Retro Map
The Bucket
The classic Kentucky Fried Chicken location preserves a familiar fast food identity from another era, when bold signage, recognizable architecture, and family meal rituals gave the brand a distinct presence.
KENTUCKY FRIED CHICKEN
The Bucket
250 N Bascom Ave
San Jose, California 95128
1964–Present
Time Capsule Timeline
1964
The Bucket is installed, featuring the slogan, “North America's Hospitality Dish.”
1968
The slogan becomes “We fix Sunday dinner seven nights a week”
1969
The slogan begins to focus on “Finger Lickin' Good.”
1991
Kentucky Fried Chicken officially changes its name to KFC, leading to the removal of original bucket signs across the country
1995
The original building is demolished. The San Jose Planning Department steps in, declaring the sign a historic landmark
Why this location matters
The classic KFC represents a period when restaurant identity was deeply tied to shape, signage, and instantly recognizable visual cues. It carries the atmosphere of a once-common American roadside experience.
Time capsule significance
Surviving older-style KFC locations still communicate a specific design language from the late 20th century. They preserve fast-food memory in physical form.
