KFC is giving away vinyl records as a way to drum up business throughout the holiday season. Coming into 2024, vinyl record sales had been on an upswing even overtaking CDs for most sales at one point. Recent trends show the two might be nearly neck-and-neck once again, but that hasn’t stopped KFC from using vinyl records to get people excited about its buckets of chicken. In a social media-based promotion unveiled this week, KFC announced it is giving away bucket toppers that double as playable vinyl records. Each record contains a collection of Kentucky Fried Carols including “Jingle Bells,” “We Wish You A Merry Christmas” and “Deck The Halls.” The record is actually printed on paper lids like the ones you’d find on its buckets of chicken. The lids were then covered in a vinyl coating and etched to create the a playable record. Currently the records are only available to Canadian residents.

Was Selena Gomez’s engagement to Benny Blanco sponsored by Taco Bell? Because there are elements of her proposal pictures she posted to Instagram that are giving off a certain “brand partnership” quality. A picture was taken on what appears to be an indoor set, made to look like a picnic, with artfully arranged Taco Bell takeout boxes next to the picnic basket. In the photo, Gomez, wearing a fuzzy fashion-Yeti top, appears to be admiring her new engagement ring but said nothing about the fast food merch beside her. Taco Bell might actually have a romantic personal meaning for the couple. As Blanco related to People, Taco Bell is Gomez’s favorite food, and he even learned how to recreate the fast food chain’s distinctive meat so that he could make her homemade Taco Bell. Maybe Taco Bell has a new romance-themed campaign coming up, and Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco opted to become a part of that in a major way.

Beloved global toy brand Build-A-Bear Workshop has just announced a finger-lickin’ good collaboration with KFC that’s inspired by the chain’s red-and-white striped bucket. Together, the two iconic brands will combine a lovable plush toy and America’s favorite comfort food for an adorable range of outfits and accessories. With the aim of celebrating togetherness this holiday season, the new collection will let children dress their plush companions exclusively at Build-A-Bear workshops and on the brand’s website. It includes:

• The KFC Bucket Costume
• The KFC Pajama Outfit
• The KFC Plush Chicken Wristie

The Taco Bell Foundation is excited to announce the 10^th annual opening of the Live Más Scholarship application. In 2025, the Foundation will be distributing up to $14 million to fuel the future for passionate students aged 16 to 26, a significant increase from the $10 million awarded last year. Open to Taco Bell Team Members and customers alike, submitting a two-minute video could earn students up to $25,000 in scholarship funds towards their education. This opportunity is designed for those who dare to dream big and challenge the status quo, embodying the true essence of a cultural rebel.

The Live Más Scholarship has come a long way, boasting a scholar community of nearly 3,000 students and contributing over $50 million in funds. But this program offers more than just financial support; scholars forge lifelong friendships with like-minded peers and gain connections to mentors, professional opportunities, exclusive networking events, an annual conference and more. This year’s increased funding from the Foundation provides more opportunities than ever for students to follow their passions through education and achieve their dream careers.

Taco Bell is entering new territory by adding chicken nuggets to the menu. The new “crispy chicken nuggets” will consist of white meat marinated in a mild jalapeño buttermilk and coated in a breading made with crunchy tortilla bits. The nuggets will come with choice of three dipping sauces: jalapeño honey mustard, cheddar cheese sauce, and its special “bell sauce.” The Bell sauce is a “savory and tangy sauce that presents ‘subtle notes of chili peppers.’ ” The crispy nuggets were tested in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 2023 and Houston, Texas, earlier in 2024. They are expected to be released for a limited time starting December 19.

Attention ’80s Taco Bell fans: the Meximelt has resurrected from the dead. And it’s not the only popular discontinued item back on the menu.

On Halloween, five items that disappeared from the menu over the past six decades have returned to Taco Bell drive-thru and order-in screens nationwide. Earlier this month, we introduced the limited-time Decades Menu, bringing back five popular items, including the Meximelt − which features seasoned beef, pico de gallo, and a mix of mozzarella, cheddar, and Monterey Jack cheese in a tortilla. All five, each from its signature decade, returned priced at $3 and under each.

Five items Taco Bell items − each introduced in a different decade and priced at under $3 − are now back in stores.

They are:

• ’60s: Tostada priced at $2.19 and available starting Oct. 31. This item layers refried beans, red sauce, crispy lettuce and shredded cheese over a corn tostada shell.
• ‘70s: Green Sauce Burrito priced at $2.49 and available starting Oct. 31. This burrito from the 1970’s is filled with refried beans, onions, shredded cheese and green sauce made with green chili, peppers, tomatillos, jalapeño and spices.
• ‘80s: Meximelt priced at $2.99 and available starting Oct. 31. This item introduced the 1980’s combines pico de gallo, seasoned beef and a three cheese blend of mozzarella, cheddar and Monterey jack wrapped in a tortilla.
• ‘90s: Gordita Supreme priced at $2.99 and available starting Oct. 31. This item from the 1990’s wraps a flatbread over seasoned beef, reduced-fat sour cream, crisp lettuce, diced tomatoes and a three cheese blend of mozzarella, cheddar and Monterey jack.
• ’00s: Caramel Apple Empanada priced at $2.99 and available starting Nov. 21. Launched in 2000, the sweet treat surrounds apple pieces and a creamy caramel filling with a golden-brown crispy exterior.

Waking up can be tough sometimes. Falling asleep can be even tougher, though. If you can relate, you’ll want to check out the new collaboration between Hatch, a sleep wellness company that creates premium sleep audio content and devices, and KFC. Offering an unprecedented fusion of fried chicken and auditory relaxation, the two brands teamed up to launch the “Kentucky Fried Chicken Rain Sounds” channel. This cheeky initiative is designed to deliver a soothing ASMR-inspired experience for KFC fans and Hatch users alike. By combining the classic sounds of a rain-soaked ambiance with the comforting, familiar sizzle of KFC’s famous fried chicken, this new channel promises to create an unexpected escape. Whether you’re winding down after a long day, need something to help you focus during work or are looking for the perfect holiday gift for someone who needs to relax, this collaboration aims to provide a surprising oasis of calm sounds.

A new feature on Taco Bell’s app puts customer spending control front and center. The app asks, “How much are you looking to spend?” After the user inputs their budget — with a $5 minimum and $25 maximum — the app generates combinations of menu items fitting that constraint. Drinks, combos, party packs and certain other items are excluded, but customers can pin preferred items to their cart and continue randomizing other options to complete their order. Taco Bell presents a new tactic for dealing with heightened price sensitivity. By allowing customers to mix and match a menu within a specific spending limit, its tool can transform budgeting into an engaging experience.

A fan favorite, the Double Decker Taco and the Double Decker Supreme Taco will return to the menu for a limited time starting Thursday, October 10 through the October 30. The Double Decker Taco will be available for customers to order across all channels.

Taco Bell took the 2024 QSR^© Drive-Thru Report crown as the fastest drive-thru in the industry for the fourth consecutive year. KFC was number two.

Taco Bell on the last day of July announced it planned to expand automated voice ordering at the drive-thru to “hundreds” of restaurants by year’s end. The technology was live in more than 100 U.S. units across 13 states.