'Forget it': KFC drops 'finger-licking good' slogan amidst pandemic

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Don't worry - they're not dropping Wicked Wings. Photo credit: Getty.

KFC has ditched its world-famous slogan amid the COVID-19 pandemic, conceding the phrase 'finger-lickin good' is not "quite right" currently. 

With health experts across the globe warning against the touching faces and transferring the virus through saliva, the US-based fast-food giant has removed the slogan that may encourage consumers to lick their hands. 

In a new marketing campaign, KFC released posters and packaging with the slogan blurred and pixelated.

"That thing we've been saying for 64 years? Forget it," one of the international online posters reads. 

"Eat the wings. Drink the gravy. Fill up on fries. Just please forget the thing we normally suggest. 

"We get it. It's not easy. There's a reason why it's been our slogan for over half a century.  But the world's drastically changed of late. And as soon as we embrace the change the sooner we can all get back to doing what we do best." 

'Forget it': KFC drops 'finger-licking good' slogan amidst pandemic
Photo credit: KFC via. News.com.au

At the time of publishing, the changed branding isn't on the official KFC NZ social media pages or website; but with international outlets reporting its a global move, it's presumably only a matter of time. 

In a statement, KFC Australia chief marketing officer Kristi Woolrych said it made sense to halt the slogan temporarily.

"We find ourselves in a unique situation - having an iconic slogan that doesn't quite fit in our current environment," Woolrych said.

"And for all those fans, don't worry - the slogan will be back. Just when the time is right."

Experts have maintained throughout the coronavirus pandemic that washing your hands and keeping your mouth and nose covered is one of the best ways to stop the transmission of the virus.