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Colonel Harland Sanders may have built Kentucky Fried Chicken into a fast-food empire, but there was one popular menu item he reportedly couldn’t stand.
After selling what is now known simply as KFC to a group of investors in 1964, Sanders remained the company’s public face and spokesman and often voiced concerns about changes to the restaurant’s food, according to food publication The Takeout.
One of his biggest complaints was the chain’s gravy.
In a 1978 interview with the Courier-Journal in Louisville, Kentucky, Sanders offered a harsh assessment of the side dish.
“My God, that gravy is horrible,” Sanders said, according to court records available through legal technology company Justia.
Sanders went on to compare the gravy to “wallpaper paste,” claiming it lacked the quality of the recipe he originally served at KFC.
“They buy tap water for 15 to 20 cents [per] 1,000 gallons, and then they mix it with flour and starch and end up with pure wallpaper paste,” Sanders said.
The KFC founder also reportedly said, “There’s no nutrition in it, and they ought not to be allowed to sell it.”
His criticism of the gravy reportedly became so controversial that a KFC franchise in Bowling Green, Kentucky, filed a lawsuit against Sanders and the newspaper that published the interview.
The lawsuit was dismissed, and the Kentucky Supreme Court later affirmed the dismissal, ruling that Sanders’ remarks were directed at KFC generally and did not identify the Bowling Green franchise.
Despite Sanders’ criticism, the gravy continues to have a loyal following decades later.
On Reddit, some KFC fans defended the side dish while others agreed with Sanders’ assessment.
“It’s great for fast food, and a comfort food for so many,” one user wrote.
Another commenter claimed the gravy served during Sanders’ era differed from today’s version, alleging the original recipe included chicken cracklings, seasoned breading, milk and cream.
Several users also discussed homemade versions of the gravy, sharing recipes and tips for recreating it in their own kitchens.
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