Yahoo Finance KFC brings back fried chicken-scented log for holidays, with a woodsy twist
KFC (YUM) is bringing back its famous 11 Herbs & Spices Firelog for the fourth consecutive year.
The viral holiday staple typically sells out in just hours. And the 2021 edition features new special packaging and an "enhanced extra crispy scent to fill your home with the aroma of KFC's world-famous fried chicken," the company said in a statement.
Created in partnership with Enviro-Log, the firelog is available for purchase exclusively on Walmart.com (WMT) for $15.88.
In addition to rolling out the fan favorite item, KFC will also be giving purchasers a chance to win a cabin getaway for eight people at the Kentucky Fried Chicken Firelog Cabin.
The restaurant-themed vacation includes a three-day, two-night stay in a 7,000 square foot luxury log cabin, along with a private dinner prepared on-site by KFC’s head chef, Chris Scott.
To enter, customers can scan the unique QR code located on the packaging or download the official KFC ordering app before December 31.
New menu items, initiatives as demand soars
KFC — known for its wacky marketing schemes and promotions — has rolled out a batch of new products and features to improve the overall customer experience, and keep up with fierce fast food competition and rising demand.
On Monday, the chain announced it's testing a new dipping sauce in three U.S. cities. For a limited time, customers in Atlanta, Dallas and D.C. can add "Sweet Hot Capital City" mambo sauce to their orders — a "sweet, spicy and tangy" sauce that "perfectly compliments" fried chicken, the company said.
Dipping sauces have become increasingly popular at fast food chains. In 2020, Chick-fil-A began selling its signature sauces at grocery stores across with U.S. with an expanded rollout filling the shelves at Publix, Walmart and other locations last spring.
Besides menu innovation, the chain recently launched the KFC Quick Pick-Up option, which encourages customers to pick up in-store rather than wait in drive-thrus. Accelerated by the pandemic, wait times at drive-thrus are "at an all-time industry high" the fast food giant has said — increasing by nearly a minute across the industry since 2019.
Quick Pick-Up allows users to order online or on the KFC mobile app, park in a "dedicated VIP parking spot" and quickly grab their orders from new Quick Pick-Up shelves located inside the restaurant.
“Quick Pick-Up is changing the game by making fast food even more convenient and easy for the busy customers,” KFC’s U.S. President Kevin Hochman said in a statement.
Alexandra is a Producer & Entertainment Correspondent at Yahoo Finance. Follow her on Twitter @alliecanal8193
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