KFC Standards gone down?

pyro love bird on 17/09/2014 - 17:17

Bought some KFC yesterday (9 pieces for $9.95 + 2 large sides for $5)

It's been a little while since I had KFC, but the batter on the outside smelt kind of fishy (literally, it smelt of fish) it didn't really taste like it was supposed to (not as flavoursome as I remember) it was sort of bland and not the slightest hint of "spice", I was quite disappointed, plus I had asked for no wings, but the lady gave me 4! Felt quite sick later that night and threw up :/ I'm thinking the chicken wasn't very fresh.

Has anyone experienced anything similar? Perhaps I just had a bad batch, but it's put me off KFC for a while.

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Comments

    • cristobaljames on 19/09/2014 - 10:14

      Anyone in Perth should know of a little place in Dianella that does charcoal chicken! Never a dissapointment! :p

      • edgar28 on 19/09/2014 - 11:39

        yes. But only that one is good…….. unfortunately

        i tried the one elsewhere, my friend too say the same, only Dianella one is good.
        Lamb rack……portugese chicken…….

        • cristobaljames on 20/09/2014 - 17:48

          Ohh yeah, its good! Never had the lamb ribs but the chicken and rice is an amazing combo!
          Like everywhere they put their prices up but you get more chook (and flavour)for your money than Nandos :p

        • edgar28 on 22/09/2014 - 11:11

          @cristobaljames:

          if you like lamb…… u will love it.
          if u hate lamb, u will like it when it's still hot (my other family members who hate lamb tried and thinks it's good, only when it's still hot)

      • tran_p on 23/09/2014 - 07:48

        OMFG the lamb ribs there! is the bomb! I go there every Thursdays at lunch, it gets hell packed.

    • mooboy on 19/09/2014 - 14:23

      Not sure if they're in all cities (there's a few around Melbourne CBD now), but I think the 'HotStar' (think that's the name) fried chicken shops aren't too bad. I've only had it a couple of times, but for friend, spiced chicken it tasted fine.

      It's a chain store from Taiwan.

    • Transactions on 19/09/2014 - 17:02

      I make my own with halved breast fillets and use online recipes. People have worked out nearly identical recipes over the years. Brine the chicken, coat and freeze in batches.

      Takes less time and effort to cook it than wait in the drive-through queue, and the quality is 100% better. Plus I know the oil I cook it in is fresh, which is probably OPs problem: old, nearly rancid oil.

      The only time I buy KFC is if I'm ridiculously hungover and can't face getting off the couch. And then I usually bribe someone to go and get it for me.

  • ethereal88 on 19/09/2014 - 10:16
    +4

    You can deep fry chicken yourself. Thing is, KFC used to use the good stuff - palm oil and lard. Now its all "healthy" PFFFFT and the flavour and texture is permanently gone. Unless you move to Alabama and get some of the traditional restaurant stuff its all over. As for the blandless $$$$$$ combined with a sprinkle of lazy employees its gone too.

    As for mediocre pay, Maccas is over $18 an hour for a full adult, KFC is similar, and even the supermarkets its $21 for part/full time staff after an initial few months. That isn't mediocre.

    • [Deactivated] on 19/09/2014 - 15:59
      +1

      You're right, it's slightly above minimum wage.

    • oringal on 19/09/2014 - 17:42

      and also cooking batches of chicken is alot harder than just flipping burgers. You need a fit person to cook the chicken or else you'll get tired really easily.

      • OldBugger on 20/09/2014 - 01:00

        A fit person cooking fatty chicken… hehe funny image of Chuck Norris in my head.

    • AngryMan on 22/09/2014 - 09:55

      Agreed the taste is no good, and it's oilier since the change to canola oil in 2012.

      Find a local chicken shop that does good fried chicken, there's more meat (bigger pieces) and they taste a lot better, plus you support local business.

  • John on 19/09/2014 - 11:05

    The chicken had probably gone fishing before getting butchered

  • edfrane on 19/09/2014 - 11:41
    +1

    I'm sure these will put you off KFC even longer.

    pic 1

    pic 2

    • lplau on 19/09/2014 - 14:10

      Also don't eat chocolate, as pretty much all chocolate has rat shit in it…

      • edfrane on 19/09/2014 - 22:25

        But I can't taste it

      • dd22qq on 22/09/2014 - 10:53
        +1

        Yeah but it's chocolate-coated rat shit. Big difference.

    • [Deactivated] on 19/09/2014 - 22:38
      +3

      Pic 2 isn't brain. It's organ, but not brain.

      • meatgasm on 21/09/2014 - 15:41

        The spine is nearby, which further solidifies the idea that it might be a kidney.

  • Pootie Tang on 19/09/2014 - 11:44

    You can just ask for breast pieces when you order. Cant remember if they charge more but dont think they do.

