KFC moves U.S. headquarters from Kentucky to Texas

KFC is leaving Kentucky.

The fried rooster chain’s U.S. headquarters will transfer from Louisville, Kentucky, to Plano, Texas, proprietor Yum Manufacturers stated Tuesday.

About 100 KFC U.S. staff shall be required to relocate over the subsequent six months.

The relocation is a part of Yum’s broader plan to have two company headquarters: one in Plano, the opposite in Irvine, California. KFC and Pizza Hut’s international groups are already based mostly in Plano, whereas Taco Bell and the Behavior Burger & Grill’s groups are situated in Irvine.

Moreover, Yum’s U.S. distant workforce, roughly 90 employees, will even be requested to transfer to the campus the place their work relies.

However Yum is not completely abandoning Kentucky. The corporate and the KFC Basis plan to preserve company places of work in Louisville. Plus, KFC nonetheless plans to construct a brand new flagship restaurant in its former hometown.

Because the Covid-19 pandemic, many employers have been rethinking the situation of their company headquarters, typically spurred to transfer due to decrease taxes and modifications to workplace area wants due to the hybrid or distant workforce. With its business-friendly insurance policies, Texas has been the preferred relocation selection, in accordance to a 2023 report from CBRE.

In 2020, Yum rival Papa Johns moved its headquarters from Louisville to Atlanta. It later canceled plans to promote its outdated headquarters, as an alternative opting to maintain on to the constructing for the company employees who stayed in Louisville.