- Saucy! by KFC will open its Gainesville location on March 26 with free giveaways starting at 11 a.m. at 3403 W University Ave.
- The restaurant offers 12 customizable sauces with chicken tenders and operates daily from 10 a.m. to midnight, with late-night drive-thru hours.
- Saucy! plans to expand with 10 more Florida locations this year, building on six already opened since 2024.
Saucy! by KFC, one of Kentucky Fried Chicken’s newest enterprising endeavors, is inviting the community to celebrate its grand opening in Gainesville on March 26 with free giveaways.
The chicken-tender and sauce-focused restaurant has been renovating the former PDQ Chicken at 3403 W University Ave. in the Westgate Shopping Plaza since November 2025.
Starting at 11 a.m. during the grand opening on March 26, customers can get special giveaways and complimentary bites.
From 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on April 18, a Saucy Soirée Party will feature free swag bags, Sauce Bar tasting guided by a Sauce Sommelier, live DJ, custom merchandise, photobooth, games and more.
The Saucy’s dining room will operate daily from 10 a.m. to midnight and keep the drive-thru open until 2 a.m. on Sundays through Wednesdays and 3 a.m. on Thursdays through Saturdays.
Self-serve kiosks aim to provide a “tech-forward space” in the bright pink space, as “vibe dining” comes at 9 p.m. when the lights go down and the music turns up for an experience beyond the plate.
“Gainesville is full of energy thanks to its vibrant college community, and we’re excited to bring Saucy! into the mix,” said Saucy General Manager Andrew Grosshans in a press release.
Since its first location came to Orlando in 2024, Saucy has opened six other restaurants across Florida, with 10 more planned for this year and Gainesville serving as a key milestone, according to the release.
Saucy’s menu aims to remix fast food for a new generation, with 12 different sauces to go with chicken tenders rooted in KFC’s original recipe in customizable combinations. Customers can also order Sammies, Chick’itos and Grand’itos (tortilla-wrapped tenders), rice bowls, salads and sugar-dusted Puffie pastries for dessert.
“At Saucy! By KFC, our focus is simple: irresistible freshly prepared chicken tendies, unforgettable signature sauces to mix and match to find the perfect flavor, and a high-energy atmosphere that makes guests want to come back again and again,” Grosshans said.
Such a shame that the only places that want to open are franchises. And how long do they last? There are at least 7-8 full sized restaurants in Gainesville right now that have closed, are empty, and have Sale or Lease signs out front. Places with very limited menu options enhanced my a dozen variations of mayo and mustard live on borrowed time once the novelty wears off.