Much of the Taco Bell menu buzz right now is about its Cheez-It Crunchwrap Supreme, but the recent beverage innovations are certainly newsworthy as well. Taco Bell just launched a Limonada Freeze lineup, featuring lemonade and strawberry lemonade flavors, as well as a vanilla creme Limonada Freeze, featuring lemonade swirled with vanilla crème. The lineup is available nationwide for $3.29 for a regular, 3.49 for a large (20 ounce), and $1 for a 16 ounce during Happier Hour.

KFC is releasing a limited-edition BBQ perfume that will leave you and the people around you “tipsy with hunger.” It’s called “No. 11 Eau de BBQ,” and it promises a “classic BBQ experience” in every bottle.  It has a smoky wood smell, with “charcoal notes.” But don’t get too excited about it, you should know that it’s just going to Europe for now.  It’s unclear why, maybe they think Europeans are fancy enough to appreciate a fragrance as fine as this.

KFC is going all out with a Mother’s Day menu that comes from one famous mom: Chrissy Teigen. The mom of four partnered with KFC to curate the chain’s “real-talk” Mother’s Day menu, available May 6 through May 12. And for Teigen, the partnership is a natural fit.  “I’ve been obsessed with KFC forever, so I’m basically drooling in anticipation of my husband ordering a KFC Mother’s Day feast,” she said in a statement. “As much as I love cooking, I’m all about doing as little as humanly possible on Mother’s Day, so KFC’s Mother’s Day meals really match my vibe for the day.” The limited-run meals on the digital menu all have cheeky new names in honor of moms. For starters, “Taste of Time-off Meal” includes four pieces of fried chicken, two sides of mashed potatoes and gravy, and two biscuits. The Mom Appreciation Meal is heftier with eight extra crispy fried chicken tenders, any two large sides, four biscuits and four dipping sauces. For the moms who want a relaxing day, KFC is offering the Eight Piece and Quiet Meal, which consists of either original recipe chicken or extra crispy, two large sides and four biscuits. Rounding out the silly-sweet menu is the Dad’s In Charge of Dinner Meal, which includes a 12-piece fried chicken bucket meal, three large sides and six biscuits.

The scholarship application process can be rigorous, but the Taco Bell Foundation is doing away with the typical requirements. All of them. The Foundation recently announced it is awarding up to $7 million in Live Más Scholarships to 1,000 passion-driven students without their grades, an essay or test scores having to be considered. Most scholarship applications require some form of an essay submission, which on average can take 2-5 hours to complete. The Taco Bell Foundation’s opportunity is open to students aged 16-26 nationwide, and only require them to highlight their passion and educational aspirations through a two-minute video. The scholarships range from $5,000 to $25,000 per recipient.

“The Live Más Scholarship cultivates a passionate community of diverse individuals united by their shared commitment to breaking down barriers for the causes they believe in,” said Jennifer Bradbury, Executive Director of the Taco Bell Foundation in a news release. “The unwavering passion exhibited by these students never ceases to amaze us. We provide them with pathways to access new opportunities and resources, empowering them to create the change they envision.”

KFC is bringing its beloved 11 herbs and spices to an all-new “Taste of KFC Deals” value menu available starting Monday April 8th, with flavor-packed meal deals starting at just $4.99 (prices may vary).

It’s been 30 years since food ate up this much of people’s incomes, and 56% of consumers are budgeting their finances more now due to inflation. These deals are tailor-made to fit right into your loud budget – save on delicious fried chicken so you can spend more on all of the other things you love.

People are fed up with spending more to get less, coupled with “value” menu items that aren’t actually good quality. Enter KFC’s Taste of KFC Deals – four hearty, quality meals for a deal – now that’s value. Taste of KFC Deals available seven days a week at KFCs across the country (also available on KFC.com and the KFC app), through the end of the year, include:

• $4.99 Meal for One: Table for one, this meal has you covered! Grab two pieces of hot, juicy chicken (drum and thigh), creamy mashed potatoes & gravy and an extra buttery biscuit for just $4.99.
• Meal for Two: Get a deal on four pieces of chicken (drum, thigh, breast, wing) with mashed potatoes & gravy and two extra buttery biscuits – prices vary by location. This deal is great for parties of two.
• $20 Family Meal: Make it a chicken night with the family when you bring home six pieces of mouthwatering chicken on the bone (two drums, two thighs, one breast and one wing), four individual sides of your choice, and four extra buttery biscuits. Side choices include Secret Recipe Fries, mac & cheese, mashed potatoes (with or without gravy), coleslaw and sweet corn.

KFC is getting saucy and taking its finger lickin’ good chicken nuggets to a whole new level with NEW Saucy Nuggets, with five flavors available at KFC restaurants nationwide starting April 1! The news comes one year after KFC introduced its 100% white meat, hand-breaded chicken nuggets, which quickly became a crowd-pleaser. Choose from brand-new sauces including Honey Sriracha, Korean BBQ and Sticky Chicky Sweet ‘n Sour Sauce, and two highly requested fan favorites, Nashville Hot and Georgia Gold. For just $5.99, sauce lovers can snag a 10-piece of KFC’s new Saucy Nuggets at participating locations.

Also joining KFC menus is a NEW snackable dessert: Apple Pie Poppers! Filled with warm apple pie filling and wrapped in a buttery and flaky crust, these are everything you love about apple pie in a fun bite – try four for just $2.49 at participating locations.

Fast Company just published its “2024 Most Innovative Companies List,” and Taco Bell is featured on the cover of the latest issue. The brand ranked No. 1 in the Dining category and No. 8 on the overall global ranking. Fast Company’s accompanying article spotlights Taco Bell’s leadership team, its most recent activations and experiential events, and the impact the brand has had on the industry and culture at large with innovation at its core.

KFC was also recognized, coming in at No. 14 in the Advertising & Marketing category.

Inclusion in this ranking highlights how our brands continue to elevate their innovation to remain Relevant, Easy and Distinctive to fans around the world.

KFC’s newest restaurant in Rome, Italy, marks the company’s 30,000^th global location. A new KFC location opens somewhere in the world every 3.5 hours on average.

“Opening our 30,000^th restaurant is a testament to the support of our local business partners, employees, and customers over the past nearly 75 years,” Sabir Sami, CEO of KFC Global, said in a statement.  “While we are a global brand, we aim to meet the unique needs and expectations of our guests on a local level, with menus that resonate with the local culture and flavors of each community. That also includes serving local communities through our food donation and upskilling programs, which operate in many of our markets, including Italy.”

Taco Bell will introduce over 12 new items to its menu throughout 2024. The announcement was shared during Super Bowl weekend in a livestreaming event called “Live Más Live”.  The list of products include Cantina Chicken, a flavorful form of chicken that’s been “oven-roasted, shredded, and packed with a savory seasoning of Mexican spices including pasilla and other varieties of chilies.” The chicken can be complemented with purple cabbage, pico de gallo and a white corn taco shell, and can be topped with Avocado Verde Salsa — one of the brand’s new sauce packets.

Five versions of the Cantina Chicken will be added to the menu:

• Cantina Chicken Burrito.
• Soft Cantina Chicken Taco.
• Crispy Cantina Chicken Taco.
• Cantina Chicken Quesadilla.
• Cantina Chicken Bowl.

Other items to be introduced include Cheesy Chicken Crispanada, Mountain Dew Baja Blast Gelato, and Crispy Chicken Nuggets.