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The bucket of fried chicken, a once-familiar fixture in many American homes, has become less common on dinner tables — and the shift didn't happen overnight.
Fewer U.S. households are regularly buying buckets of bone-in chicken in 2025 as demand for convenient, less messy chicken sandwiches and tenders keeps growing.
While there have been some exceptions — Korean fried chicken and wings remain a staple for sports games — consumers have shifted away from bone-in chicken, and restaurants have taken notice.
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Citing statistics provided by Datassential, The Wall Street Journal reported that listings for bone-in fried chicken meals have dropped 72% in the past four years, while listings for boneless wings and tenders have grown 29%.
The changes are visible at KFC, which brought back its original recipe tenders in 2024 after a few quarters of declining sales.
Once a symbol of shared family meals, the fried chicken bucket has been disappearing from American dinner tables. (iStock)
The fast-food giant, while still popular globally, has seen waning demand in the U.S. It recently reported an 8% drop in U.S. system sales, according to Yum! Brands' latest quarterly report.
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Fox News Digital reached out to KFC for comment but did not immediately hear back.
Crystal Gorges, a marketing expert in Clearwater, Florida, told Fox News Digital the shift is rooted in today's faster-paced lifestyle and eating habits.
Boneless chicken wings and tenders have reshaped the fried chicken industry as dining habits evolve across America. (iStock)
"Buckets used to represent family time, a shared meal around the table," Gorges said. "Now life moves faster."
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"Sandwiches and tenders are easier to grab, drive with and eat while multitasking," she added.
From a marketing angle, tenders and chicken sandwiches are a "visual win," Gorges said.
"Buckets used to represent family time, a shared meal around the table," a marketing expert said. (iStock)
"These foods photograph better, they are cleaner for social media and they appeal to a generation that values convenience over tradition," she said.
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"Brands are simply meeting consumers where they are, looking for comfort food that fits into a busy and individual lifestyle."
Jordan Lee, a Florida-based brand strategist and publicity manager, echoed those remarks.
"[The] shift naturally favors foods that are easy to hold, portable and less messy," a brand strategist told Fox News Digital. (iStock)
"Traditional sit-down meals are becoming rarer, replaced by quick meals while we do something else, like eating in front of a screen, on the go or between meetings," he said. "That shift naturally favors foods that are easy to hold, portable and less messy."
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Fried chicken sandwiches or tenders, Lee said, "fit perfectly into that lifestyle because it's comfort food that doesn't require a plate or utensils and still delivers the same flavors people associate with a full meal, just in a more convenient [way] for scrolling TikTok."
