KFC vs Wendy's:Which is searched more?
In September 2026, KFC had more branded searches than Wendy's among fast food chains worldwide. KFC was estimated to have 24.9M branded searches compared to Wendy's’ 11.1M, and held an 11.7% Share of Search versus Wendy's’ 5.2%. These are worldwide searches for English-language branded terms.
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Which is more popular in search, KFC or Wendy's?
Compare the fast food chains people choose between for burgers, chicken, subs and tacos. Branded searches tell you how often people look for a brand by name or related terms. Comparing these searches across competitors helps you see how popular each brand is over time.
Share of Search by month for KFC, Wendy's. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of search table
| Month | McDonald's | Burger King | KFC | Subway | Taco Bell | Wendy's | Popeyes | Carl's Jr. | Nando's |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 46.6% | 14% | 11.5% | 9.4% | 7.7% | 6.3% | 3.5% | 1% | 0.03% |
| Nov 2025 | 49.2% | 12.1% | 12.1% | 8.1% | 8.1% | 5.4% | 3.6% | 1.3% | 0.03% |
| Dec 2025 | 51.8% | 12.7% | 12.7% | 6.9% | 6.9% | 4.6% | 3.1% | 1.1% | 0.02% |
| Jan 2026 | 48% | 14.5% | 11.8% | 7.9% | 7.9% | 5.3% | 3.6% | 1.1% | 0.02% |
| Feb 2026 | 46% | 13.8% | 13.8% | 9.2% | 7.5% | 5.1% | 3.4% | 1.2% | 0.03% |
| Mar 2026 | 47.2% | 14.2% | 11.6% | 9.5% | 7.8% | 5.2% | 3.5% | 1% | 0.02% |
| Apr 2026 | 47.2% | 14.2% | 11.6% | 9.5% | 7.8% | 5.2% | 3.5% | 1% | 0.02% |
| May 2026 | 47.5% | 14.3% | 11.7% | 9.6% | 7.8% | 5.2% | 2.9% | 1.1% | 0.03% |
| Jun 2026 | 47.5% | 14.3% | 11.7% | 9.6% | 7.8% | 5.2% | 2.9% | 1.1% | 0.02% |
| Jul 2026 | 52% | 12.8% | 10.4% | 8.6% | 7% | 5.7% | 2.6% | 0.94% | 0.02% |
| Aug 2026 | 50.9% | 12.5% | 12.5% | 8.4% | 6.8% | 5.6% | 2.5% | 0.92% | 0.02% |
| Sep 2026 | 47.5% | 14.3% | 11.7% | 9.6% | 7.8% | 5.2% | 2.9% | 1.1% | 0.02% |
How has the KFC and Wendy's comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- KFC was ahead of Wendy's in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, KFC’s estimated Share of Search among fast food chains worldwide moved from 11.5% to 11.7%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 24.9M.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Wendy's’ estimated Share of Search among fast food chains worldwide moved from 6.3% to 5.2%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 13.6M to 11.1M.
How did search popularity change for fast food chains worldwide in September 2026?
2 changes
In September 2026, KFC lost estimated Share of Search among fast food chains worldwide, from 12.5% to 11.7%.
Estimated monthly branded searches for Wendy's worldwide fell 18.4% over 12 measured months, from 13.6M to 11.1M in September 2026.
Other head-to-heads among fast food chains
How each brand is measured
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using KFC’s and Wendy's’ names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
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