Who is portrayed in the KFC logo?

The KFC logo portrays Colonel Harland Sanders.

Harland Sanders was the founder and public face of Kentucky Fried Chicken. His illustrated portrait, featuring a white goatee, glasses, and black string tie, has been central to KFC’s branding since the company expanded beyond Sanders’s original roadside restaurant in Kentucky.

Sanders was born in 1890 and began serving fried chicken at his restaurant in Corbin, Kentucky. He developed and franchised his pressure-frying method and seasoning blend, helping turn the business into an international restaurant chain. KFC’s logo uses a stylized portrait rather than a photographic likeness, allowing the character to remain clear at small sizes.

The title “Colonel” was an honorary Kentucky title, not a military rank. KFC has redesigned the portrait and surrounding wordmark several times, but Sanders remains the identifying figure. The logo is therefore not a generic chef illustration or a portrait of a franchise owner; it refers specifically to the company’s founder.