Joe is Hungry says KFC review’s viral run caught him off guard
Joe Desaavedra told TMZ his KFC popcorn chicken review topped 17 million X views after he nearly skipped posting it.
By Bianca Rossi · Entertainment Editor
2 min read
Joe Desaavedra, the food reviewer known online as Joe is Hungry, told TMZ his Joe is Hungry KFC clip was the last review he expected to explode online.
The video, a review of KFC’s popcorn chicken, has drawn more than 17 million views on X alone, according to TMZ. Desaavedra said he was surprised by the reaction because he did not think the segment was anything special and almost left it unpublished.
The X post identified the item as “KFC NEW Popcorn Chicken Review,” listed it as an LTO, and showed a $4.99 price and 620 calories. The post was dated July 20, 2026, and the embed displayed 89.7K likes and 614 replies.
Why did Joe is Hungry’s KFC review go viral?
Desaavedra told TMZ he does not have a clear explanation for why this particular review caught fire. He said the popcorn chicken video felt so ordinary to him that he nearly decided against posting it.
Joe is Hungry is Desaavedra’s food-review persona, built around online videos sizing up fast food and other menu items. TMZ reported that he has posted more than 100 food reviews online before the KFC clip raced across X.
The viral pop did not come from a one-off stunt, according to TMZ’s account of his work. Desaavedra had already built an audience in the crowded food-review corner of the internet by treating the reviews seriously and posting them consistently.
What is in the viral KFC post?
The embedded X post promoted a review of KFC popcorn chicken and included the limited-time-offer label, price and calorie count. It appeared on the account Joe is Hungry on YouTube, using the handle @JoeisHungryBite.
The review’s runaway reach is the kind of internet moment creators chase, though Desaavedra told TMZ it was not the one he had penciled in as a hit. The clip’s view count on X alone put it far beyond a routine food-review post.
Desaavedra also told TMZ he does not plan to soften his approach after the KFC attention. He said he will continue posting brutally honest reviews and keep holding fast food chains accountable.
For now, the popcorn chicken review sits as his breakout viral moment, powered by a post he nearly benched. The internet, as ever, picked the strangest item on the menu.
This story draws on original reporting from TMZ.