Can You Get Coffee From KFC? (This Surprised Me)

We all love KFC and we all love coffee, so you can get a latte or Americano in KFC right? Right?!

KFC restaurants across the US don’t serve coffee because they don’t serve breakfast. However, you can get coffee in KFCs in other countries including the UK, the Philippines, and some Middle Eastern countries.

Let’s dive down into the topic of coffee in KFC in more detail, and discover exactly why they won’t serve you a cuppa joe in the US – and what you can get on their drinks menu instead…

Why Can’t You Get Coffee at KFC?

In the name of research (honest!), we visited our local KFC and spoke with a very helpful manager. He told us that they don’t serve coffee in KFC because they don’t serve breakfast. 

He said he’d been running a franchise for over ten years and had never seen coffee being served all across the USA.

Hopefully this will change, because you can get coffee in KFCs in other countries (including, apparently, the UK, the Philippines, and some Middle Eastern countries).

KFC has been introducing a breakfast menu in some other countries. We’re hoping this will go well, and we’ll soon be rocking up at our local KFCs for a stack of pancakes – and a hot cup of cappuccino…

Does KFC Have Cold Coffee?

No, you can’t get cold coffee at KFC. However, the fast food chain is known for its Colonel’s Iced Tea, which it describes as “Southern hospitality in a glass”.

Because it’s not as rich and creamy as coffee, iced tea makes a more refreshing accompaniment to a meal.

This can be served sweetened, which is the traditional southern style, or unsweetened if you’re watching the sugar and calorie intake. If you enjoy this refreshing beverage, here’s how to make your own southern iced tea at home.

Many of KFC’s other soft drinks have some caffeine in them. If you fancy a caffeine top-up and you’re passing a KFC, you can call in for a Pepsi, Dr Pepper, or Mountain Dew. All these soft drinks contain caffeine.

There’s actually 53 mg of caffeine in a regular bottle of Pepsi (just under 17 fluid ounces). A standard cup of coffee (8 fluid ounces) contains 95 mg of caffeine. So (and apologies for the very rough math here), a Pepsi has about a quarter of the caffeine that coffee has.

A cold soft drink like Pepsi or Dr Pepper won’t have a massive impact on your caffeine levels; however, it’s better than nothing. And arguably, iced tea and carbonated drinks go far better with fried chicken than latte would.

Can You Get a Coffee Refill at KFC?

In countries where they serve coffee at KFC, we’ve heard that you can get a refill, yes. If you’re looking for that bottomless coffee experience in the US, most coffee shops will offer free refills if you’ve already bought a coffee.

Starbucks will also top up your coffee, but you’ll need to join as a Starbucks Reward account member first. The first refill needs to be within two hours of your initial coffee purchase to count.

(Don’t forget, you can also simply sit in your local Starbucks without buying anything, as they have a “third place policy” which means their restaurants can be used as public spaces.)

Is KFC Coffee Any Good?

Yes it is – apparently! If we get the chance to sample any, we’ll let you know… We’ve heard that it serves decent ground coffee in the UK to compete with MacDonald’s, which is a popular coffee stop-off place over there.

Also, KFC now serves a breakfast menu in some other countries, and no breakfast is complete without at least one cup of Joe.

KFC also tested serving coffee in an edible cup in the UK. It was made from a cookie that was wrapped in sugar paper and coated with heat-resistant white chocolate, which would gradually soften.

Zero waste and a free cookie? Now that’s an idea we could definitely get behind.

Can You Get Any Hot Drinks in KFC?

The current KFC menu is cold beverages only. Yes, you can enjoy a drink of tea, but it’s iced. If you want a caffeine fix, you’ll need to go for the iced tea or perhaps a Pepsi or Dr Pepper.

If you’re in the mood for coffee with your fast-food fries, you’ll have to go to McDonalds, which now serves a pretty extensive coffee menu.

It currently includes items like French vanilla cappuccino and caramel macchiato, so it’s a good place to go if you like your beverages sweet.

However, for those of us who love both a KFC and a hot cup of coffee, we’re going to have to wait a while longer for that combination.

We’re crossing our fingers that KFC introduces a breakfast menu in the USA soon.🤞