Kentucky Fried Rip-Off!

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Kentucky Fried Rip-Off!

Thursday, May 7, 2009

filed under: family

Think you're gonna waltz right in and get your free chicken with Oprah's coupon?? Think again!

Momlogic's Gillian: Anyone who knows me knows that I am a fast-food junkie. (Yes, I know it's gross, bad for me, full of hormones, from bad factory farms, and I am pretty much putting garbage in my body -- I still eat it. Don't judge.) So, when I printed out my free chicken coupon from Oprah, I was STOKED! Woo hoo! Colonel, I'm comin' to get ya!

kentucky fried chicken free grilled chicken plate

Three of us trundled down to our local KFC today to cash in our coupons, expecting to try the deliciousness of their NEW grilled chicken. WRONG. We got there, and there was a NEAR RIOT. Apparently, in this economy, KFC didn't think anyone would want free food or that people watch Oprah. What we found when we got there was INSANE. This poor manager, who looked like she had been through the wringer, was trying to calmly explain to a customer that because "demand was so high," no FREE chicken was "available." They are only serving 100 orders a day, and they'd already met their quota. You could come back tomorrow and try to get it when they open (at 10 AM!!) or you would need to fill out a form, attach your coupon, and in SIX TO EIGHT WEEKS you would get a coupon for free chicken in the mail. Then there's the kicker -- you are, of course, welcome to BUY their chicken ... they have plenty of that "available." I thought the guy in front of me was going to have a coronary -- and not from all the grease. He started swearing and stormed out. There must have been 10 other people in line -- and man were they pissed. Needless to say, we purchased our chicken and left. But it was a little irritating. And how's this for more fowl play -- the coupon is good 'til May 19th ... EXCEPT ON MOTHER'S DAY! Wow. WTF.

kfc coupon example is not good mothers day

Now here's another kicker -- El Pollo Loco is getting into the mix, offering to redeem KFC's coupons on Mother's Day! In their campaign, "What Does KFC Have Against Moms," they say they'll take your useless coupon and give you a free meal, no mailing required.

I'm not sure about you ... but I'm hitting up the Crazy Chicken. Ole!

UPDATE: KFC is CANCELING the coupon!

28 comments so far | Post a comment now >>

LOL.. the El Pollo Loco controversy, love it!!

- Dels

Posted 05/07/09 05:59 PM

That’s nice of El Pollo Loco. I was wondering why they didn’t let us use them on mothers day. We are having my mothers day friday so the kids can take me to lunch.

- Amy B.

Posted 05/07/09 06:30 PM

People are dying all over the world from starvation and you’re complaining about not getting free chicken? Seriously, something happens to people when the word “free” gets attached to anything. You admit the poor manager was frazzled. How about some compassion? Did KFC make a mistake? Sure, but is it worthy of your title? Hardly. Sorry, but this makes you look ridiculous. And evidently the price for you for leaving your senses at the door is the price of a 2-piece dinner at KFC (which is less than $5). Just being honest.

- Brutely Honest

Posted 05/07/09 06:39 PM

I understand that it’s free food, but at the end of the day, the chicken isn’t very good.

- Daddy Geek Boy

Posted 05/07/09 06:40 PM

I am laughing so hard. We went to redeem our coupons yesterday. We had our max of four coupons, along with our family of 5 (baby didn’t need a plate). The drive thru worker asked what sides we wanted then when we told her proceeded to tell us we could only have mashed potatoes & coleslaw as the sides because it was “manager’s choice”. Um, why did you ask us what sides we wanted then? Lol! We pointed out the coupon says “manager’s choice” about the pieces of chicken (we received a drumstick and wing), not the sides, but they didn’t seem to understand. Apparently the manager doesn’t read english. All in all, it took us about 30 minutes to order & receive our food!

- Denise

Posted 05/07/09 06:45 PM

Well I don’t think giving your mom free chicken for mothers day is a very good mothers day gift now is it? Sounds like KFC was trying to keep people from being cheapskates to their mommas!!! Besides, IF KFC didn’t limit the amount of free chicken they gave out, they would lose a ton of money and possibly go out of business. In this economy why would they risk it?

- No Cheapskate

Posted 05/07/09 06:46 PM

What kind of a disgusting SOB would take their mother to KFC of all places for Mother’s Day anyway? And for a meal they got for free? YUCK. No thanks.

