<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001041061-05-000303
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20051018
<FILING-DATE>20051019
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20051019
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>YUM BRANDS INC
<CIK>0001041061
<ASSIGNED-SIC>5812
<IRS-NUMBER>133951308
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>NC
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>1231
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>1441 GARDINER LANE
<CITY>LOUISVILLE
<STATE>KY
<ZIP>40213
<PHONE>5028748300
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>1900 COLONEL SANDERS LANE
<CITY>LOUISVILLE
<STATE>KY
<ZIP>40213
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
<FORMER-COMPANY>
<FORMER-CONFORMED-NAME>TRICON GLOBAL RESTAURANTS INC
<DATE-CHANGED>19970627
</FORMER-COMPANY>
<FORMER-COMPANY>
<FORMER-CONFORMED-NAME>GREAT AMERICAN RESTAURANT CO
<DATE-CHANGED>19970618
</FORMER-COMPANY>
</ISSUER>
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>GRISSOM J DAVID
<CIK>0000941418
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>001-13163
<FILM-NUMBER>051144925
</FILING-VALUES>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>MAYFAIR CAPITAL INC CAPITAL HOLDINGS CTR
<STREET2>400 MARKET STREET SUITE 2510
<CITY>LOUISVILLE
<STATE>KY
<ZIP>40202
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>doc4.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2005-10-18</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001041061</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>YUM BRANDS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>YUM</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0000941418</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>GRISSOM J DAVID</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>4969 U.S. HWY 42</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 2000</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>LOUISVILLE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>KY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>40222</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>19141.62</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2005-10-18</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate>
                <value>2005-10-18</value>
            </deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>P</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>3600.00</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>49.58</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>5000.00</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By Indep. IRA - GT</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2005-10-18</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate>
                <value>2005-10-18</value>
            </deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>P</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1100.00</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>49.58</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>2700.00</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By Indep. Retirement Acct. #1</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2005-10-18</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate>
                <value>2005-10-18</value>
            </deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>P</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>300.00</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>49.58</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>300.00</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By Indep. Retirement Acct. #4</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable></derivativeTable>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>J. David Grissom</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2005-10-19</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
