If there were ever a story dripping with irony, it’s this one: Kentucky Fried Chicken, the fast-food chain synonymous with the Bluegrass State, is packing up its headquarters and moving to Texas. That’s right — the company that was founded by the legendary Col. Harland Sanders and put Kentucky on the global fast-food map is saying goodbye to Louisville and setting up shop in the Dallas suburb of Plano.

To be fair, KFC has been a part of Yum! Brands for years, sharing corporate ties with Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, and The Habit Burger Grill. But still, the thought of a company literally named Kentucky Fried Chicken no longer being headquartered in Kentucky feels a bit like Texas Roadhouse suddenly announcing it’s moving to, say, New York City. Something about it just doesn’t sit right.

Yum! Brands announced the move, stating that consolidating operations in Plano will help position KFC and Pizza Hut Global for sustainable growth. The transition will see around 100 U.S. employees relocating within the next six months, with another 90 remote workers expected to make the move within 18 months. Yum! Brands CEO David Gibbs described the decision as a strategic one, emphasizing that bringing more employees together in one place will help maximize the company’s culture and talent. 

It’s a sign of the times: Companies are looking for ways to optimize efficiency, cut costs, and position themselves for long-term growth. The state loyalty that once seemed unshakable is now more fluid in the face of economic realities. Kentucky, for all its rich history with KFC, simply wasn’t the best fit for the company’s future.

Let’s be honest — there’s something inherently amusing about Kentucky Fried Chicken not being based in Kentucky. It’s a head-scratcher, a trivia question waiting to happen, and a little bit of a cultural gut punch for those who’ve long associated the brand with the heart of the Bluegrass State.

But maybe, just maybe, this move is a sign that KFC is still evolving. After all, Col. Sanders started his fried chicken empire at a gas station in Corbin, Kentucky, before it became a global sensation. Now, the company is setting up shop in Texas, a state known for doing things big — perhaps this is just another chapter in the never-ending story of reinvention.

So, while KFC’s address may change, its legacy remains firmly planted in Kentucky soil. And as long as those 11 herbs and spices stay the same, fans across the country will likely continue to ask the most important question of all: “Is this extra crispy or original recipe?”