KFC Makes Big Move to Texas—Cementing State as the Fastest-Growing Place in the Country

by Joy Dumandan

KFC HQ in Plano, TX — Kevin Carter/Getty Images; Getty Images

KFC, originally known as Kentucky Fried Chicken, is leaving its namesake state and moving its headquarters to Texas.

It’s not a completely blind move, as parent company Yum! Brands already has a presence in the Lone Star State.

KFC will join Pizza Hut Global headquarters in Plano, about 20 miles north of Dallas.

The decision to relocate its corporate employees means more people will be looking for housing in the fastest-growing state in the U.S., according to The Texas State of Real Estate report by Realtor.com®.

The company says about 100 KFC U.S. corporate employees will move within the next six months. It also affects approximately 90 remote positions over the next 18 months. Those employees are being asked to move to the Texas campus. Yum! Brands said it would help with the relocation.

“It’s no surprise Colonel Sanders wants to call Texas home. Texas is the eighth-largest economy in the world and the economic engine of the nation, leading as the undisputed jobs leader for the third year in a row, with more jobs added in Texas in 2024 than in any other state,” Andrew Mahaleris, press secretary for Gov. Greg Abbott, tells Realtor.com.

“Texas remains No. 1 because people and businesses are choosing our state over any other for the unmatched competitive advantages we offer: no corporate or personal income taxes, a predictable regulatory climate, and a young, skilled, diverse workforce, and of course, a thriving poultry industry,” adds Mahaleris.

Texas is also the new home of Realtor.com headquarters. Feb. 6 marked the opening of its offices in Austin, TX, from Santa Clara, CA.

“The state is well-poised to absorb additional housing demand. Texas ranked first among U.S. states in terms of housing permits in 2024, accounting for 15% of housing permits with just 9% of the population,” says Realtor.com senior economic research analyst Hannah Jones.

Parent company also moved Pizza Hut

Texas will be home to KFC’s U.S. headquarters and Pizza Hut Global.

Its CEO said in a press release the changes will help them better serve customers, employees, franchisees, and shareholders.

“Ultimately, bringing more of our people together on a consistent basis will maximize our unrivaled culture and talent as a competitive advantage,” said David Gibbs, Yum! Brands CEO.

Pizza Hut has been in North Texas since 1997. The Plano campus went through an expansion in 2016.

The firm behind the remodel described the corporate headquarters campus as a three-story, steel building with a parking garage, several restaurant test kitchens, and mock-ups of Pizza Hut stores. It’s unknown if KFC restaurant models will be added.

Employees will have access to on-site child care facilities, a data center, and outdoor water features.

Texas is poised to become the most populous state in the U.S.

Texas is the second-largest state by both population and land area, second only to California. Texas has a population of just under 31 million people in 2024.

Realtor.com data found at the end of 2023, Texas had 15.1 million in its labor force, 14.5 million of whom were employed.

The research states that over the past decade, Texas added more workers to its payrolls than any other state, with an additional 2.4 million.

As of December 2024, the median list price in Texas was $360,000. That’s about $40,000 below the national median.

“Texas boasts a strong economy and plentiful, relatively affordable housing stock. The strong job market and growing population in the state mean sustained housing demand, which keeps home values stable,” says Jones.

People moving to Texas will find that the typical Texas home was listed for 12.8% lower than the typical home nationally. The data also suggests that while home prices have fallen recently in Texas, the median list price per square foot has eased only slightly, suggesting that more small, affordable homes are for sale in the state, helping to pull down the overall median.

In 2017, Texas homes made up 7.6% of all U.S. homes for sale; by 2024, this share climbed to 12.6%.

Realtor.com reached out to Yum! Brands for comment.

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