    • edgar28 on 19/09/2014 - 12:22

      many shops refuse to do that. wings are included in set meals

      Kentucky Fried Wings (KFW)

  • tomleonhart on 19/09/2014 - 14:36

    Last week on Tuesday we decided to have KFC for dinner.

    We went to the KFC store on Princess Highway and bought the 9 pieces deal as a drivethrough. I got home around 8 minutes later and as we opened the box, I noticed the color on 5 pieces were odd, the crush weren't golden enough, the other 4 pieces looked normal. (I'm a KFC fan and have bought from that store many time)

    Didn't think much of it, my pregnant wife bit into one of the odd color piece and to our amazement, the chicken was still raw and there was still blood leaking out from the bone.

    I immediately called the store to try to tell them to stop serving that batch to their customers. They said it can't be raw as they never had complaint about raw chicken before but if I could bring the meal back they would replace it. I said I ended up microwaved those 5 pieces for another 10 minutes to cook it through and I just don't want anyone else to have raw chicken. They ended up offering me a free meal but I said no. So yeah, won't be having KFC again anytime soon.

    • plasmoske on 19/09/2014 - 23:08

      They said it can't be raw as they never had complaint about raw chicken before

      Wow.

    • samfisher5986 on 21/09/2014 - 13:34

      Wait so your pregnant wife is eating KFC….

      And then you think microwaving uncooked chicken will make it safe to eat?

      I'm sure KFC chicken alone has plenty of bacteria (safe for normal people) but microwaving partially cooked chicken that has been sitting around for who knows how long and clearly wasn't prepared properly and then allowing your wife to eat it?

      • tomleonhart on 21/09/2014 - 19:20

        There are so many assumptions in your comment i don't even know where to start. Alright, I'll try.

        "Wait so your pregnant wife is eating KFC…."

        She wanted and kept asking for it as it's her treat for the whole pregnancy. She went into labor the next day and the bub and my wife according to the midwife are the easiest case they ever taken care of, so no trouble there.

        "allowing your wife to eat it"

        She had the normal pieces.

        "but microwaving partially cooked chicken that has been sitting around for who knows how long and clearly wasn't prepared properly"

        So how would you continue cooking an under cooked chicken then? Chop it up and throw away ?

        • samfisher5986 on 21/09/2014 - 19:29

          If you receive uncooked chicken you should throw it away. There has been an error in its preparation and you have no idea how much bacteria is currently in the chicken.

          Even if you did cook the chicken yourself from the supermarket microwaving doesn't work properly if its half cooked and has been sitting there for an unknown amount of time.

          You can easily either overcook parts of the chicken or leave parts of the chicken undercooked, this is simply because of how chickens work.

          Cooking a raw chicken in the microwave is different as the set times you microwave it for ensure the whole chicken raises above the safe chicken temperature.

          Also having the "normal" pieces wouldn't be a good idea either, obviously some process has gone horribly wrong at the KFC you were at and even chicken that looks cooked could be a risk.

          People have to remember that Mcdonalds, KFC etc have strict processes to prevent unsafe levels of bacteria and food poisoning, if it ever happens someone has made a huge mistake.

          I would be much more accepting of uncooked food at a regular restaurant because they don't normally have such strict guidelines.

        • tomleonhart on 21/09/2014 - 19:51

          @samfisher5986: Very nice theory. I'll keep that in mind.

          Now for the fact of what really happens afterward:

          After 96 hours, I didn't suffer from severe diarrhea, abdominal cramps, nausea and vomiting. Does that mean I'm OK? Or Am I going to die 1 - 2 months sooner now?

          27 years of backpacking through South East Asia, my stomach being weak is the last thing I worry about, I was more worried about KFC serving the same batch to customers whom hasn't been exposed to dirty food before.

        • tomleonhart on 21/09/2014 - 19:54

          @tomleonhart: by dirty i meant dirty/ uncooked / ill prepared / full of dirt/ etc…

        • samfisher5986 on 21/09/2014 - 22:47

          @tomleonhart:

          tomleonhart I think you fail to understand my point.

          Do you realise you can eat raw steak and not horribly sick?

          I was just surprised at the risk your Wife took, obviously she is lucky if she didn't get sick.

          The point is not to take a risk with this sort of thing, especially with chicken.

        • tomleonhart on 22/09/2014 - 06:42

          @samfisher5986: no I understand your point exactly. Raw chicken is bad.

          What I don't agree is people always put out the many IF to support their theory of how dangerous thing can be. Like I said everyone turns out fine so stop with the "omg it's so risky how can you do it"

          And no she wasn't lucky that she didn't get sick, we have had rotten pork and raw chicken, rotten chicken on multiple occasions during our course of traveling. Yet we're still alive. This is the 5th time I have had raw chicken, not really raw since it was cooked further, if its so dangerous I would be dead by now.

