Being someone who patronizes KFC, maybe even someone who might be considered an aficionado, I have a KFC meal occasionally when in different cities just to compare. I expect that the chicken would be prepared/served in a fashion which may be adjusted for local tastes. I do not expect that the 11 herbs and spices would be changed (made more spicy for the eastern diners perhaps?) or played with, but I always thought that the fry might be different after having tried the product in a few different countries. Now I have visual evidence for comparison of any differences:

 

May 2022
 

 July 2022
 

July 2022

 

The Sydney, Edinburgh and Shenzhen fried chicken look very different from the Kuching version:

• The batter of the Kuching KFC is dry compared to the other three which are visibly oilier.

• The degrees of frying might also be different giving rise to variations in coloration (photo exposure results excepted).

• Indeed, the oiler look signifies chicken cuts which were more moist whereas the Kuching cuts were much drier.

• Taste-wise, there was little difference which means that the herbs and spices blend used remained the same.

• What I think this means is that KFC allows its country franchises some leeway in producing a fried product which suits the local taste. In the case of Malaysia, it must mean that  that the KFC consumer prefers a drier and crispier batter. Indeed the parallel product in Malaysia, the "spicy" version is even drier than the "original" version (and in my mind inedible as it is too dry).

• Overall, give me the moist fried chicken version any day even though it might be oily scary. In that respect, the Sydney, Edinburgh and Shenzhen KFC fired chicken are better.

Notes:

It is said that KFC changed its name in the mid-90s from "Kentucky Fried Chicken" in part because it wanted to avoid the term "fried" which in an increasingly health-conscious market is not good for maintaining market share. However, how would it disguise the frying in their Sydney, Edinburgh and Shenzhen products when they look so oily?