KFC to launch upmarket restaurant concept

KFC is set to test a new, upmarket restaurant concept that will do away with the image of Colonel Ha…

KFC is set to test a new, upmarket restaurant concept that will do away with the image of Colonel Harland Sanders and bone-in chicken.

KFC Eleven — a reference to the 11 herbs and spices in the chain's Original Recipe chicken recipe — will open near KFC's Louisville headquarters on Aug. 5, according to an Associated Press report. The revamped eatery will be a stand-alone restaurant. The company also has plans for a second location in a strip mall, according to AP.

The menu will include updated side dishes, salads, rice bowls, flatbread sandwiches and only boneless pieces of Original Recipe chicken. The company hopes to use KFC Eleven as a laboratory of sorts, aimed at updating its offerings and appealing to a broader consumer base, particularly women. The decision to serve only boneless chicken was made to appeal to consumers in their 20s and 30s who grew up eating chicken nuggets and tenders. Bone-in chicken may be added to the menu in the future, said John Cywinski, president of KFC.

Yum Brands Inc. owns KFC in addition to Taco Bell and Pizza Hut.