- Grrr

Posted 05/07/09 07:16 PM

The KFC in Douglasville, Ga was a mad house yesterday. I think everyone in the place had a coupon. But around 5pm, they stopped taking a coupon ending in “1234”. Thta excluded 95% of the people inside. Then today, I used one for lunch. The managers were ignoring you if you had a coupon. They made you wait 15-25 minutes just to take the coupon. Which you couldn’t choose your sides. OMG!! Did they not know people were going to use those coupons. Duh!!!! Oprah & KFC must not have known so many people would use coupons. They have caused many problems. :(

- So Serious

Posted 05/07/09 07:52 PM

this reminds me of a similar case here in Peru with an Ice Cream factory selling ALL ice creams at 1 sol ($0.33), of course people were dissapointed.

- Lorena

Posted 05/07/09 08:24 PM

@Grrr, I worked at a KFC for 3 years as a teen, Mother’s day was our busiest day of the year. No joke we were full staff everyday, no one got the day off. Ever, no exceptions beyond medical.

- Jodi

Posted 05/07/09 08:29 PM

thats pretty hilarious el pollo loco! although i do feel bad for the employees at kfc.

- Maeby

Posted 05/07/09 08:56 PM

Every restaurant is busy on Mother’s Day. Taking your mom out for what can be classified as “fast food” does seem beyond tacky though.

- familygamer

Posted 05/07/09 10:21 PM

I cannot believe how much everyone is complaining: 1) when I read, “Except mother’s day” I thought, hrm…that makes sense, why would anyone be going to KFC on Mother’s Day. Honestly, I think fast food places should be closed on holidays such as Mother’s Day anyhow. 2) Before my family and I even went, we were EXPECTING that it would be very busy, and weren’t even sure if we’d stay and redeem our food, but we did…and we each had our own coupon, and got to choose our own sides, and even provided us with excellent customer service. Understandably, each KFC is, I’m sure, going to be different, depending on management, store size, profit margin and several other factors. Stop looking for something to complain about, and just be happy they’re doing this. I wonder how many mothers took their family out and got everyone a 2 piece meal, and was given the piece of mind that night of not having to worry about what was for dinner. Seriously…get over it, and for your children’s sake, grow up; before they become as cynical as y’all are, just looking for a new reason to be outraged. There are certainly more important things going on in our world, than you not getting free KFC on Mother’s Day.

- Shannyn

Posted 05/08/09 03:55 AM

I had no issues redeeming my coupon. Neither did the 30 other people in KFC last night (after 7pm). Maybe you need to try a different location (and some deep breathing). And the grilled chicken was very tasty.

- sam

Posted 05/08/09 07:33 AM

Grow up, would you? If this is how you react to such a trivial matter, I’d hate to see what you would do when faced with a legitimate problem…

- Jim

Posted 05/08/09 10:29 AM

i too printed the oprah coupon went to KFC at dinner time and there were only 2 cars in front of me and i had no problem redeeming the coupon. i have to say the chicken is not as good as el pollo.

- deb

Posted 05/08/09 12:32 PM

My co-worker & I went there yesterday w/our coupons. It was packed, but not too long of a wait. The employees seemed stresssed, of course, but all was ok. They said you can’t choose your sides, & even though it says on the coupon you can I didn’t mind. I just didn’t eat my cole slaw (I should have told them to just hold it). We went expecting the crowd. It wasn’t even close to how Denny’s was when they were giving away free meal! We drove into pkng lot there, & out. The line, seriously, was wrapped all the way around the bldng. But, Thanks Oprah & KFC! I worked there for 3 years as a teen too, like the other pp.

- Mic

Posted 05/08/09 01:03 PM

We redeemed our coupons in Walterboro, SC and it was very tasty. Lots of coupons came in behind us in line and I think they were all served during the lunch hour. Thanks KFC and Oprah

- Joan

Posted 05/08/09 04:56 PM

So I’m a mother that works at KFC for a huge eight dollars an hour. I just want to thank everyone that was kind. But to all of you others that have no respect for people that might have it a little tougher than you to think about who it is your calling a B*%$# because you cant get free food I am human too!

- KFC Mom

Posted 05/08/09 06:20 PM

OK, hubby and I were just thinking, “Why would anyone with a decently paying job stand in line for a free $5 meal for anywhere close to an hour?”. Isn’t your time worth more than $5 an hour? Seriously, after standing in line for that long and the time/trouble of printing the darn thing, you’ve probably earned the $5, and at some point losing money! It is so not worth it for the majority of people, if you think about it!

- Nell

Posted 05/08/09 07:07 PM