KFC, also known as Kentucky Fried Chicken, is one of the largest fast food chicken chains in the world. They are famous for their secret blend of 11 herbs and spices used to coat their crispy fried chicken. Aside from their signature fried chicken, KFC also serves a variety of side dishes like mashed potatoes, coleslaw, biscuits, and more. This leads many customers to wonder – does KFC use instant potatoes or make them from scratch?
The Short Answer
After some research, it seems that KFC does use instant mashed potatoes at many or most of its locations rather than making them completely from scratch. However, there are some reports that some KFC locations do make fresh mashed potatoes, at least occasionally. So the answer isn’t completely clear cut.
Examining the Evidence on Instant vs. Fresh Mashed Potatoes at KFC
There are several pieces of evidence that point to KFC using instant mashed potatoes:
- Multiple KFC employees have stated that their location uses instant mashed potatoes that come in a powdered form and are reconstituted with hot water or milk. This includes employees from stores in the U.S., U.K., Canada, and other countries.
- Nutrition information on the KFC website and on fast food sites like FastFoodMenuPrices lists the ingredients in KFC mashed potatoes as including “potato flakes” – a tell-tale sign of instant mashed potatoes.
- KFC’s mashed potatoes have a uniform texture and taste across locations, lacking the variability you’d expect from made-from-scratch mashed potatoes.
- Making fresh mashed potatoes would be labor intensive in a fast food setting like KFC, whereas using instant potatoes requires minimal labor.
On the other hand, there are also some reports that indicate at least some KFC locations make fresh mashed potatoes:
- Some KFC employees from different locations have said their store peels, boils, and mashes real potatoes.
- A 2017 article from the Daily Meal website claimed that KFC uses fresh potatoes that are boiled and mashed in store at company-owned locations. However, franchised locations were more likely to use instant potatoes.
- Recipe sites like Copykat have published “copycat” recipes for KFC mashed potatoes using real potatoes.
Why Would KFC Use Instant vs. Fresh Potatoes?
There are some compelling reasons why KFC would likely rely on instant mashed potatoes for at least some if not most locations, including:
- Cost Savings – Instant mashed potatoes are significantly cheaper than fresh potatoes. For a large chain, this can add up to major cost savings.
- Convenience – Instant potatoes require minimal labor to reconstitute, whereas fresh potatoes require peeling, chopping, boiling, and mashing.
- Consistency – With fresh mashed potatoes, there can be inconsistency in flavor and texture from batch to batch. With instant potatoes, the results are generally very uniform.
- Speed – Instant potatoes can be prepared almost instantly, whereas fresh potatoes take time. This allows quicker service.
On the other hand, reasons why some KFC locations may use fresh potatoes include:
- Superior texture – Fresh mashed potatoes generally have a fluffier, less gummy texture than instant.
- Fresher taste – The flavor of just-made mashed potatoes is superior to instant potatoes.
- Diner expectations – Some customers expect and demand fresh mashed potatoes at KFC.
What Do Customers Say About KFC’s Mashed Potatoes?
Looking at customer reviews online, people seem to have polarizing opinions about KFC’s mashed potatoes:
| Positive Opinions | Negative Opinions |
|---|---|
|
|
People who react positively to KFC’s mashed potatoes tend to praise their creamy, fluffy texture and rich flavor. People who dislike them cite a gummy, paste-like texture characteristic of instant mashed potatoes. So experiences seem to vary by location and whether they use fresh or instant potatoes.
KFC’s Official Stance on Their Mashed Potato Preparation
Searching through official company statements and communications, KFC does not seem to openly discuss whether they use fresh or instant mashed potatoes:
- Their website nutrition info lists “potato flakes” as an ingredient without further explanation.
- Their recipes site gives a very basic recipe for “KFC Style Mashed Potatoes” involving milk, butter, salt, and pepper without specifying potato origin.
- Customer service responses to questions about their potatoes seem vague or non-committal.
So KFC does not appear to provide a definitive public answer on how their mashed potatoes are prepared across all locations. However, the evidence seems to suggest that instant mashed potatoes are commonly used for efficiency and consistency, though some locations may serve fresh potatoes.
Conclusion
In summary, while not conclusively proven, the available information indicates that KFC very likely uses instant mashed potatoes prepared from potato flakes and hot water or milk at most or all locations. The convenience, cost savings, and consistency benefits likely outweigh the potentially superior texture and taste of fresh mashed potatoes in a fast food setting. Some locations may make them fresh from whole potatoes on occasion, but instant seems to be the norm. So while you may get the occasional batch of fluffy, homemade-tasting spuds, temper your expectations when ordering mashed potatoes with your KFC chicken.