Introduction
In the ever-competitive quick service restaurant (QSR) space, staying ahead means more than just serving good food—it requires deeply understanding what today’s consumers want, and how those wants are evolving.
That’s exactly what Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) set out to do, guided by Cint-powered in-depth research into consumer behavior.
In a session at Quirks Chicago 2025, Renee Reeves, Consumer Insights and Market Intelligence Manager at KFC US, joined Cint’s Customer Success Consultant Ryan Fletcher to discuss how the company enlisted Cint to use insights as the basis of flavorful innovation.
Read on to learn more about how to find actionable insights in a sea of data, the difference in flavor preferences between demographics, and why using consumer insights is vital when it comes to cutting through in a highly competitive space.
A recipe for success?
As the KFC brand moves forward with the times, it is attempting to appeal to younger consumers who have a different flavor palette than their older counterparts. The research conducted with Cint demonstrated that to appeal to younger consumers, it was crucial to use additional options and fierce flavors to conjure up that all-important wow factor.
For Renee and her team, the equation for determining a viable solution for hungry younger consumers with chicken on their mind was simple: Quality + flavor + value = the recipe for success.
“We take our research very seriously,” Reeves says. “We want to make sure that we’re partnering with quality vendors and that we’re getting quality sample.”
“We take our research very seriously. We want to make sure that we’re partnering with quality vendors and that we’re getting quality sample.”
Renee Reeves
Consumer Insights and Market Intelligence Manager, KFC
Getting the most out of consumer insights requires more than just data — it demands precision, speed, and quality. Organizations like KFC need platforms that deliver fast, affordable, and reliable insights, helping them move beyond surface-level trends to uncover the motivations shaping consumer decisions.
“Whether we were trying to find the niche audience of 55+ consumers who really enjoy spicy chicken sandwiches, or the moms who get their kids chicken nuggets because it creates some nostalgia from when they were younger, we really wanted to talk to those consumers,” says Reeves.
“It’s really important that we have a sample company that’s flexible, and is able to give us exactly what we were looking for. They’re not the out-of-the-box, gen pop consumer. Our research is very specific.”
What’s in a name?
In 2024, KFC set out to create and deliver a creamy, crave-worthy sauce designed specifically to appeal to millennial taste buds.
“50% of consumers are always looking for new things,” says Reeves. “This means that they’re gravitating towards those limited time offers (LTOs) when it comes to deciding where they want to eat.”
Before launch, Reeves’ conducted primary research in partnership with Cint to guide one of the most critical branding decisions: the name. With a short list that included “Yumilicious Sauce,” “Cluckin’ Sauce,” “Zesty Pepper Sauce,” “Colonel’s Original Sauce,” and “KFC Awesome Sauce,” consumer feedback played a key role in narrowing down the most appealing option.
Objective: Add a signature sauce to our line up with a flavor that will appeal to millennials
Target audience: Millennials
Recipe for Success: Sauce Name (short list)
- Yumilicious Sauce
- Cluckin’ Sauce
- Zesty Pepper Sauce
- Colonel’s Original Sauce
- KFC Awesome Sauce
In fact, the respondents helped come up with the eventual name: Comeback Sauce. This highlights how consumer insights — especially when it comes to something as specific as the naming of a sauce intended to capture generational interest — are essential to maximizing product relevance and appeal.
It’s a reminder that innovation isn’t just about flavor; it’s about using insights to understand what your audience really wants.
Spice, spice baby
To stand out in a competitive culinary field, KFC set out to make a bold impression by introducing a culturally relevant flavor pairing that had the power to connect with different generations of consumers.
“Our market intelligence was really clear. In order to compete in today’s market, we needed something that would appeal to younger audiences,” Reeves says.
The goal was simple: use flavor as a conversation starter to engage a younger demographic. With Gen Z and Millennials increasingly seeking bolder tastes and exciting LTOs, KFC positioned itself to meet that demand with something new, craveable, and insight-led.
Enter Mike’s Hot Honey, a sweet and spicy disruptor paired with KFC’s iconic fried chicken.
2024: the year of the value war
Taste was only half the equation — value mattered just as much. In 2024, the so-called “value war” reshaped how fast food and quick service restaurant (QSR) brands competed.
KFC was armed with insights demonstrating that 43% of consumers regularly switch between QSRs, with 61% of respondents indicating that they choose a restaurant based on the availability of a $5 meal deal.
43%
of consumers regularly switch between QSRs
61%
of respondents indicating that they choose a restaurant based on the availability of a $5 meal deal
While 59% of restaurant spending comes from high earners, KFC recognized the importance of the remaining 41% — a diverse group seeking flavor and value. As Renee noted, “Everyone is vying for the same market share.”
By leveraging insights and focusing on accessible innovation, KFC reinforced its cross-demographic appeal — living up to founder Colonel Sanders’ vision of serving both truck drivers and millionaires at the same table.
“These are some of the ways in which we’ve been able to use primary research with secondary research to create actionable insights and build on something that is going to help drive us forward,” says Reeves.
“Quality, value, and flavor — those are the ingredients we’ve added to our original 11 herbs and spices.”
KFC and Cint: a tasty partnership
This wasn’t the first time that Renee Reeves and Ryan Fletcher had shared a stage to talk about how insights shape decision-making in the QSR world.
Back in October 2024, the pair met on the podium at TMRE for a fireside chat on how building the right tech partnerships is the (not-so-secret) recipe for fostering a culture of innovation and setting your insights team up for success.
During their time together at TMRE, Reeves reflected on her years-long journey with Cint, and how the “transparency and flexibility” of our Lucid Measurement product — a brand lift analytics tool purpose-built for optimization at a cost that doesn’t break your budget — made it a “great fit for the fast-paced nature of advertising agencies, where quick turnarounds are crucial.”
It was then that she realised how valuable Cint’s ability to provide on-demand consumer research was.
We could quickly gather consumer insights to answer those critical ‘why’ questions and adjust our strategy on the fly,” Renee said.
Want to know more about how KFC and Cint have worked together? Head here to discover how Reeves’ team have previously partnered with Cint to get hold of those all-important insights.
