The KFC menu item Colonel Sanders hated became one…
Colonel Harland Sanders could have constructed Kentucky Fried Chicken into a fast-food empire, but there was one well-liked menu item he reportedly couldn’t stand.
After promoting what is now identified merely as KFC to a group of traders in 1964, Sanders remained the company’s public face and spokesman and often voiced considerations about modifications to the restaurant’s food, according to food publication The Takeout.
One of his greatest complaints was the chain’s gravy.
In a 1978 interview with the Courier-Journal in Louisville, Kentucky, Sanders supplied a harsh evaluation of the facet dish.
“My God, that gravy is horrible,” Sanders said, according to court data accessible through legal technology company Justia.
Sanders went on to examine the gravy to “wallpaper paste,” claiming it lacked the standard of the recipe he initially served at KFC.
“They buy tap water for 15 to 20 cents [per] 1,000 gallons, and then they mix it with flour and starch and end up with pure wallpaper paste,” Sanders said.
The KFC founder also reportedly said, “There’s no nutrition in it, and they ought not to be allowed to sell it.”
Colonel Harland Sanders, KFC’s founder, reportedly despised the chain’s gravy, calling it “horrible” and “wallpaper paste.” Getty Images
His criticism of the gravy reportedly became so controversial that a KFC franchise in Bowling Green, Kentucky, filed a lawsuit against Sanders and the newspaper that revealed the interview.
The lawsuit was dismissed, and the Kentucky Supreme Court later affirmed the dismissal, ruling that Sanders’ remarks had been directed at KFC usually and didn’t determine the Bowling Green franchise.
Despite Sanders’ criticism, the gravy continues to have a loyal following a long time later.
Sanders, who bought KFC in 1964, even claimed the gravy had “no nutrition” and shouldn’t be bought, according to a 1978 interview. Getty Images for KFC
On Reddit, some KFC followers defended the facet dish while others agreed with Sanders’ evaluation.
“It’s great for fast food, and a comfort food for so many,” one consumer wrote.
Another commenter claimed the gravy served during Sanders’ period differed from today’s model, alleging the unique recipe included chicken cracklings, seasoned breading, milk and cream.
Several customers also mentioned do-it-yourself variations of the gravy, sharing recipes and ideas for recreating it in their own kitchens.
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