KFC gives parents 165K for naming their newborn after founder Colonel Sanders

KFC has given an American couple – who named their daughter after the chain’s founder, Colonel Sanders – about R165 000.

The fried chicken outlet donated the money towards baby Harland Rose’s university tuition after her parents gave her the same first name as the iconic colonel.

KFC announced baby Harland as the winner of their baby naming competition on Twitter on Tuesday. 

The fast food outlet started a baby naming competition in August, saying that the first family to have a child on 9 September and name their newborn Harland would get the money for the baby’s university tuition, reports The Sun.

They did this to revive the popularity of the late founder's name, which was ranked as only the 5 477th most chosen name for newborns in 2018.

According to Straits Times, the US$11,000 prize money was a nod to the 11 different herbs and spices in the batter of KFC's fried chicken.

The ninth of September would’ve been Colonel Sanders' 128th birthday. He died in 1980.

Announcing the win on Twitter under the guise of the colonel, KFC created a mock birth certificate with a cute picture of baby Harland, reading:  

“I’m as pleased as pumpkin punch to announce the winner of our Baby Harland Naming Contest, and the Harland who’ll be ushering in an all-new generation of Harlands, little Harland Rose.”

Sources: The Sun, Metro, Straits Times