We’re just going to say it upfront: KFC nailed this year’s holiday ad. Its 2022 riff on “Twas the Night Before Christmas” was silly and fun, but the chain stepped it up big time this season. Set to the soaring “Nessun dorma” aria from Puccini’s “Turandot” opera, it depicts a cook preparing a mystery piece of fried meat — tossing it in flour, lowering it into a sputtering vat of oil, and toasting brioche buns. As he does so, social media comments (presumably ones from real customers) float across the screen, asking the chain whether it’s going to add fried turkey to the menu this year. “[K]fc wen you gonna do turkey at #xmas” one asks, while another simply demands, “Do turkey instead of chicken,” and others suggest a KFT rebrand.
As the cook tosses the fried meat into the air and it makes a perfect landing on the bun, new words appear on-screen, one sentence at a time, as the lights dim. “We saw you,” it says, “We heard you.” The lights switch on: “And we ignored you. We’re sticking with chicken.” Under the spotlight, you can see the creation: a limited-time Stuffing Stacker featuring two layers of fried chicken, a sage and onion stuffing patty, spicy cranberry sauce, and burger dressing. Touché, KFC. Touché.