KFC opened its first United Kingdom restaurant in 1965.
The restaurant opened in Preston, Lancashire, marking one of the chain’s earliest major international expansions. KFC had already begun expanding beyond the United States and Canada, but the British opening helped establish the brand across Europe.
The United Kingdom became an important market for KFC because fried chicken suited the country’s growing fast-food culture. Over time, the chain added localized menu items while retaining its best-known fried-chicken products.
This date is sometimes confused with KFC’s first overseas opening, which occurred in Canada. The 1965 date specifically refers to the chain’s arrival in the United Kingdom.