KFC Australia confirms major menu change

KFC Australia has confirmed a major menu change, which doesn't seem to be in line with their "finger lickin' good" persona.

This is a personal one for me. As a regular patron of KFC, I tend to notice even the most minor of changes to the menu.

But this one is actually pretty big and it's on their drinks menu.

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My eldest son doesn't love KFC but is a huge fan of the drink Sunkist, so I often get him a can of it when I take my younger son for nuggets.

We usually go through the drive-through at KFC Baulkham Hills in Sydney, and the last three or four times, they've given me a Sunkist Zero Sugar instead of a regular Sunkist.

"Can I get a regular Sunkist?" I asked when I was handed the Sunkist Zero Sugar can that first time.

"That's all we have," I was told.

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I figured it was a temporary issue and they would eventually return to handing out regular Sunkist.

By the fourth time, I sensed a pattern.

I got home and checked the drinks menu on the app, selecting several different locations in my area.

None of them had regular Sunkist, just Sunkist Zero Sugar.

So I contacted KFC Australia, and they confirmed this was a permanent menu change.

A KFC Australia spokesperson told 9honey Kitchen: "We are continuously innovating our offerings in line with changing tastes and preferences.

"Our current drinks range includes Pepsi Max, Pepsi, Sunkist Zero, Solo, 7UP, Mountain Dew, iced tea, bottled water, sparkling water and our popular Freeze range."

Which begs the question: Why offer Sunkist Zero Sugar only when they are still selling the regular version of other drinks, including Pepsi and Solo?

Although even Pepsi has changed its formula, with the regular version of the popular soda now being made with less sugar.

Aussie food influencer Russ Eats revealed the news on July 1.

In the original ingredients list for Pepsi, "sugar" is listed as an ingredient. In the new version, "sweeteners (950, 955)" are present in addition to "sugar".

"They did this with Sprite, Fanta, and Lift, and they all suck now, but full sugar Pepsi should not be touched," he said.

KFC also shared they will be testing a new drinks range.

"We're also excited to be testing our new KWENCH by KFC range in select Wollongong restaurants. KWENCH by KFC offers ten delicious flavours across four categories: Lemonades, Boba Refreshers, Iced Koffee Krunch and Krunch Shakes."

Wollongong is where KFC tests many of their new products and if they do well, they are then offered nation-wide. Which makes me want to move to Wollongong.

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Right now, KFC are wrapping up their Christmas in July promotion which has included special daily deals via their app, and I can exclusively reveal that the final three are:

July 29: 30 nuggets for $10

July 30: $15 Value Burger Feast

July 31: 8 for $8 Wicked Wings

All with a side of Sunkist Zero, which will have to do for now.

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