KFC

KFC is the world's first fast food chicken chain restaurant, founded in 1930 by Harland Sanders, who began selling food to hungry travelers from his gas station at the time. Sanders decided to buy the gas station across the street as his business grew because it was more visible.

Sanders began selling fried chicken after converting the second station into a restaurant, and the rest is history.

Sanders started looking for a way to make fried chicken faster because it took too long to cook. When the first industrial pressure cookers hit the market in 1939, Sanders purchased one and turned it into a pressure fryer.

In order to produce more chicken that was cooked through, stayed juicy, and was crisp on the outside, Sanders innovated the frying process for fried chicken. Sanders refined his renowned Original Recipe, which includes 11 herbs and spices, the following year.

KFC is now the world's second-largest fast food chain (by sales) after McDonald's.

Colonel Sanders is not a real military colonel, but he was made an honorary Kentucky Colonel in 1939 by Governor Rudy Laffoon for his contributions to the state's cuisine.

Year Founded: March 20, 1930
Founder(s): Harland Sanders
Year Franchising Started: September 24, 1952
Current No. of Locations: over 20,925
Headquarters: Louisville, Kentucky
Website: www.kfc.com