KFC, the popular fast-food giant known for its delicious fried chicken, is making a major shift by relocating its U.S. headquarters from Louisville, Kentucky, to Plano, Texas. The parent company, Yum Brands, confirmed this decision on Tuesday, revealing that approximately 100 KFC U.S. employees will be required to make the move over the next six months.
This strategic relocation is part of Yum’s larger plan to establish two separate corporate headquarters, with one based in Plano and the other in Irvine, California. Presently, the global teams for both KFC and Pizza Hut are already situated in Plano, while Taco Bell and the Habit Burger & Grill’s teams operate out of Irvine.
Moreover, Yum intends to bring its U.S. remote workforce, consisting of around 90 employees, to the respective corporate campuses where their functions are centered. Despite this move, the company is not completely severing ties with Kentucky, as both the company itself and the KFC Foundation will maintain corporate offices in Louisville. Furthermore, KFC remains committed to constructing a new flagship restaurant in its former hometown.
In light of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, many organizations have begun reevaluating the locations of their corporate headquarters, driven by factors such as tax advantages and evolving office space requirements in response to hybrid or remote work arrangements. Texas has emerged as a favored destination for such relocations due to its business-friendly policies, as indicated by a 2023 report from CBRE.
In a similar vein, Yum’s competitor, Papa John’s, also made a significant move in 2020 by shifting its headquarters from Louisville to Atlanta. Interestingly, Papa John’s later decided to retain its original headquarters, opting to repurpose the building for the employees who remained in Louisville.
The evolving landscape of corporate headquarters serves as a reflection of the changing dynamics in the business world, with companies continually adapting to meet the demands of a shifting work environment and seizing new opportunities for growth and efficiency.
