Some customers looking forward to discounted fried chicken from KFC yesterday (July 6) were left disappointed after the fast-food chain ran into some complications.
The promotion entailed diners getting five pieces of chicken for $8 and was in conjunction with the brand's 45th birthday as well as International Fried Chicken Day on July 6.
To enjoy the deal, diners could also pre-order their food online in advance.
However, on the day itself, some KFC branches were already out of chicken before the one-day promotion even started, leading to long queues of disgruntled and hangry customers.
In a TikTok uploaded yesterday by user @tys_eclair, a long queue could be seen snaking out of a KFC outlet in a mall.
[embed]https://www.tiktok.com/@tys_eclair/video/7117263179507387650?_t=8TmM4hiJ4wT&_r=1[/embed]
One netizen, Yvonne Hime, took to Facebook to share that she had rushed over to the VivoCity outlet after work, only to find a sign outside the store that said: "Today's timeslots are full".
"They [didn't even bother informing] customers/visitors via social media or website," she lamented.
The VivoCity outlet wasn't the only one facing issues.
In a separate Facebook post by KFC wishing customers a Happy International Fried Chicken Day, many netizens took to the comments section to share that other branches like Rivervale Plaza and Chinatown Point were affected too.
One user said he waited for an hour at the Chinatown outlet and left without his meal while another said that he just wanted a normal meal at regular price, but the branch at Rivervale Mall was out of drumsticks.
A number of netizens also took to KFC's Instagram to express their woes.
Many complained about the long wait for the food and one person shared that they had "waited more than two hours" for his online order.
Some who opted for pre-order said that their food was not ready by the stipulated time.
One customer claimed that a branch manager was allegedly "hiding behind the counter, and refusing to face the customers".
But not everyone was in a 'fowl' mood. There were customers who shared that they had gotten their chicken with no issues.
AsiaOne has reached out to KFC for their comment.
This isn't the first time a promotion for a fast-food chain has received such an overwhelming response.
Last year, when McDonald's released an exclusive picnic set for free, the item was snapped up within a few hours. Some interested parties also shared that they didn't manage to get their hands on the picnic sets despite queuing since 7am.
And even without a promotion, there have been times when a fast-food chain has disappointed.
Earlier this year in May, a TikTok user shared that she was delivered hundreds of empty French fries boxes instead of food.
melissateo@asiaone.com