NEW YORK (AP) - In case Americans want to scarf down their fast-food even faster, KFC is stripping the bones out of its chicken.
The fast-food chain says it's introducing deep-fried boneless chicken pieces on April 14 as an alternative to its traditional breast, thigh and drumstick pieces.
The new offering reflects the growing popularity of nuggets and strips that are easier to eat on the go, as well as Americans' seemingly endless desire for more convenient foods. KFC says nearly four out of five servings of chicken sold in the U.S. are now boneless.
Based on customer trends, the chain says bones could eventually disappear from its menu.
"Younger people don't tend to be fans of bones - they've grown up with nuggets," said KFC spokesman Rick Maynard, referring to people in their 20s and 30s.
Although KFC has more than 18,000 locations worldwide, the boneless chicken will only be offered in its 4,500 U.S. locations.
The new chicken, which is skinless and comes in white or dark meat, are whole muscle pieces fileted off the bone and are about twice the size of KFC's crispy strips. Customers will be able to order them for the chain's meal deals, which include two pieces of chicken, a side, a biscuit and a drink for $4.99.
They also come in buckets, which include four pieces of boneless chicken and six pieces of breasts, thighs and drumsticks for $14.99. The boneless chicken option costs the same as the regular fried chicken.
A piece of the boneless white meat has 200 calories and 8 grams of fat. A dark meat piece has 250 calories.