The headquarters for Kentucky Fried Chicken’s U.S. operations will no longer be in its namesake state. Parent company Yum! Brands announced Tuesday that those offices will move to Plano, Texas.

The international headquarters for KFC and Pizza Hut are already in Plano. The bases for two other Yum imprints, Taco Bell and Habit Burger & Grill, are staying in Irvine, California, the parent company said in its announcement.

About 100 employees will make the move in the next six months. An additional 90 remote employees will make the switch over the next 18 months. Yum! Brands is also asking its remote workers to return to the office in that time frame.

Not that KFC is totally leaving Kentucky. Yum! Brands and the charitable KFC Foundation will retain offices in Louisville.

The company also said that it remains committed to the Yum! Center for Global Franchise Excellence at the University of Louisville business school and that it will provide a $1 million endowment to that college. On top of that, Yum! Brands plans to build a flagship KFC in Louisville.

Yet local officials aren’t thrilled with the move.

“I am disappointed to learn that Yum! Brands will move its KFC employees to Texas — especially since the brand was born here and is synonymous with Kentucky,” Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg, said, according to Louisville Business First.

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said KFC’s founder, Col. Harland Sanders, would be dismayed.

“I am disappointed by this decision and believe the company’s founder would be, too. This company’s name starts with Kentucky, and it has marketed our state’s heritage and culture in the sale of its product,” Mr. Beshear said, according to The Associated Press.

KFC is not the only major American food franchise to scale down its operations in Louisville in recent years. Pizza chain Papa John’s moved its headquarters to Atlanta in 2020.

• Brad Matthews can be reached at bmatthews@washingtontimes.com.