Plano-based KFC is testing out a new restaurant concept with tableside service, touchscreen kiosks, breakfast, boba drinks, and a whole lot of sauces in McKinney. Called Open House, it will open Saturday, September 26 at 8751 El Dorado Pkwy., near Custer Road.

Open House aims to put a modern twist on Colonel Sanders' old fried chicken chain. The McKinney restaurant - the first of its kind in the U.S. - is essentially a testing ground for KFC, giving them a chance to try new food, drinks, service, and design ideas before potentially rolling them out across the country.

"Open House brings the Kentucky Fried Comeback to life in one restaurant,” said Catherine TanGillespie, president of KFC U.S., in a statement. “We’re building on the craveable fried chicken and genuine hospitality people have always loved about KFC, while introducing new flavors, new experiences, and more ways to enjoy the brand."

As showcased in a preview event, those ideas come through new food and drink choices, a different type of building, customer-friendly ordering, and more.

Food
Open House introduces a lineup of new sauces that can be ordered as dippers or drizzled over tenders, fried chicken, wings or fries. The choices include Classic Ranch, Jalapeño Ranch, Sweet Heat Ranch, Buffalo, Garlic Parmesan, Sweet Chili and Kentucky BBQ.

The sauces can also be combined into drizzles, including Jalapeño Ranch & Garlic Parmesan, Sweet Heat Ranch & Sweet Chili, and Kentucky BBQ & Classic Ranch.

At a preview, the Sweet Heat Ranch & Sweet Chili drizzle was served on chicken tenders. The combination delivered a noticeable but not overpowering kick. It also gave new meaning to the company's motto of "finger lickin' good," as it proved impossible not to have your fingers coated in the sauces.

Drizzled tenders at Open House.Photo courtesy of KFC

New sides include Southwest Corn, Fried Green Beans, Spicy Pickles and Rainbow Slaw. The slaw will also be available on the Chicken Sandwich and Chicken Wrap.

For the first time, KFC is also getting into breakfast. Morning offerings include Breakfast Sandwiches made with tenders, Hashbrown Sticks, Mini Cronuts, brewed coffee and iced lattes.

Drinks get a major expansion, too, with Mango Boba Refreshers, lemonade with fresh strawberries, iced lattes in multiple flavors, and Double Chocolate Krunch Shakes.

And KFC isn't abandoning its roots, though. Open House will still serve Crispy Original Recipe Tenders, Classic and Premium Sandwiches, chicken on the bone and wings, along with familiar sides such as fries and Mashed Potatoes & Gravy.

Service & design
The restaurant itself is a slightly upscale twist on a fast food restaurant. Dine-in customers will be greeted by a lobby host who will guide them through the ordering process, either at one of five touchscreen kiosks or a cashier for those paying with cash.

Customers receive a table card with a number, and employees hand-deliver every order to the table. They'll also clear the tables afterwards, giving the restaurant a more traditional sit-down feel.

The 3,400-square-foot, open-concept restaurant has seating for 52, with indoor and outdoor tables, a large booth inside a sunroom surrounded by a customizable screen, and a long curved bench with three tables and small stools resembling tree stumps.

Drive-thru customers get two separate lanes, one for those ordering at the restaurant and a second for those pre-ordering on the KFC app. A separate pay window and food delivery window is designed to speed up the drive-thru process.

Grand opening
A grand opening celebration will take place at Open House on Sunday, September 27 from 10 am-2 pm, featuring first tastes of the new menu offerings, exclusive giveaways and prizes, and a special guest appearance.

The restaurant will be open daily from 6 am-12 am, catering to both early-morning and late-night cravings.

KFC, which moved its headquarters from Kentucky to Plano in 2025, is a subsidiary of Yum! Brands.