Colonel Harland David Sanders (September 9, 1890 – December 16, 1980) was an American businessman and founder of the fast food chicken restaurant chain Kentucky Fried Chicken (aka KFC); he became the company brand ambassador.
- Harland Sanders
Colonel Harland David Sanders (September 9, 1890 – December 16, 1980) was an American businessman and founder of the fast food chicken restaurant chain Kentucky Fried Chicken (aka KFC); he became the company brand ambassador . His name and image are iconic symbols for the company. The story of his life is one of hard work and determination, and how success can be achieved at any age. Sanders quit school in seventh grade to earn money to support his widowed mother and his siblings. He held several jobs in his early life in several states. In 1906 at only 16 years old, he enlisted in the United States Army and was honorably discharged in 1907.
From 1907 through 1929, Sanders held a series of job throughout Kentucky, Indiana, Alabama, and several other states, including working on a railroad, being a fireman, and practicing law with the law degree he earned at night through La Salle Extension University. During this period, he met and married his first wife, Josephine, in 1909.
In 1929, he opened a roadside restaurant as part of a service/gas station in North Korbin, Kentucky called Sanders Café where his beloved fried chicken was on the menu. Sanders Café served family style dinners and became very popular. It was in 1935 that Sanders re-branded himself as “Colonel Sanders”, the honorific title bestowed upon him by the governor of Kentucky, and adapted his southern gentleman attire, and white beard, mustache, and hair.
Sanders perfected his “finger lickin’ good” chicken recipe in 1939 using what he referred to as “a secret blend of 11 herbs and spices”. His chicken was prepared using a Dutch Oven, but years later in the 1960’s he used a modified pressure cooker to fry the chicken while sealing in the flavors and keeping the chicken meat moist and tender; this was vastly different from the traditional pan-frying method.
In 1947, Sanders and Josephine divorced, and in 1949 he married Claudia, a waitress at Sanders’ Café and his longtime mistress.
VIDEO: Colonel Sanders Talks About His Life
In 1950, the concept of franchising was still in its early years as a business model, but Sanders saw the potential to franchise his “secret recipe”, and possibly his restaurant. After selling his café, he drove across the USA to franchise these. He signed up five restaurants in the first two years of this new venture, with the first KFC franchised restaurant opening in 1952 in South Salt Lake, Utah.
Read: The First KFC Franchised Restaurant
HOW KENTUCKY FRIED CHICKEN GOT ITS NAME
When Pete Harman, the franchisee in South Salt Lake, Utah sought to promote his restaurant, he hired sign painter Rodney L. Anderson. It was Anderson who came up with the name Kentucky Fried Chicken". Sanders later used the name in order to differentiate his product from the deep-fried southern fried chicken more typically found in restaurants. .
Throughout the mid-1950s and early 1960s, Sanders experienced rapid expansion in his KFC restaurant chain both across the USA and overseas. In 1956, he sold his North Corbin, KY restaurant, and in 1959 Sanders and Claudia relocate to Shelbyville, IN where they purchased the stately manor called Blackwood Hall on US Route 60 and used it as both the Kentucky Fried Chicken corporate headquarters, as well as their home.
Sanders’ himself had been cooking his beloved chicken using a Dutch Oven, not the traditional pan-frying method. However, in the early 1960’s he started using a modified pressure cooker to fry the chicken more quickly, while sealing in the flavors and keeping the chicken meat moist and tender. Although he didn’t invent this “pressure fryer” contraption himself, he did apply for a patent in 1962 and received the patent in 1966.
By 1964, there were more than 600 KFC franchises in the USA and Canada. Sanders sold the company to a group of investors that year for $2 million dollars (about $19.4 million in 2023 dollars). At that time, Sanders was 73 years old and upon the sale of his company he became the brand ambassador for KFC. In 1968, Sanders and Claudia open a restaurant called The Colonel’s Lady (now called Claudia Sanders’ Dinner House) in Shelbyville, IN, which was not a KFC franchise. In 1969, KFC was listed for the first time on the NY Stock Exchange, with the Colonel buying the first 100 shares.
After selling his KFC company in 1964 and until his death in 1980, Sanders continued to tour KFC restaurants around the world as the “face” of KFC, and to ensure the quality and consistency of his beloved fried chicken “secret recipe”. It is interesting to note that one of his early franchisees was Dave Thomas, who went on to be the founder and CEO of the Wendy’s restaurant franchise.
At the time of Sanders’ death in 1980 there were about 6,000 KFC restautants in 48 countries worldwide, a portfolio worth $2 billion (about $730 billion in 2023 dollars) in annual sales. Sanders died on Dec 16, 1980 and is buried in Cave Hill Cemetery in Louisville, Kentucky.
- Harland Sanders
Harland David Sanders was born in Henryville, Indiana to parents Wilbur and Margaret Ann. His father died when Harland was only 5 years old, leaving Harland to take care of his two younger siblings while his widowed mother worked to keep the family living on their 80-acre farm.
In 1903 at age 13 Harland dropped out of seventh grade to work and live on a nearby farm. In October 1906, at age 16, he enlisted in the United States Army, and was honorably discharged in 1907.
From 1907 through 1929, Sanders held a series of job throughout Kentucky, Indiana, Alabama, and several other states, including working on a railroad, being a fireman, and practicing law with the law degree he earned at night through La Salle Extension University. During this period, he met and married his first wife, Josephine, in 1909.
Around 1930, at age 40, Sanders opened Sanders’ Café attached to a service station in North Corbin, Kentucky. The Shell Oil Company gave Sanders the service station rent-free in return for paying Shell Oil a percentage of his sales. It was here that he started serving his fried chicken. His café was known for serving down home, comfort food and became very popular with locals.
