KFC has announced that its U.S. restaurants will switch from Pepsi to Coca-Cola products beginning in January 2027, closing out an exclusive beverage partnership that has lasted roughly 40 years. It’s a rare shake-up in fast food, where brand pairings tend to stick around for decades, and it puts one of the country’s oldest taste debates front and center.
The chain says the change is tied to a broader effort to refresh its menu and beverage platform. KFC has been testing iced coffee, boba and shakes at its Open House innovation restaurant in Texas, and Coca-Cola’s executives see room for new drinks and growth. KFC U.S. president Catherine Tan-Gillespie called the partnership “about more than what’s in the cup,” while Coca-Cola’s Dagmar Boggs pointed to pairing KFC’s flavors with Coke’s beverage portfolio.
For a lot of people, this is personal. Coke versus Pepsi is one of those loyalties that gets passed down through families, and a 40-year partnership ending gives everyone a reason to weigh in. The fountains change in January 2027, which means there’s still time to savor the current setup.
So where do you land on this one? Are you glad KFC is making the switch, or are you going to miss that Pepsi with your bucket? Let us know in the comments.
The details behind the change were first reported in Atlanta, Coca-Cola’s hometown.
