KFC closes 312 restaurants in the United States

KFC has significantly reduced its presence in the United States, permanently closing 312 restaurants between July 2025 and July 2026. This contraction represents a 7.6% decrease in the brand's total U.S. restaurant network.

Data analysis from Local Falcon, verified through official store locators and Google Maps, indicates that California experienced the highest number of closures with 44 locations. Texas followed with 34 closures, and Ohio saw 18. While California maintains the largest network with 376 restaurants, Kansas saw the highest proportional loss, with 8 out of 38 locations closing.

Customer satisfaction metrics appear to be a factor in the brand's domestic challenges. KFC holds an average Google user rating of 3.42 out of 5, trailing competitors such as Chick-fil-A (4.30) and Raising Cane's (4.29).

Despite the downturn in the U.S. market, KFC's parent company, Yum! Brands, reported a 7% increase in its global restaurant count during the second quarter. The brand continues to expand internationally, having opened 660 new restaurants across 55 countries in the first quarter alone.