Twitter reaction to KFC chicken shortage

21-Feb-2018 - Last updated on 19-Apr-2024 at 07:00 GMT

The KFC chicken shortage sparked a storm of comments on Twitter

Fast food chain KFC’s inability to open stores after distributor DHL failed to deliver chicken supplies, dubbed the KFC Crisis, has sparked a storm of comments on Twitter.

Users of the micro-blogging site have shared their dissatisfaction with the company, questioning how the restaurant synonymous with chicken could run out of the ingredient.

Some, like user ItsErinOConnor, spoke of having to “call ahead” to check if stores had chicken to sell to their customers before visiting.

You know it’s peak times when you got to call your local KFC and and ask do they have chicken before you go
— e r i n ‍♂️ (@ItsErinOConnor) February 20, 2018

Hit the headlines

However, other users saw the absurdity of the chicken shortage compared with other hard-hitting news stories occupying headlines in the past week.

A common thread among a number of Twitter users was how such a massive breakdown of the food supply chain could have happened.

Many questioned why DHL didn’t have a back-up plan in place in case a failure like this occurred. Some referred to the GMB union’s criticism of DHL taking over the supply chain contract from Bidvest.

Criticism of DHL

GMB claimed the chicken shortage was down to a “bird-brained” decision to award the delivery contract to DHL in order to save money.

Other users joked that the chicken shortage was actually an elaborate ploy by DHL and KFC to curb childhood obesity in the UK. Meanwhile, vegan campaigners applauded the closure of the stores.

Great to see @KFC_UKI & @dhlexpressuk doing their bit to help reduce childhood & adult #obesity in the UK. Keep it up guys. ⚡️ #zingerofacampaign #keepthedoorsclosed #thevegansarewinning
— Moj Taylor (@mojtaylor) February 20, 2018

For some, the lack of fried chicken was deemed a police matter, prompting the Tower Hamlets police to urge hungry Twitter followers to stop contacting them in regards to the chicken shortage.

Please do not contact us about the #KFCCrisis - it is not a police matter if your favourite eatery is not serving the menu that you desire.
— Tower Hamlets MPS (@MPSTowerHam) February 20, 2018

Commenting on the shortages, DHL md of retail John Boulter said the courier was working diligently to rectify the situation by working with KFC and other partners involved in the supply chain.

“The reasons for this unforeseen interruption of this complex service are being worked on, with a goal to return to normal service levels as soon as possible,” said Boulter.

“With the help of our partner QSL, we are committed to step-by-step improvements to allow KFC to re-open its stores over the coming days.”