced a stronger identity, centering the brand around Colonel Harland Sanders himself. This was the first time his likeness was officially incorporated into the logo, solidifying his role as both the founder and the figurehead of Kentucky Fried Chicken.

Design features include:

1. Colonel Sanders illustration: A detailed, hand-drawn sketch of Colonel Sanders’ face and shoulders appeared for the first time. He wore his signature string tie, white suit, and glasses, presenting a friendly, grandfatherly figure that emphasized tradition, quality, and personal service.
2. Typography: The words “Kentucky Fried Chicken” were typically placed alongside or beneath the Colonel’s portrait, often using a bold serif typeface to reflect a sense of trust and establishment.
3. Color scheme: While early versions remained black and white, later applications in this period started incorporating red accents, setting the stage for the iconic red-and-white branding that KFC showed later on in its logos.
4. Layout: The design varied slightly across materials (signage, packaging, menus) but always prioritized legibility and the Colonel’s presence. The overall look was balanced and professional, designed to appeal to families and everyday diners.

A cleaner logo design: 1978-1991

The 1978-1991 period influenced a more cleaner, modern aesthetic period while retaining the core brand identity established in the previous era. As KFC continued to expand globally in the late 70s and 80s, the company updated its logo to better reflect a modern, corporate identity while keeping the friendly and recognizable face of Colonel Sanders front and center.

Design features include:

1. Colonel Sanders illustration: The Colonel’s illustration was streamlined during this period. The drawing moved away from the right side of the logo to the left side. His features were now stylized and more graphic, giving the logo a cleaner and more versatile appearance suitable for packaging, signage, and print media.
2. Typography: This version introduced bold, italicized serif lettering for “Kentucky Fried chicken,” giving the logo a sense of movement and energy. The font was thicker, more compact, and easily readable at any size.
3. Color scheme: Contrary to later logos, this version continued to use a black-and-white color palette. It was simple, understated, and aligned with the traditional, trustworthy image that KFC had built. There were no significant red elements in the official logo during this time, although red might have been used in menus or store décor at the time.
4. Layout: The logo layout varied, but often had the Colonel’s face on the left and the full name “Kentucky Fried Chicken” to the right. Sometimes, the portrait and text were stacked vertically, especially in signage or print advertising.

This logo update was just before KFC started to incorporate the famous red color into its brand identity.

The introduction of red: 1991-1997

The early 1990s saw Kentucky Fried Chicken officially rebranded as “KFC,” a move that was both stylistic, strategic, and appealed to more modern logo design trends. While the company kept its core values intact, it aimed to appear more modern, more concise, and less tied to the word “fried,” which was increasingly seen as unhealthy in changing food culture.

Key design changes included:

1. Name change: The most significant update was the shortening of the brand name from “Kentucky Fried Chicken” to simply “KFC.” This reflected a trend toward acronym-style branding and made the name more global and easier to remember.
2. Colonel Sanders portrait: The Colonel’s image was slightly modernized, with cleaner lines and a simpler style, but his basic appearance, white suit, glasses, goatee, and string tie, remained intact. His presence continued to reinforce brand heritage, even as the company stepped into a more modern era.
3. Typography: The letters “KFC” were set in a bold, black serif font, giving the brand a confident and authoritative look. The typeface was straightforward and emphasized clarity.
4. Color palette: The logo remained primarily black and white, but red began to emerge more frequently in store designs and marketing, though not entirely just yet integrated into the core logo.
5. Layout: The logo typically places the Colonel’s portrait to the left of the bold “KFC” wordmark, creating a balanced and professional appearance suitable for packaging, advertising, and signage.

Vibrant red colors: 1997-2006

By the late 1990s, KFC leaned heavily into a modernized, vibrant image to keep us with competitors like McDonald’s and Burger King. The 1997 redesign marked the brand’s first full-color logo and a move toward a more energetic, family-friendly identity.

Key design features:

1. Colonel Sanders portrait: The Colonel received a sharper, more graphic illustration in this logo.
2. Typography: The wordmark was red and italicized, often placed prominently to the side or beneath the Colonel’s portrait.
3. Overall layout: The Colonel’s head and shoulders appeared inside a red trapezoid box, which was slightly tilted to create a dynamic look. This shape became iconic and helped visually separate KFC from its more traditional, rectangular logo competitors.

This redesign shaped KFC for the new millennium, bolder, faster, and more visually distinct, especially on packaging and drive-thru signage.

Modernization: 2006-2014

In 2006, KFC redesigned its logo once again, this time aiming to humanize the Colonel and give him a more dynamic, modern, and inviting presence. Key features include:

1. Full torso illustration: For the first time in KFC logo history, the Colonel was shown from just above the waist up, wearing his classic white suit, glasses, and string tie, but also depicted with a red apron.
2. More casual look: The addition of the red apron was symbolic: It made the colonel appear more hands-on and approachable, like a chef ready to serve.
3. Refreshed illustration style: The illustration was cleaner, more vector-based, and less shadowed or detailed than previous versions.
4. Typography: The “KFC” lettering remained bold and italicized, usually placed beneath or beside the Colonel.

Momentarily reverting to black and white: 2014-2018

In 2014-2018, KFC updated its logo as part of a broader effort to reconnect with its heritage while staying modern and versatile in the digital era.

This version stripped away unnecessary design elements and leaned into a flatter, cleaner aesthetic, echoing the logo styles of the 1950s and 60s.

Key design features include:

1. Illustration update: The Colonel’s image was redrawn again, this time in a more detailed and vintage-inspired line art style.
2. Flat design aesthetic: The logo embraced a flatter, cleaner design, aligning with broader trends in branding during the 2010s.
3. Typography: The “KFC” lettering remained bold and sans-serif, typically placed beneath the Colonel’s face.

The colors reverted back to black and white here and some adjustments were made, but this didn’t last for too long.

Latest logo update: 2018-present

The most recent changes that occurred in 2018 and are still present and the revert of the black and white colors featuring Colonel Sanders.

Let’s take a closer look at the key features:

1. Colonel Sanders’ face: The Colonel’s portrait is based on the classic line-art illustration used in earlier decades. The black and white colors of his portrait remained and is a sign of classic action.
2. Flat and Minimalist Design: In line with modern designs, the logo features a flat, two-dimensional look with no shadows or gradients.
3. Typography: The “KFC” wordmark is bold, black, and in an all-caps serif font, placed beneath the Colonel’s head. It’s clean, balanced, and highly legible, reinforcing brand authority without excess flair.
4. Color palette: The dominant colors are red, white, and black– a timeless combination that enhances visibility and brand recognition globally.

Tracing the legacy of an icon

The evolution of the KFC logo tells more than just a branding story; it reflects the growth of one of the world’s most recognizable fast-food chains and its commitment to honoring tradition while adapting to changing times.

Today’s logo strikes the perfect balance between nostalgia and modernity. It’s clean, bold, and digitally friendly, yet still rooted in the visual traditions that customers around the world associate with crispy fried chicken and southern-style service.