KFC Hiring Overview For 2023

Is KFC on the Ban the Box list?

The Ban the Box campaign and its sister movement, the Fair Chance Business Pledge, work to help felons get back on their feet. Employers who Ban the Box remove questions about conviction histories from their job applications so ex-felons have a better chance and can get farther in the employment process. Companies that support these actions are good to apply to.

Kentucky Fried Chicken is not ban the box, nor have they signed the Fair Chance Business Pledge. Their application has a box asking about your criminal history.

Does KFC have any special programs for hiring felons?

Although KFC doesn’t currently have any specific programs for hiring felons, local job placement agencies or workforce centers may offer options that can help you to snag the job you want.

What are the odds someone with a felony will get hired?

We think you have high odds of getting hired at Kentucky Fried Chicken. While you’re going to have to face your record in order to get hired, they will look past convictions in many cases. Thankfully the size of the company works in your favor if you’re looking to get hired immediately.

What are some entry-level jobs?

Entry-level jobs are a great way to get your foot in the door of a company that you want to work at or to get extra experience to help your career goals.

At Kentucky Fried Chicken, employees need to have a positive attitude and be polite, friendly, and show up on time to work their shifts.

Entry-level jobs at KFC are as follows:

• Cook — Prepare/cook large amounts of food, wash dishes, clean, work drive-through and take orders
• Team Member — Assume a wide variety of responsibilities, but mainly prepare food and serve customers
• Cashier — Take orders and cook food

Tips to get hired here with a felony

If you want to get a job at KFC with a felony, you’ll need to research their website and see what jobs they have to offer. Keep in mind which jobs best match your experience, skills and interest.

Jobs that you held before you went to prison or that you worked in while serving time may have helped you get better at the following skills which could assist you with finding work as an ex-felon:

• A special job for the warden may have helped you learn how to communicate effectively and work well with others
• Working in janitorial services, you learned cleaning, disinfecting and sanitation skills
• If you worked in the infirmary or concessions, you gained some customer service skills
• Working as a clerk or librarian helped you learn research and library skills

A solid resume is key to your job search. Consider getting professional help with your resume. You may get some helpful advice from a local job placement agency with resume preparation, dressing and interview skills.

You might have gained a number of skills from both paid positions and unpaid voluntary work or activities. Remember, any classes or workshops you’ve taken will help show you’re qualified for the job.

When possible, apply for a job in person as it sends the message that you’re serious about the job. Take the time to groom and dress appropriately, get a fresh haircut, brush your teeth, press your clothes, and do your best to cover tattoos.

Tattoos may not be against the company’s policy, but you want to make sure before you show them. You want your first impression to be a good one that favors you as an ideal candidate.

We could not obtain a direct statement from Kentucky Fried Chicken. However, the majority of comments online state that yes, KFC does perform background checks for Shift Manager positions and above.

Keep in mind that a background check won’t necessarily disqualify you from a job, but a certain felony may work against you, especially if you’re applying for certain positions.

Here’s what you need to know about background checks:

If your conviction is seven years old, some states don’t view those offenses. So, if your record is six years old, wait the time out so that if you apply for jobs in the states below, your employers won’t see your record:

• California
• Colorado*
• Kansas*
• Maryland*
• Massachusetts
• Montana
• Nevada
• New Hampshire*
• New York*
• Texas*
• Washington*

*sometimes certain pay or salary bracket positions require one.

However, if you were found not guilty, the list of states below does not consider those court cases:

• Alaska
• California
• Hawaii
• Indiana (limited check)
• Kentucky
• Massachusetts
• Michigan
• New York

There are a number of states that report everything on their background check process. If you are looking for a job in these states, employers will see your entire record, even if you were found not guilty:

• Alabama
• Arizona
• Arkansas
• Connecticut
• DC
• Delaware
• Florida
• Idaho
• Indiana (extensive check)
• Iowa
• Louisiana
• Maine
• Mississippi
• Missouri
• Nebraska
• New Jersey
• North Carolina
• North Dakota
• Ohio
• Oregon
• Rhode Island
• South Carolina

Company ratings

With nearly 3,000 reviews on the site glassdoor.com, Kentucky Fried Chicken received an average score of 3.2 out of a possible 5 stars, and 52% of people would recommend a friend.

There was a fair balance of positive and negative comments. The more positive comments were related to benefits of free or reduced food and flexible scheduling. Typical of this industry, the negative comments were associated with dissatisfaction with pay, disrespectful customers or lack of help.

What felonies KFC will not hire

Are there certain convictions that will sink your application? Maybe, but KFC didn’t tell us what they are. Read below for more.

What felony convictions might have a hard time getting hired here?

Based on KFC’s job application, there are questions about if you’ve ever been convicted of a crime (does not include minor traffic violations), if you’re currently charged with a crime, or if you’ve ever threatened or committed an act of violence, harassment, or discrimination. Whether your felony could prevent you from getting hired or not may depend upon the job or other factors about the crime.

Depending on what position you are being considered for, convictions related to robbery, burglary, larceny or sex crimes may make it harder to get hired.

However, don’t let your record be the reason that you don’t apply. The only way to know what will happen is to apply.

Does KFC hire sex offenders?

We aren’t totally sure on this one because they didn’t say and we can’t see any reports online about it.

Does KFC drug test?

Although we weren’t able to find their drug testing policy, most comments online stated that they don’t perform drug tests. However, since we cannot confirm this with the company, we would say there’s a possibility that drug tests are performed, even if it’s random.

Have you applied for a job or worked here before? Share your experiences!

If you have ever worked at Kentucky Fried Chicken, we’d love to hear your tips to help an ex-felon have a better chance to get hired.

Best of luck!