Learn: What Is A Kentucky Colonel?
In 1935, Sanders received the honorary commission as a "Kentucky Colonel" by the governor of Kentucky, Ruby Laffoon. From that point forward, his notoriety and popularity continued to grow locally. In 1939, Duncan Hines, a food critic, included Sanders’ Café in his book “Adventures in Eating”, which is a guide to restaurants across the USA.
At age 50 in 1940, Harland had finally perfected his “secret recipe” for his beloved fried chicken, which was prepared in a pressure cooker/fryer rather than traditional pan frying. This method allowed the chicken to be cooked faster, while also keeping the meat moist and tender. The United States entered World War II in December 1941. During that era, gasoline was rationed, and tourism declined, but his North Corbin restaurant remained open.
In 1947, Harland and Josephine divorced, and in 1949 he married Claudia, a waitress at his North Corbin restaurant who was his long-time mistress.
In 1950, Kentucky Governor Lawrence Wetherby "re-commissioned" Sanders as a Kentucky Colonel. It was around this time when interstate 75 opened, which by-passed Sanders’ Café. Business decreased significantly. Sanders recognized that franchising his fried chicken “secret recipe” might be a solution to grow his business.
In 1952, Sanders franchised his recipe for the first time.
- Harland Sanders
In 1950, the concept of franchising was still in its early years as a business model, but Sanders saw the potential to franchise his “secret recipe”, and possibly his restaurant. At an age when most people were retiring from their jobs, Sanders sold his Sanders’ Café in North Corbin, KY, and drove across the USA with the idea of franchising his “secret recipe”. He didn’t start out franchising his restaurants. His strategy was to show up at a restaurant, offer to cook his chicken recipe, and then negotiate a fee if the owner agreed to sell his chicken. He was rejected again and again, and signed up only five restaurants in the first two years of this new venture.
The first KFC franchised restaurant opening in 1952 in South Salt Lake, Utah to Pete Harman.
How Kentucky Fried Chicken Got Its Name
When Pete Harmon, the franchisee in South Salt Lake, Utah sought to promote his restaurant, he hired sign painter Rodney L. Anderson. It was Anderson who came up with the name Kentucky Fried Chicken". Sanders later used the name in order to differentiate his product from the deep-fried southern fried chicken more typically found in restaurants.
In 1955, at age 65, Sanders incorporated Kentucky Fried Chicken. Throughout the mid-1950s and early 1960s, Sanders experienced rapid expansion in his KFC restaurant chain both across the USA and overseas.
In 1956, Sanders sold his North Corbin, KY restaurant and signed his first international franchisee in Canada.
One of his early franchisees was Dave Thomas, who went on to be the founder and CEO of the Wendy’s restaurant franchise.
Sanders’ himself had been cooking his beloved chicken using a Dutch Oven, not the traditional pan-frying method. However, with the growing number of restaurants serving his chicken in the early 1960’s he started using a modified pressure cooker to fry the chicken more quickly, while sealing in the flavors and keeping the chicken meat moist and tender. Although he didn’t invent this “pressure fryer” contraption himself, he did apply for a patent in 1962 and received the patent in 1966.
Learn About The Pressure Fryer
By 1964, there were more than 600 franchises in the USA and Canada. He sold the company to a group of investors in 1964 for $2 million dollars (about $19.4 million in 2023 dollars). At that time, Sanders was 73 years old and upon the sale of his company he became the brand ambassador for KFC. In 1968, Sanders and Claudia open a restaurant called The Colonel’s Lady (now called Claudia Sanders’ Dinner House) in Shelbyville, IN, which was not a KFC franchise. In 1969, KFC is listed for the first time on the NY Stock Exchange, with the Colonel buying the first 100 shares.
After selling his KFC company and until his death in 1980, Sanders continued to tour KFC restaurants around the world as the “face” of KFC, and to ensure the quality and consistency of his beloved fried chicken “secret recipe”.
By the time of Sanders’ death in 1980, there were about 6,000 KFC outlets in 48 countries worldwide, with $2 billion (about $730 billion in 2023 dollars) of sales annually.
Sanders’ himself had been cooking his beloved chicken using a Dutch Oven, not the traditional pan-frying method. However, in the early 1960’s he started using a modified pressure cooker to fry the chicken more quickly, while sealing in the flavors and keeping the chicken meat moist and tender. Winston Shelton designed the Collectromatic “Pressure Fryer” at Sanders’ request. Although he didn’t invent this “pressure fryer” contraption himself, he did apply for a patent in 1962 and he received the patent in 1966.
The Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans is dedicated to honoring individuals who exemplify the Association's belief that that hard work, honesty and determination can overcome all obstacles. The Association honors the achievements of outstanding leaders who have accomplished remarkable successes in spite of adversity by bestowing them with the Horatio Alger Award and inducting them as lifetime Members. Since 1947, more than 750 distinguished individuals from diverse walks of life and various professional backgrounds have received the Horatio Alger Award and lifetime membership in the Association.
Wikipedia: Colonel Sanders
Washington Post: Colonel Sanders, the Fried Chicken Gentleman, Dies
Life As I Have Known It Has Been Finger LIcken' Good - Colonel Harland Sanders
Colonel Sanders and The American Dream - Josh Ozersky
The Colonel: The Captivating Biography of the Dynamic Founder of a Fast Food Empire - John Ed Pearce
WLKY TV: Remembering Colonel Sanders (Sanders is interviewed)
