Frisco may soon be the first city in Texas to welcome Saucy, a bold new concept from Kentucky Fried Chicken centered entirely around chicken tenders and, fittingly, sauces — 11 of them, in fact.
The potential restaurant would land in the 4 Corners Shopping Center at 380 University Drive, housed in a new 3,900-square-foot building. According to a filing with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (via WFAA), construction is pegged at $3.5 million, with work expected to begin in September 2025 and wrap up early the following year.
Local Profile reached out to KFC's parent company, Yum! Brands for comment, but did not receive a response prior to publishing. This story will be updated pending response.
A Sauce-Centric Spin on a Classic
Launched in December 2024 in Orlando, Saucy is KFC’s first major fast-casual offshoot aimed squarely at sauce-lovers and tender purists. The menu is simple: hand-breaded, made-to-order chicken tenders paired with a curated menu of 11 signature sauces. Chicken sandwiches, fries, coleslaw and other KFC basics will also be available for diners.
Each sauce is a nod to the 11 herbs and spices that made KFC a household name — from peri peri ranch to creole honey mustard and the boldly named Saucy’s Sauce.
Diners can order sauces individually or in tasting flights of four. And while chicken is the star, the format leans heavily on personalization.
“Everyone is obsessed with sauce — more is more,” said KFC Chief New Concept Officer, Christophe Poirier, in an official statement. “With Saucy, we’ve taken KFC’s famous original recipe and amplified it with a brand-new concept that lets consumers play with flavor.”
A Strategic Landing in KFC's New Backyard
Frisco's potential selection as a Saucy location is more than a coincidence. In February, KFC's U.S. headquarters officially relocated to neighboring Plano, merging operations with sister brand Pizza Hut under the Yum! Brands umbrella. Plano now serves as one of two corporate headquarters for Yum!, alongside Irvine, California, where Taco Bell and The Habit Burger are based.
The Frisco restaurant would signal the company's intent to use North Texas not just as a home base, but as a test bed for new ideas. The region’s fast-growing population and love of fried chicken certainly won’t hurt.
What’s Next for Saucy?
If all goes to plan, Frisco could be one of the first cities outside Florida to experience Saucy firsthand, and certainly the first in The Lone Star State. For now, all eyes are on the construction timeline and whether Saucy’s bold flavors will find a lasting home in one of Texas’ most competitive fast-casual markets.
If it does, North Texas could become a proving ground for KFC’s next big evolution, one crispy, sauce-drenched tender at a time.
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