Personalization Gets Saucy: KFC’s Tech-Forward Concept Mixes Flavor, Data, and Entertainment

KFC is turning up the flavor with its newest concept restaurant, Saucy, opening Dec. 23 in Orlando, Florida. Centered on customization and bold flavor experimentation, the new location invites customers to explore 11 signature sauces, a nod to KFC’s Original Recipe's 11 herbs and spices. The sauces range from sweet to smoky to spicy, encouraging guests to personalize their chicken tender experience. Customers can further customize their meals with a selection of 11 beverages and sides like toasted Hawaiian rolls, crinkle-cut fries, coleslaw and key lime pie.

Personalized Journeys

“With Saucy, we’ve taken KFC’s famous Original Recipe and amplified it with a brand-new concept that lets consumers play with flavor,” said KFC Chief New Concept Officer, Christophe Poirier, in a statement. “You can pick a combo, choose a flight of sauces or, my personal favorite, mix sauces and sides to create your perfect meal. We’re sauce people, not math people, but we tried to calculate it and there seems to be over 4,000 different ways you could order at Saucy and have a different flavor experience every time.”

Guests can choose from options like the EZ Crispy Sandwich, the Spicy Queso Crunch Sandwich, or the classic three-piece tenders combo featuring a toasted roll, fries, a medium drink, and a sauce of choice for $7.99. For those who want the full experience, flights of four sauces can be paired with fried tenders.

A Tech-Forward Dining Experience

Saucy features tech-forward front-of-house and back-of-house operations. Diners place their orders through kiosks or via the Saucy app, which boasts 20 points of personalization to tailor orders to each customer’s preferences. Inside the restaurant, live entertainment will add to the ambiance, encouraging guests to linger. The location also features a drive-thru.

Data-Driven Tenders: The "Digital Twin" Advantage

In the back of the house, Saucy’s use of a "digital twin" system to capture real-world data from the restaurant’s daily operations and runs simulations to create proprietary algorithms that inform cooking processes. The result? Tenders that are consistently hot, fresh, and ready in less time.

“This tech ensures that every tender is as fresh as possible, even during peak hours,” said Poirier. “It’s all about reducing wait times and delivering the highest quality to our guests.”

Saucy’s Future Footprint

The first Saucy location will open in Orlando on Dec. 23, with more locations expected in the future. KFC plans to continue evolving its offerings by introducing limited-edition sauces and trend-inspired flavors based on guest feedback.

Photo Credit:  All images are used courtesy of KFC