

In 1964, then 73 years old, he sold the company to a group of investors led by John Y. The company's rapid expansion across the United States and overseas became overwhelming for Sanders. When his original restaurant closed, he devoted himself full-time to franchising his fried chicken throughout the country. Sanders recognized the potential of the restaurant franchising concept, and the first KFC franchise opened in South Salt Lake, Utah, in 1952. During that time, Sanders developed his "secret recipe" and his patented method of cooking chicken in a pressure fryer. He began selling fried chicken from his roadside restaurant in North Corbin, Kentucky, during the Great Depression.

Sanders held a number of jobs in his early life, such as steam engine stoker, insurance salesman, and filling station operator. The Governor of Kentucky bestows the honor of a colonel's commission, by issuance of letters patent. The title "colonel" is an honorific title, the highest awarded by the Commonwealth of Kentucky, the Kentucky Colonel, and is not a military rank. His name and image are still symbols of the company. Colonel Harland David Sanders (September 9, 1890 – December 16, 1980) was an American businessman, best known for founding fast food chicken restaurant chain Kentucky Fried Chicken (also known as KFC) and later acting as the company's brand ambassador and symbol.
