Catherine Tan-Gillespie

“We will see if those shoulder day parts work commercially for us and work for the guests, work for our team members,”

Catherine Tan-Gillespie · said date not stated · reported 2026-09-26

Tan-Gillespie discussed testing breakfast and late-night dayparts at the Open House location.

“This is the Kentucky Fried comeback made real in one restaurant,”

Catherine Tan-Gillespie · said date not stated · reported 2026-09-26

KFC opened a new restaurant design called Open House in McKinney, Texas, as part of a modernization effort.

“We sat back and said, you know, if the Colonel were building a restaurant from scratch today, what would this look like?”

Catherine Tan-Gillespie · said date not stated · reported 2026-09-26

Tan-Gillespie described the question KFC asked when developing the Open House restaurant concept.

“we tend to be thought about in people's memories. We're not actually being considered in eating moments of today.”

Catherine Tan-Gillespie · said date not stated · reported 2026-09-26

Tan-Gillespie said KFC is remembered fondly but not considered in today's eating moments.

“If they don't, we'll cut them back. And if they do, then we can look to scale them nationally.”

Catherine Tan-Gillespie · said date not stated · reported 2026-09-26

Tan-Gillespie said KFC would scale the new dayparts nationally if they prove successful.

“For me, the philosophy is that we should be digital where it's helpful, but human where it matters,”

Catherine Tan-Gillespie · said date not stated · reported 2026-09-26

Tan-Gillespie described the design philosophy behind the Open House restaurant, which blends digital and human elements.

“I think he would say, 'This feels like me. This feels like what I was trying to do.' But for today.”

Catherine Tan-Gillespie · said date not stated · reported 2026-09-26

Tan-Gillespie imagined what Colonel Sanders would say about the Open House restaurant.

“I think he would feel really proud, actually,”

Catherine Tan-Gillespie · said date not stated · reported 2026-09-26

Tan-Gillespie was asked what Colonel Sanders would think of the balance between the original KFC and the new concept.

“I think the things that should change is making sure that we expand into the ways that customers want to eat fried chicken today.”

Catherine Tan-Gillespie · said date not stated · reported 2026-09-26

Tan-Gillespie said KFC should expand into the ways customers want to eat fried chicken today.

“There is a massive love for this American icon,”

Catherine Tan-Gillespie · said date not stated · reported 2026-09-26

Tan-Gillespie said there is strong affection for the KFC brand but the chain struggles to be considered in current eating decisions.

“Buckets of original recipe fried chicken should not change,”

Catherine Tan-Gillespie · said date not stated · reported 2026-09-26

Tan-Gillespie said buckets of original recipe fried chicken should not change even as KFC experiments.