From KFC, a 3-Letter Apology for Its U.K. Chicken Crisis
- 6 years ago
From KFC, a 3-Letter Apology for Its U.K. Chicken Crisis
LONDON — When KFC found itself in an extra-crispy predicament this week when it was unable to provide the
one thing customers expect from the restaurant chain — chicken — it had two choices: Laugh or cry.
So the closure caused no small amount of grief and rage in a country where fried chicken — whether at KFC or at
one of its many imitators, like Chicken Cottage, Tennessee Fried Chicken and Dixie Chicken — is never far away.
In a statement, KFC said the ad was a “tongue-in-cheek rearrangement of our brand name intended to indicate
our first thought when we realized the impact of our closed restaurants on customers in the U. K.”
The ad was in keeping with the public-relations approach that had been employed ever since the scale of the supply-chain snafu made itself apparent.
It made light of the situation earlier by posting a riddle known to every schoolchild — “Why did the chicken cross the road?” —
and answering in a way that reflected its nearly existential crisis
If a vowel was missing, the meaning was clear, expressing a sentiment held by both the restaurant
and its customers, as problems with a new supply chain forced the closure of nearly two-thirds of KFC’s British branches this week.
The KFC ad was headlined “We’re sorry,” while acknowledging the chain’s bizarre plight.
Britain’s culinary reputation might have been built on a foundation of fish and chips and cucumber sandwiches,
but the country has developed an extraordinary fondness for poultry slathered in batter and fried in oil.
LONDON — When KFC found itself in an extra-crispy predicament this week when it was unable to provide the
one thing customers expect from the restaurant chain — chicken — it had two choices: Laugh or cry.
So the closure caused no small amount of grief and rage in a country where fried chicken — whether at KFC or at
one of its many imitators, like Chicken Cottage, Tennessee Fried Chicken and Dixie Chicken — is never far away.
In a statement, KFC said the ad was a “tongue-in-cheek rearrangement of our brand name intended to indicate
our first thought when we realized the impact of our closed restaurants on customers in the U. K.”
The ad was in keeping with the public-relations approach that had been employed ever since the scale of the supply-chain snafu made itself apparent.
It made light of the situation earlier by posting a riddle known to every schoolchild — “Why did the chicken cross the road?” —
and answering in a way that reflected its nearly existential crisis
If a vowel was missing, the meaning was clear, expressing a sentiment held by both the restaurant
and its customers, as problems with a new supply chain forced the closure of nearly two-thirds of KFC’s British branches this week.
The KFC ad was headlined “We’re sorry,” while acknowledging the chain’s bizarre plight.
Britain’s culinary reputation might have been built on a foundation of fish and chips and cucumber sandwiches,
but the country has developed an extraordinary fondness for poultry slathered in batter and fried in oil.