Mainstream media in Britain is reporting scenes of despair as hungry punters are forced to find their chicken fix elsewhere, meanwhile one woman's furious rant because she had to go to Burger King instead has been described as "probably the most unnecessarily over dramatic moment in TV history." The clip has subsequently gone viral.
Meanwhile London's Metropolitan Police team in Tower Hamlets turned to social media to Tweet hungry KFC fans asking them not to call officers asking for emergency assitence. "Please do not contact us about the #KFCCrisis — it is not a police matter if your favorite eatery is not serving the menu that you desire."
The nationwide shortage of chicken has caused more than 500 stores to close while the company cited "operational issues" with its new distribution system. Customers were alerted to the crisis after many of the restaurants had pasted "Sorry we are closed" signs on the door.
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Delivery firm DHL has recently been appointed by KFC to alongside QSL manage the supply and distribution of chicken to 850 restaurants across the UK. The company had previously used Bidvest Logistics and admitted it was having teetching problems with its new client.
"We've brought a new delivery partner on board, but they've had a couple of teething problems — getting fresh chicken out to 900 restaurants across the country is pretty complet!" KFC said in a statement.
"We won't compromise on quality, so no deliveries has meant some of our restaurants are closed and others are operating a limited menu, or shortened hours….We know that this might have inconvenienced some of you over the last few days, and disappointed you when you wanted your fried chicken fix — we're really sorry about that," KFC added.
However it's emerged GMB union had warned the fast food giant over its ‘bird-brained' DHL contract decision. "We tried to warn KFC this would have consequences — well now the chickens are coming home to roost," says GMB.
"The mass chicken shortage which has forced KFC to close 750 of its 900 UK outlets is down to a ‘bird-brained' decision to award the delivery contract to DHL in order to save money," GMB said in a statement.
"In a bid to increase profits, KFC awarded the contract to DHL….causing 255 redundancies and the closure of a Bidvest depot…Bidvest are specialists — a food distribution firm with years of experience. DHL are scratching around for any work they can get, and undercut them."
"It's an absolute cock up," the union says.
The reports the colonel had run out of chicken sparked outpourings of humour and anger on social media, meanwhile other users displayed a degree of social conscience expressing concern at the consequences of truck loads of chicken going to waste in DHL lorries and lost staff wages.