KFC vs Wendy's:Which is more popular by branded search in New Zealand?
In August 2026, KFC had more branded searches than Wendy's among fast food chains in New Zealand. KFC was estimated to have 301K branded searches compared to Wendy's’ 46.9K, and held a 28.5% Share of Search versus Wendy's’ 4.4%.
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Which is more popular in search, KFC or Wendy's?
Compare the fast food chains New Zealanders 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 | KFC | McDonald's | Burger King | Taco Bell | Subway | Wendy's | Popeyes | Carl's Jr. | Pita Pit | Nando's | Zambrero | Mexicali Fresh |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 34% | 25.7% | 14.5% | 4.4% | 3.8% | 3.9% | 3.5% | 3.8% | 2.7% | 2.1% | 0.83% | 0.62% |
| Nov 2025 | 31% | 28.5% | 13.5% | 4.8% | 4.2% | 4.2% | 3.8% | 3% | 3.1% | 2.2% | 0.93% | 0.66% |
| Dec 2025 | 28.2% | 31.8% | 13.5% | 6% | 4.2% | 3.9% | 3.4% | 2.5% | 2.7% | 2.1% | 1% | 0.59% |
| Jan 2026 | 23.8% | 32.5% | 14.8% | 6.4% | 4.8% | 4.4% | 3.7% | 2.8% | 3.1% | 2.2% | 0.93% | 0.65% |
| Feb 2026 | 25.8% | 32.1% | 14.2% | 6% | 4.3% | 3.9% | 3.4% | 3% | 3.5% | 2.2% | 1% | 0.7% |
| Mar 2026 | 25.2% | 31.1% | 14.3% | 6.1% | 5.1% | 4.7% | 3.3% | 2.9% | 3.3% | 2.4% | 0.99% | 0.67% |
| Apr 2026 | 25.5% | 31.4% | 14.4% | 6.2% | 5% | 4% | 3.6% | 3% | 2.8% | 2.5% | 0.99% | 0.57% |
| May 2026 | 27.4% | 27.1% | 16.7% | 6.4% | 4.4% | 3.9% | 3.7% | 3.1% | 2.8% | 2.8% | 1% | 0.6% |
| Jun 2026 | 28.8% | 25.8% | 15.5% | 6.7% | 4.7% | 4.2% | 3.8% | 3.3% | 2.8% | 2.7% | 1% | 0.62% |
| Jul 2026 | 29.1% | 25.9% | 14.4% | 7.3% | 4.6% | 4.4% | 3.7% | 3.3% | 2.9% | 2.9% | 0.94% | 0.64% |
| Aug 2026 | 28.5% | 26.1% | 14.5% | 6.9% | 4.9% | 4.4% | 3.9% | 3.4% | 2.9% | 2.8% | 0.95% | 0.67% |
| Sep 2026 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
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 11 months ending August 2026.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, KFC’s estimated Share of Search among fast food chains in New Zealand moved from 34% to 28.5%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 458K to 301K.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Wendy's’ estimated Share of Search among fast food chains in New Zealand moved from 3.9% to 4.4%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 53K to 46.9K.
How did search popularity change for New Zealand fast food chains in August 2026?
2 changes
In August 2026, KFC lost estimated Share of Search among fast food chains in New Zealand, from 29.1% to 28.5%.
Wendy's’ estimated Share of Search among fast food chains in New Zealand has gained ground for 3 months in a row, from 3.9% to 4.4% in August 2026.
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.
KFC
23 branded search terms
- kfc
- kfc bombay
- kfc botany
- kfc bucket
- kfc c
- kfc chicken
- kfc co nz
- kfc deals
- kfc deals with prices
- kfc delivery
- kfc eastgate
- kfc henderson
- kfc lynfield
- kfc menu
- kfc near me
- kfc nz
- kfc online
- kfc pakuranga
- kfc panmure
- kfc richmond
- kfc snack box
- kfc sylvia park
- kfc trading hours
Wendy's
24 branded search terms
- wendy's
- wendy's delivery
- wendy's menu
- wendy's near me
- wendy's nz
- wendys
- wendys burger
- wendys co nz
- wendys company
- wendys delivery
- wendys desert
- wendys dominion road
- wendys frosty
- wendys hours
- wendys menu
- wendys near me
- wendys new zealand
- wendys nz
- wendys prices
- wendys promo
- wendys restaurant
- wendys royal oak
- wendys te atatu
- wendys toy
Put your own brand in this comparison
Brandwave tracks your branded demand next to the rival you actually watch, with your campaigns, spend and outcomes on the same timeline.