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KFC Family Bucket

KFC Family Bucket

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Description
This is a Kentucky Fried Chicken family bucket used in KFC restaurants around 1969. The bucket bears the trademark image of Harland Sanders in his Colonel Sanders outfit—white suit and black string tie—as well as the copyrighted tagline “it’s finger lickin’ good.” The KFC Chicken bucket was first created in 1957 by Sanders and his first franchisee, Pete Harman. It contained 15 pieces of chicken, a pint of gravy, and biscuits. The idea was sold as a way for housewives to escape the kitchen dinner and still prepare a great dinner, merely needing to add a salad and a vegetable for a balanced meal.
Object Name
food bucket
date made
1969
Physical Description
cardboard (overall material)
white (overall color)
red (overall color)
brown (overall color)
Measurements
overall: 8 in x 8 3/4 in; 20.32 cm x 22.225 cm
ID Number
2014.0120.02
catalog number
2014.0120.02
accession number
2014.0120
Credit Line
Gift of Kentucky Fried Chicken
See more items in
Work and Industry: Retail and Marketing
Advertising
Food
American Enterprise
Exhibition
American Enterprise
Exhibition Location
National Museum of American History
Data Source
National Museum of American History
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Comments

A couple of corrections... The first buckets were 14 pieces of chicken and 5 dinner rolls. KFC did not serve biscuits at that time. The bucket cost $3.50 and the price was set as a comparison to a prime rib dinner at that time. Pete wanted to feed 5 for the price of 1. I have worked with Pete’s franchise since 1972 and Pete is my source for facts about the bucket.

Shawn Brady

Fri, 2020-09-18 09:33

I was in Okinawa in 1972 when the first KFC opened. There were long lines daily. At that time USA protected Okinawa. Until it reverted back to Japan. The people of Okinawa loved America and didn't want to revert. Nice island nation. It took over an hour late in the evening to get KFC. Loved it. My first time. We bought buckets.

Bonnie R Taylor

Tue, 2019-09-10 08:54

Yes the only Bucket i remember was made of cardboard with a piece of wax type paper to keep your chicken warm and to help Absorb the grease and had a hand wipe. I am 61 years young I never recall any other Bucket used other than cardboard.

Steve Fielden

Wed, 2019-07-03 08:33

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