KFC will switch its U.S. beverage supplier from PepsiCo to The Coca-Cola Company, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday, October 15, 2026. The change covers thousands of KFC restaurants across the United States, according to WSJ.
CNBC reported that the move marks the first time in decades that KFC's U.S. locations will serve Coca-Cola drinks. Reuters described Coca-Cola as the chain's new U.S. soda supplier, replacing its longtime partner PepsiCo. Bloomberg also reported that KFC's American restaurants would swap PepsiCo beverages for Coca-Cola products.
The shift was confirmed in an announcement carried by PR Newswire, which framed the deal as a new beverage partnership between KFC U.S. and The Coca-Cola Company. The announcement did not specify a timeline for the rollout, and none of the reports indicated a reason for the change.
KFC and PepsiCo have been linked for years, making the switch a notable change in the U.S. fast-food beverage landscape, where chains typically sign long-term agreements with a single supplier. The reports did not say what the change means for KFC locations outside the United States or for PepsiCo's other restaurant partnerships.
What to watch next: when the new drinks will begin appearing in KFC restaurants, and whether the companies disclose financial terms of the agreement.
