What does the abbreviation KFC originally stand for?

The abbreviation KFC originally stands for Kentucky Fried Chicken.

The name refers to the American state where Harland Sanders developed the restaurant business that became the chain. Sanders operated a service station and restaurant in Corbin, Kentucky, before expanding his fried-chicken operation through franchising.

The company increasingly used the shorter name KFC from the 1990s onward. The abbreviation made the brand easier to use internationally and avoided placing the word “fried” prominently in the corporate name, although the chain’s signature product remained fried chicken.

“Kentucky” in the name identifies the brand’s origin rather than meaning that all KFC chicken is produced in Kentucky. KFC later became a global restaurant company, with local menus and franchise operators in many countries.