I had the worst food and the worst service I’d ever had at a fast food restaurant last night.
At least it was free.
A few months back KFC offered a .pdf coupon to try their new grilled chicken for free. Silly them, don’t they know people can print unlimited .pdf’s?! So when they got bombarded with people wanting free chicken, they stopped accepting them and told the people to mail in their coupons so they could receive different coupons.
Well, I hadn’t wanted to be part of the bombardment, so I had waited til the crowds died down, thus I waited too long. So I made a special trip in to KFC, gave them my coupon so they could mail it in and I could fill out the form to get my new one.
And I waited. And I waited. And I waited. A month later, in June, my coupon came in the mail. When I checked the expiration date, I saw it was only good for two weeks in August. I filed it away and sincerely hoped I didn’t forget about it. I figured it would come in handy with a newborn.
I wish I’d forgotten about it.
We went out last night to use it. We didn’t end up getting there until about eight. We didn’t think anything of it, though. But apparently you’re not supposed to GO to that Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant after eight o’clock. (They close at nine.)
Josh was getting the older two settled, cutting chicken, putting hair back, opening plasticware. I was carrying a six-week-old while going back and forth to the drink station. On my last trip back, I found the entrance to our section baracaded! With a sign that said, “Section Closed”
Thinking the lady had a mistake, I joked to Josh, “I’d love to give you your drink, sweetheart, but I’ve been locked out!”
I honestly thought at this point the worker who had done this would look up, see me holding an infant and a drink, laugh at her mistake and offer to help me though.
(It was a very heavy piece that baracaded the section, it had two garbage cans and a section that held the napkins, condiments, and plasticware. There was no way I could move it.)
Instead! Instead, though! She angrily snapped back a reply something like, “I want to go home TONIGHT, people!!”
Shocked, I responded, “I’d like to eat my food!”
Completely unrelenting, she then went on and on about how she had to work a 12 hour shift today, while very hurredly wiping tables and sweeping floors. She told me to go in the other end.
My family was sitting in the very first table. I had to go halfway through the restaurant to go through the other entrance, which she had also partially baracaded with a trash can, broom, and mop and bucket. And another sign that read, “Section Closed”.
I finally sat down and looked at my food.
The worker at the counter had told us we weren’t allowed to choose the chicken we wanted.
I was given a wing and a tiny, dried out breast. (And I’m a thigh/leg kinda gal!) They tasted like they had been under the heat lamps since eight that morning!
And this coupon was supposed to build support for their new grilled chicken? I don’t get it!
I ate my baked beans and mashed potatoes. And left. Vowing never, under any circumstances, to visit that KFC again. And if I did find myself at a KFC someday in the future, a different one, I sure won’t be getting thier grilled chicken!
KFC, you sure goofed this promotion!
Wow…some experience. I can’t believe she talked to you like that!
Certainly hope this comes to the right person’s attention!
Sorry that happened to you. So frustrating when caring for a baby too. There are so many reasons that one should never eat at KFC anyway. Your experience is another one to add to the list. Frankly, mine is that those poor chickens are tortured before making it the griller. IMHO our animals should be treated humanely before they end up on our table – and that means eliminating the horrendous conditions at factory farms and moving to organic smaller farms.
aww. sorry you had such a bad experience. I went right away after printing them out, I didn’t even know about sending them away and waiting for new coupons. Aside from the long wait, our food was good. it was probably just because you went so close to closing and they weren’t going to make you fresh food. 🙁
I think it’s ridiculous that they closed at 9, too! 😛
Steve’s boss had a bad experience at KFC recently, too! He was going to get food for Steve and the other guys in the IT department around 8pm, just like you. They didn’t have chicken strips, some other form of chicken they wanted, or coleslaw. At 8! Which is still a very normal time to go for dinner! A very odd experience, and now probably none of us will go there again.
Plus, that’s very strange that that lady was so rude to you. If I were you, I would call the company and complain. Ooh, maybe you’ll get more free meals! 🙂
AWFUL!!! Shame on that lady. I wish I was there. I would have told her a thing or two.
KFC should just go away. They’re terrible.
I agree with Pure Mothers. There is nothing ‘natural’ about KFC anyway Natural Mommy–take it as a ‘sign’. 😛
We went back when the promotion was valid, while they were in the process of pulling it – and I hadn’t even printed the pdfs, just four unique bar-coded coupons. They had a sign on the door announcing that they were no longer giving away free chicken, but they sold the people in front of us grilled chicken, proving that they had plenty in stock but refused to accept my legitimate coupons, which I told them point-blank was bait-and-switch. I never got through to anyone to complain, but did send off for the rain check coupons, which finally arrived and we redeemed. The food wasn’t that great, so I contented myself with thinking dark thoughts about KFC. I’m certainly not about to give them business ever again. Whoever came up with that profoundly awful marketing campaign must have been deluded by the same publicist who told Britney Spears that all publicity is good publicity.
People are so obnoxious. I really mean that. Just because that worker is miserable with her dumb fast food resturaunt job doesn’t mean she has to take it out on you. Personally I hate all KFC’s. But that’s coming from a vegetarian, lol!
My mom got food poisoning twice from KFC so I never went there as a kid and when I tried it as an adult it made my yuck factor go off big time.
I feel sorry that you had a bad experience with KFC. I love KFC a lot and hopefully this wouldn’t happen to me. Thanks for sharing your sentiments here. By the way, there’s a new social networking site dedicated to parents and kids, it’s called Bluepixo.com – it’s a place for Moms, Dads, and Kids! Now, there’s even a chance to win a free iPod Nano!. It would be so nice of you to join our parents’ forums and polls. Thanks a lot and have a great day!
e-mail the company and tell them which store it was. Even if you don’t hear, I would guarantee that the store will.
I agree with Margaret. You absolutely must email or call KFC mgt and let them know about your experience. There’s no excuse for that treatment – 12 hour shift or no. That’s totally unexucusable.
However, as for the grilled chicken….I LOVE LOVE LOVE it!!! Sorry you had bad pick there. Try it again, earlier in the day I guess, at a different KFC. Forget the coupons.
Take care!
Thanks for your vaccine posts – they’re why I stumbled onto your blog anyway.
Shanyn
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