The new KFC restaurant at 1209 Missouri Blvd. in Jefferson City will open Tuesday.
Overland Park, Kansas-based KBP Foods owns 600 KFC and Taco Bell restaurants in 23 states. KBP will hold a grand opening Tuesday, when the company will give away free chicken for a year to the first 50 customers.
"KBP Foods is proud to expand our footprint into Jefferson City," Scott Duke, KBP Foods regional vice president, said. "Our restaurant staff has been preparing diligently for the store opening, and we look forward to welcoming the community to our new restaurant."
KFC left Jefferson City in 2014 when then-franchise owner Brian McCarty re-branded the eatery at 1923 Christy Drive as JC's Chicken with similar fried-chicken fare. JC's Chicken closed in July 2015, and Burger King replaced it later that year. Other former KFC locations in Jefferson City include 1920 Jefferson St., where Culver's Restaurant is located now, and 2201 Missouri Blvd., where Love Sushi is located now.
Anthony Gianino, KBP Foods director of marketing, said slow sales at other locations owned by previous franchisees dragged down their Jefferson City stores as well and ultimately forced them to close.
KBP is the largest KFC franchisee in the country and also owns KFC locations in Columbia. The new franchisee said the fast-food chain always had strong sales at its former Jefferson City locations.
"Jeff City franchises did pretty well," Gianino said in January. "As with other franchises, if your other stores aren't doing as well, that can hurt. But Jeff City is the type of market we're looking to open in."
The new KFC restaurant was built on the site of buildings that formerly housed A-1 Auto Group, Rent-to-Own and a cellphone repair shop.
KFC will be open from 10:30 a.m.-10 p.m. each day. The lobby will close at 9 p.m., but the drive-thru will remain open until 10 p.m.
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