Original Honey BBQ sauce comeback sparks nostalgia at KFC nationwide

KFC recently brought back an old-school dip that had fans raving and reminiscing about the old days. The brand’s Original Honey BBQ sauce became available at KFC locations nationwide on October 6.

The sauce was first introduced in the late 1990s and was “one of the most requested menu requests of all time,” the company said in a statement.

He continued: “Over time, fans began taking to social media to beg for its return, trading copycat recipes and reminiscing about the one-of-a-kind sauce.”

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“Now, after years of waiting, KFC is finally giving the people what they want.”

Fans can try the sauce again in the form of KFC’s Chicken Sandwich or the Original Honey BBQ Combo with biscuits and coleslaw.

Fox News Digital reached out to KFC to learn more about the sauce’s popularity.

KFC USA president Catherine Tan-Gillespie said in a statement that the sauce “is not just a menu offering.”

“When you pair that taste with a fresh twist…it’s the recipe for success.”

“This has become a cultural touchstone that fans have been longing for for years and have been asking us to bring back,” Tan-Gillespie said.

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“What better way to continue our return to KFC than to bring back this legendary flavor and reintroduce it in a bigger and bolder way, across the board?”

The fan-favorite KFC sauce, first introduced in the 1990s, is riding a wave of nostalgia. (Alain BUU/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images)

Fans raved about the sauce on social media, joining a growing group of restaurants celebrating the return of old menu items.

“I need to check out KFC’s old honey BBQ wings,” one X user wrote.

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“KFC brought back honey BBQ wings, what a time to be LIVE!” someone else called out.

One KFC customer said the return of the sauce reminded him of childhood meals from the late ’90s. (Alain BUU/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images)

One customer said the new sauce reminded him of his youth.

“And honey barbecue wings from KFC… [They] “It brought me back to my childhood,” he wrote.

hazelnuts for nostalgia

KFC is far from the only chain banking on nostalgia these days as rival restaurants battle for consumers’ attention.

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Red Lobster recently revived fan favorites like popcorn shrimp and hush puppies, while Chi-Chi’s Mexican Restaurant is reopening its locations after closing in 2004.

So what triggers this excitement?

Fans have flooded social media with posts celebrating the return of KFC’s famous Original Honey BBQ flavor. (JOEL SAGET/AFP via Getty Images)

Cookbook author and Southern cooking expert Vera Stewart shared her thoughts on the trend with Fox News Digital.

Stewart, who hosts the nationally syndicated “The VeryVera Show,” said KFC’s Original Honey BBQ sauce represents “quintessential Southern goodness.”

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The sauce “resonates because it’s based on classic Southern barbecue flavors — sweet, smoky and tangy,” he said.

“When you pair that flavor with a fresh twist, like crispy chicken wings slathered in familiar sauce, it’s the recipe for success.”

The return of KFC’s Original Honey BBQ sauce highlights a broader food nostalgia trend. (Future Publishing via CFOTO/Getty Images)

The chef added that people often like to revisit old favorites “in a fresh way,” which is linked to the connections between taste and memory.

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“Taste and smell are powerful drivers of nostalgia, so it’s no surprise that familiar favorites often make a comeback in the food world,” he said.