          The point is don't take your risk assessment and apply it to mine and sound like you're wise.

          The story is about KFC serving raw chicken/ their standard is down, not about me now go back and concentrate on the main story. I rest my case.

  • roy125 on 19/09/2014 - 14:45

    Definitley agree, my local is the Beechboro store in W.A. definite drop in standards from when I was younger.
    Chicken has a funny taste most of the time.

    You can always tell when the hot and spicy is fresh as you get that layer of hot oil under the skin!!! so bad for you but sooo good at the same time lol.

  • bonezAU on 19/09/2014 - 14:57

    I have read that a lot of people are disappointed with KFC chicken on Tuesdays since this 9 for $9.95 promotion has been on. Apparently it's because the stores get so hammered with customers, they can't keep up with the demand for chicken so standards slip a bit.

    They may not be paying as much attention to breading them as they normally would, and also the fact that it sometimes comes straight out of the deep fryer into a box may not help. It really tastes a lot better after it's been draining for 5-10 minutes in the warmer.

  • EnALup on 19/09/2014 - 16:23
    +1

    I have stopped KFC long time back.
    For now, I get Nandos grilled Chicken or Tandori Chicken from Indian restaurant (not all make them good).
    If nothing is near, get few packs of Chicken Mcbites :)

  • kangeroo2 on 19/09/2014 - 16:55
    +3

    Well, this will put all of you off KFC for life…When I worked for a security firm in Sydney the Company asked me to do a night shift at a KFC (I won't mention where the store was) because of hoons annoying the staff and threatening to graffiti the store. I got there half an hour before closing and the manager said if I was hungry during the night, to help myself to chicken and chips. After showing me how to light the cookers, he went home and I thought, great I'm going to have a huge feed later. So, after a couple of hours I was getting a bit peckish so went to the cool room and opened the door, the light came on and I saw HUNDREDS of cockroaches diving for cover over open trays of chook. Needless to say, I only ate the sandwiches I came with.

  • AssociatedAlexVoumard66 @ KFC Australia on 19/09/2014 - 17:51
    -8

    You sound like you don't have much going for you in life maybe a gourmet such as yourself should avoid cheap fast food eateries like kfc and stick to eating caviar and duck confit. Good post though.

    • snook on 19/09/2014 - 18:00
      +2

      KFC has nothing going for it.

      For older people who remember what it was like, the standards are seriously low today.

      The staff must be paid poorly and treated badly too, considering what their customer service skills are like.

    • StewBalls on 22/09/2014 - 14:16

      stick to eating caviar and duck confit.

      Bah, peasant food! Truffles FTW…swag, bitch! ;)

  • snook on 19/09/2014 - 17:57
    +1

    In my experience different stores have different standards and some don't give a rats.

    North Parramatta is a steer clear of kind of store. I've had the fishy smell chicken from there and i think it's got something to do with the oil being bad/too old. North Parramatta doesn't care what it tastes like, nor do they care if you complain. I wonder if the owner owns Westmead as well, because the standards are the same between stores.

    You were probably sick because you consumed too much grease. Never eat too much of that crap, it's always gonna make you spew.

    I just buy a fresh free range chicken from wherever and roast it. Very easy and you know exactly what went into it. Roasting a chook is easier than cooking sausages - set and forget.

    • kiitos on 19/09/2014 - 23:31

      Yeah, we generally get ours from Lindfield, which is fairly good quality and service wise. I tried the one on Ryde Rd near Macquarie once - crap service and the chicken was all undercooked - not pink, but not tender and had very pale batter. Haven't been back.

      I do agree with the OP about taste, though. I'm sure it was tastier in the 70s and 80s! Maybe it's just that most food back then was bland, and our tastebuds now are used to spicier foods like thai, mexican, etc.

  • dimes on 19/09/2014 - 22:40

    My pet peeve is when they don't put salt on your chips. Ruins the whole meal.

  • plasmoske on 19/09/2014 - 23:05

    Yep. Used to remember KFC being nice, fresh, crispy always. Could taste all herbs/spices.

    Nowadays get a bunch of oily chicken without much crispness.

    The teens who work there don't give a rats arse about quality/service.

    Been heaps of times where they'll forget to put in chips, gravy, coleslaw, and one time, even the chicken (thank god I checked that time).

    We need another fried chicken store here in Aus. Maybe that's why KFC is going downhill. Lack of competition.

    • pyro love bird on 20/09/2014 - 03:38

      What was the one that used to be in WA but they shut down. I think the store colour was green? damnit, I can't remember, was it Chooks or something?

    • KnifeEnthusiastBoi on 20/09/2014 - 11:18
      +4

      Try korean fried chicken or taiwanese fried chicken

      • plasmoske on 20/09/2014 - 20:05

        Yeah read about that. Looking to give it a try soon but need to head to the CBD first.

