WTF is up with KFC

I used to love Kentucky Fried Chicken before it turned into KFC.
Since I was a kid, it was my go to for a treat.
Nowadays, it definitely isn't as good as it was.
I work at an canola oil/shortening factory and have for 20 years now.
We used to make the solid shortening (it came in 2 Kg bricks) for Tricon which turned into Yum! industries but haven't for about 15 years.
That's what they used in the pressure cookers at KFC, I don't know what they use now, but the taste is certainly different. A lot different......
Let's turn the clock to today, and where I work, lo and behold, Yum!/KFC is going to buy our oils for their frying.
As oldkimmer mentioned, Mary Brown's is good and has taken a sizeable foothold in western Canada from KFC and they are taking notice!
They (Yum!) are going to buy the same oil from us that Mary Brown's uses and start cooking their chicken with it.
BTW, it is expensive oil compared to the regular oils, about twice the price but it lasts longer and is more stable.
So we'll see in the next few months if the oil itself makes a difference.
It really seems like they (Yum!) really cares and are affected by the competitors....

The way it stands now, when I go to KFC, it has to be just after the lunch or dinner rush, that way you are guaranteed fresh Chicken etc.
But the fries and the gravy sucks compared to the old days for sure.
And it depends on the outlet. We have 3 franchises in our city.
Mary Brown's chicken is good, but the fries are so so and the 'taters are so so as well. The gravy sucks. It tastes like it came out of a 5 gallon pail. We have 2 franchises here as well and one is better than the other.
I haven't tried Popeye's here, but I heard that it was pretty good.
I tried Popeye's in Montana and it was decent.

Also, you have to remember that KFC in the U.S. is different than that in Canada.
Lately, (As in the last 20 years) I liked the KFC in the U.S. better than in Canada.

And don't get me started on A&W, it really sucks in the U.S. compared to Canada!
It's a totally different menu....
It's totally different here except for the Root Beer which is awesome!