FINGER LICKIN GOOD ? (Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC))

Member Name: jingles

Product:	Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC)
Date:	11/09/01 (3052 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Its cheap and fast and sate hunger

Disadvantages: Staff, hygiene, hit or miss food

I suppose it is fair to say that in our household (well there’s only David, Purdy (the cat) and l) was are KFC connoisseur’s, l suppose! It’s definitely not the quality of the food that draws us back time and time again, its not the excellent customer service, hygienic premises and to be truthful l do find the marketing and advertisements rather annoying. So why keep going back? Well the food fills a gap when we are hungry, l can’t be bothered to cook a proper food or we are drunk! Overall, the standard of food received is generally hit or miss. So why are we drawn back time and time again like zombies? Has Colonel Sander’s brainwashed us in some way? I personally think it’s the chicken gravy – it’s the only think l can think of - and even then l have received sub standard gravy too (that’s if we are lucky to receive it at all!)

Generally, we will visit the branch of KFC to be found in Glengormley, Newtownabbey – so lm writing this opinion with this branch in mind. I’ll also put in my disclaimer here and now – l in no way intend to offend the innocent – lm taking from my experience and what l have found.


PREMISE HYGIENE

It seems the case that every time l enter the take away, the staff always seem to be cleaning, pushing around a mop and bucket. Yet if this is the case, why then are the toilets disease ridden, ashtrays over flowing, the remains of food left on tables and spilling on to floors. Even the floors, which are being cleaned, don’t seem to be getting any cleaner – the dirt is simply being moved around. I must admit though these self service take aways generally are self-cleaning – in that customers should dump their rubbish in the bins provided. I am as big a culprit as the next person – l never do (although David always does) in my defence though – the rubbish bins are generally cramped full and so there
is no room to dump your rubbish. Yes l know it’s a lame excuse!

STAFF

Now here’s where l really get going and lm sorry if any one is offend! Do the franchise holders in each Kentucky Take Away attend a course on how to employ the most inane, brain dead eejits this country has to offer? I’m sorry if l generalise here but – in every branch l can think of ever had the pleasure of eating in the staff look zombified, they seem to be inarticulate, uncoordinated and possibly dead!! So why do l have grounds for say this – l should really justify myself should l not? Well, on more occasions than l care to remember orders we have given have been completely and utterly wrong. The first few occasions we shrugged it off, but after the 4 time we have taken action – we now ring the branch we have visited and complain – it usually means we are entitled to a free meal. When asking for orders staff seem to stare blankly through us, it’s as if they have lost the will to live! I don’t totally blame staff for their incompetitance – the franchise owners must take a lot of the blame. Staff are clearly unmotivated, and are willing away the hours until they can run as fast as their little legs will carry them out of the branch and back to sanity!


FOOD

I have mentioned previously food is not of high quality – but then to be truthful lm not expecting overly high quality, lm expecting fast food. To be truthful, l quite like KFC – perhaps it’s the herbs and spices or perhaps it’s the way it’s cooked – l don’t know! I must admit to having sampled the majority of the menu and one word of warning – never expect your meal to look like the pictures on the menu board – that way you will not be disappointed! As the name suggests KFC or Kentucky Fried Chicken, you will be able to purchase chicken based fast food meals – so if you
want a meat burger don’t come here!!

KFC specialise in meal deal combos in which along with your choice of main course, you will receive a drink and french fries. The combos include:

 The Original Recipe Meal – 2 bits of chicken
 Chicken Variety Meal – 2 bits of chicken, a chicken strip or hotwings
 Burger Meals – either in fillet or zinger variety. The zinger is a fillet covered in a spicy coating
 Tower Meals – burgers again plain fillet or zinger except in the burger bun you will find a hash brown – why – l don’t know!
 Crispy Strips Meal – similar to chicken goujons
 Bargain Buckets – supposed to include enough chicken and side orders to feed a family. They usually include a bottle (1.5 litre) of soft drink or desert. I have seen my partner devour one of these alone – so how you could feed a family l do not know!

The prices range for the combo meals from about £2.99 to £3.50, and for the bargain bucket expect to pay around £10. According to the web site prices may vary from branch to branch.


KFC FACTS

I found a web site for the fast food joint at http://www.kfc.co.uk – it’s bright and breezy but really nothing special! But it does have a history section so l thought ld blind you with KFC facts to store in your brain and dazzle your friends and family!

 1890 Colonel Sanders was born
 1896 Colonel Sanders starts cooking for his family aged 6
 1930 He starts to cook for travellers at his service station in Corbin, Kentucky
 1935 Governor Laffoon made him a Kentucky Colonel for services to the states cuisine
 1939 His secret recipe of 11 herbs and spices is developed – its still a secret to this day!
 1955 The Colonel starts his franchising as Kentucky Fried Chicken
 196
5 The UK franchises open
 2000 Over 2 billion meals are served in over 82 countries world wide

In the UK alone there are over 500 KFC’s and over 8000 staff.


OVERALL

I’m strangely drawn through the doors of KFC; sometimes nothing else will sate my perverse sense of taste – but heigh ho lm willing to live with it! Ok – the premises can at times be filthy holes, staff are the undead, and the food is hit and miss – but have you ever had the chicken gravy? In the words of Homer Simpson – mmmmm Gravy!!!

Heather

Summary: