If you had been paying attention to me instead of observing the internet blackout then you’ll know I had my birthday last week.
I had popped out for a few drinks….
I left the pub on a quest for food with KFC being nearest option, I rarely eat fast food but the alcohol was making my decisions from now on. I placed my order and eventually ambled my way home only to find half my order missing when I got there.
I tried phoning them to no avail and then tried finding an email for head office in the UK to complain to – none exist. My anger was gaining momentum, I had to get this off my chest and found an email on the American site. It wouldn’t let me move onto the complaint without selecting the store the problem happened, obviously Camden Town, London was not present, so I plucked one out of the list. I reeled off an essay of my disgruntled grievances and pressed send.
The next morning I trudged into work having forgotten all about KFC and their attempts to swindle me out of some popcorn chicken until an email flashed into my inbox. It was from the manager of the store I had selected which happened to be in a town called Bremen outside Atlanta, Georgia.
He replied:
I apologize for the trouble you have had with your visit to your local KFC. I have forwarded this email to someone who I hope can get it to the correct person in London. I wish I could do more for you but I am a franchisee in Georgia (US). Hopefully someone will contact you soon.
I immediately thanked him and profusely apologised for sending this to him, feeling very embarrassed and ashamed.
Sending complaints is something I have cause to do now and then but they are always well constructed and debated. This is a definite downpoint to alcohol – it turns you into an obnoxious prick as witnessed below:
Sorry to email you, I am in London, UK, but am so annoyed by my experience and the service I had and am irritated that no email exists for UK complaints, so my complaint is not about the store I selected.
It is my birthday so I went to KFC to buy food for a few friends to eat at home, I waited 20 minutes in London, Camden Town store, food came, the assistant reeled off what was in thee but I got home and half my food was missing. I have to walk 10 minutes home so I was not going back, I called the store who said there was nothing they could do unless I came back, so it was bad enough my night was ruined, my birthday, but I had to leave my friends to sort out this mess and have half my food cold! I refused and asked for the manager and was told they have no managers and I would have to come back at 2pm the next day. When I told them I had a job so can’t just leave for the hour journey to KFC to sort out their error they said they can’t help me then.
So basically it sums up that KFC robbed me, they stole from me. You sold me food but never supplied it and made no sufficient effort to resolve it.
How hard is it anyway? The store was empty when I arrived, their job is to put food into a bag – and they failed miserably.
It’s diabolical!
londonsurvival 
Kirk
/ January 24, 2012yet more evidence of Broken Britain.
joehoover
/ January 24, 2012The UK branch still haven’t replied either, we have no customer service culture here. Kudos to the USA for their customer service even when it’s overdone.
free life insurance quotes quotes
/ April 24, 2015Well I guess I don’t have to spend the weekend figuring this one out!
Cakes and Shakes...
/ January 24, 2012Surprisingly excellent spelling & grammar, considering drinks were had! Hats off to your anger-booze fuelled literacy 🙂
On another note, any time I have visited North America, the courtesy and excellent customer service always impress me. They can’t do enough to help in my experience, even if they are not actually at fault. Of course, in New York you can order a sandwich and some crisps at 3 in the morning and get it delivered to your home for free. (Seriously, I got Irish Taytos and a massive club sandwich delivered to my door at 3am in New York for the princely sum of three dollars ninety-five.. why is this not everywhere??).
http://www.cakesandshakes.wordpress.com
joehoover
/ January 24, 2012I remember Taytos from my jaunts to Dublin, sounds like a niche in the market. I’d phone for snacks rather than going to the 24 hour shop at the end of my road.
sara
/ January 24, 2012You crack me up. You did what any good drunk in your situation would have done. 🙂 honestly, sometimes I think they really do it on purpose and they sneak out back and eat the chicken you paid for while laughing the whole time lol. I kid. Well, sort of…
joehoover
/ January 24, 2012Do chicken shop workers eat their own food? I thought we were the only ones foolish enough!
I’ll be watching them more closely on my 37th birthday
Ruby
/ January 24, 2012Y’all have KFC over there? Fascinating. I knew there were McDonald’s and such, but I didn’t know how far-reaching our American fastfood empire spread. Do you have Popeye’s? You really should have Popeye’s if you’re going to have KFC. What about Bojangles? Church’s? Chick-fil-a? Just trying to gauge your chicken options.
I (shamefully) admittedly have never been to England, but I did visit Ireland once over a decade ago. I was shocked to find that they had Johnny Rockets. Sort of. There they called it Eddie Rockets. It made me giggle.
joehoover
/ January 24, 2012KFC along with Burger King and McDonalds are our main 3, and we have Subway. I only allow myself KFC of those, at least there is some distinguishable meat in there somewhere. Have never heard of the rest, though I like the names. Our only other chicken places are franchises called Chicken Cottage which always makes me laugh. (in case you don’t have the terms over there – a cottage being where some gay men hang out to pick each other up and chicken the term for the younger gay chaps) Childish I know…reminds me I also walked past a chinese takeaway the other day called Chasing Dragon, that made me laugh too since the area is rundown and bound to have a drug problem.
We used to have a Wendy’s in Piccadilly Circus about 15 years ago, I remember the burger was square, it closed down, we weren’t ready for quatrilateral patties.
I loved Eddie Rockets! I went to them in Dublin, we have a variation here, Ed’s but it’s not so much fun. In Dublin they opened late for drinkers after the pub, not so in London.
In Australia there was a chicken place we did go to since we had so many hangovers called Red Rooster and they were awesome. But they did squid, prawns too (deep fried of course) and whole normal roasted chicken and vegetables if you wanted Sunday lunch, that was very weird to me.
Ruby
/ January 24, 2012Chicken and Cottage… wow, I’m learning so much today! I think the American translation for Chicken would be Twink. Though, that implies that they’re not only young but also quite effeminate, so maybe not. Not sure we have a term for your average, run-of-the-mill young gay dude. Cub? Nah, that implies they go after Bears. So complicated. Let’s get back to talking about real chicken…
There are a lot of fried chicken chains here, obviously. Not as many as burgers, of which I can’t even name half of them. I think I’m starting to catch on to our nation’s obesity issue. But Subway! Oh, Subway! How can you not love Subway?! A) It’s healthy, and B) options!, and C) you get to boss them around! I hate going into a sub shop to find that their only topping options are lettuce and tomato, mayo or mustard. Such a let down. But not so at Subway!
joehoover
/ January 24, 2012Your knowledge of gay terminology is impressive!
I always though it’s easy for me to make a sandwich so woudl just make it myself, whereas I’m not gonna bother deep frying chicken.
I like the ordering around part, can you slap them with salami if they add onions by mistake?
Ruby
/ January 24, 2012Slap them with salami? It’s Subway, not a Chicken Cottage!
Hey-oo!
(Just using my new vocabulary in a sentence).
joehoover
/ January 25, 2012Haha, brilliant!
Edward Hotspur
/ January 25, 2012Well happy birthday! Hope it was a good one!
joehoover
/ January 25, 2012Thanks, it was so-so, Tuesday night and everyone is poor in January. I may move it to another month when it’s not so cold and people are in a better mood.
prettyfeetpoptoe
/ January 30, 2012My friend and I once got asked to leave the KFC in Camden for eating a chip. Apparently you have to wait until you get outside before you realise that you’ve just purchased rat giblets.
joehoover
/ January 30, 2012Now I have an image in my head of them down the canal scooping up rats ready for deep frying.
prettyfeetpoptoe
/ January 30, 2012I’ve seen it. They use those blue hair nets tied together.
lovelyshadesofnostalgia
/ February 7, 2012Food is important at wee hours of the morning while drinking and trying to stave off a hangover. And on your birthday! Is it that difficult to remember the popcorn chicken, I mean come on. Merry fabulous belated birthday, by the way. I’d send you some popcorn chicken as a present, but I’m pretty sure by the time it made it across the Atlantic Ocean it would be stank and unpleasant and most likely inedible. Though, when you really think about it, I suppose that’s not wholly unlike “fresh” fast food.
joehoover
/ February 7, 2012Exactly why I never eat it, food should be satisfying and leave you happy. I just feel sick after eating fast food, give me a home cooked meal any day of the week.