…of the World’s First Kentucky Fried Chicken
- cmgreathouse4
- Apr 27
- 2 min read
Updated: 6 days ago
Who: Colonel Harland Sanders and Pete Harman
What: Opened the world’s first Kentucky Fried Chicken
Where: 3890 State St., Salt Lake City
When: 1952
Why: Because it’s finger lickin’ good
Who says you can’t teach a mature chicken new stunts? (Or something like that.) Colonel Sanders was in his 60s when he created his secret recipe. But it probably didn’t surprise the people who knew him. What else would they expect from a man who had also been a locomotive fireman, tire salesman, motel operator, political candidate, mule-tender, ferryboat entrepreneur – just to name a few. This is a guy who liked to try new things.
Harland Sanders then met Pete Harman, who had opened a café in Salt Lake City. Sanders visited Harman at the restaurant and made some of his proprietary chicken. Harman knew it would be popular with Utahns. Sanders franchised his recipe to Harman in 1952, which is how the first KFC was actually in SLC.
Harman was right. Within a matter of weeks, the restaurant and the chicken were a hit. Harman is credited with both KFC’s commercial success and trademarking the slogan “Finger Lickin’ Good.” The man who painted the original sign, Rodney L. Anderson, is also credited with the name. Instead of “southern” fried chicken, he thought Sanders’ home state of “Kentucky” would stand out more. KFC ultimately pushed its way into the burger scene and popularized chicken in the fast-food industry nationwide.
Although the original café was demolished and rebuilt in 2004, you can still visit the restaurant. There’re a lot of cool things showcasing the history of the famous chicken chain and the two men who made it happen. They also remained friends for the rest of their lives – another example of good meals bringing people together.
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