      • IdBuyThat4aDollar on 22/09/2014 - 13:04

        Gami Chicken!!!

  • dbun1 on 19/09/2014 - 23:54

    KFC and "standards" in the same sentence is laughable.
    KFC has and always will be rubbish.

  • bargdebarg on 20/09/2014 - 00:04

    This is what it used to be like
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RcpIedc82ds
    This is what it is like now. Note the crap on the floor
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wiAYDb73Dbo

    The chicken can be good, but only if it's been cooked within the last 30 minutes. If it's been hanging around too long it loses it's crunch and goes soggy. We totally need a good, deep fried chicken chain in Australia that would give KFC a run for its money.

  • Baysew on 20/09/2014 - 09:12
    +3

    We need another fried chicken store here in Aus. Maybe that's why KFC is going downhill. Lack of competition.

    We totally need a good, deep fried chicken chain in Australia that would give KFC a run for its money.

    "The finest ingredients are brought together with love and care, then slow cooked to perfection.
    Yes, the old ways are still best at Los Pollos Hermanos. But don't take my word for it. One taste, and you'll know."

  • 01011010 on 20/09/2014 - 09:21

    you think a fishy smell is bad?

    I once had KFC in Los Angeles, California, I'd driven to a suburb outside of the Hollywood area and was so hungry that KFC was pretty much the only option.

    Got take away and went back to the hotel. One of the burgers smelt like a used ashtray, full of last nights cigarettes. It was a 15 minute drive from the KFC, so I just threw it in the bin and went hungry.

    Haven't eaten KFC much since then, but I can say never had that experience in Australia.

    anyone hungry now?

    • Baysew on 20/09/2014 - 14:08
      +1

      It wasn't this one ? KFC California

      • 01011010 on 21/09/2014 - 14:03

        hahaha that is hilarious!

        not sure if it was that one or not.

    • StewBalls on 22/09/2014 - 12:25
      +2

      you think a fishy smell is bad?

      Giggity…

      • rodericb on 22/09/2014 - 13:28
        +1

        Smells like fish, tastes like chicken.

  • KnifeEnthusiastBoi on 20/09/2014 - 11:16

    I had KFC once at glen waverley after church on a sunday. The pieces od wicked wings were overcooked and instead of being an orangy colour, came out brown like original recipe. Dry and quite bitter. Asked them for new pieces, came out exactly same. The vats should be on timers, it tasted like it was sitting in the fryer for double the amount of time. How do you fudge something that simple? Made a complaint on kfc website because despite using a coupon I was overcharged and told some bs story how the coupon only gives discount for one even though it clearly says I get 2 wicked wings. They didnt even bother to reply

  • Quotationz on 20/09/2014 - 13:24
    +1

    Chicken that smells like fish? I don't want to know what their employees are getting upto in that kitchen ;)

  • peterpeterpumpkin on 20/09/2014 - 13:46

    A fishy smell is possibly characteristic of rotting chicken. This is due to the production of trimethylamine (TMA). And yes, it's the same stinky compound produced in rotting fish, vaginas and the bodily fluids of people with trimethylaminuria. Let's hope it's just the chicken.

    If the smell was restricted to the batter then perhaps you've finally unravelled one of the 11 original secret "herbs" and "spices". Fish sauce is sometimes suggested as one of them (the herbs and spices label was just meant to throw us off, eh?). Or maybe the recipe really has changed and you've uncovered the 12th.

    • [Deactivated] on 21/09/2014 - 13:06
      +2

      I guess you can't rule out the possibility that OP was eating deep fried vagina?

  • jonathonsunshine on 20/09/2014 - 17:08

    9 pieces of KFC probs make me sick as well.

  • ozbargained on 20/09/2014 - 21:24

    NO TRY!

    What a shame KFC.

  • T1OOO on 21/09/2014 - 00:45

    We animals we eat anything

  • jaero115 on 21/09/2014 - 00:48

    Anyone heard of coleslaw being made in prison?

    Also this is quite scary

  • Malathay on 21/09/2014 - 01:36

    My daughter and I have been getting Wicked Wings for years. Recently we have been charged for two three packs when we get a six pack ($1.05 extra) and they have been severely overcooked. (Hollywood SA Store). It seems that they have new staff.
    I haven't had them for over three months now.

    • Cheeper on 22/09/2014 - 10:45

      With their wings… if you remove the skin, fat and bone what is there left? … a teaspoon of meat?

  • PaperplaneXXX on 21/09/2014 - 08:10
    +1

    so many talks about this Junk food. Discuss points not about standards of quality and service but about the real facts and harm if you eat this shit.
    just google it. How harmful this saturated fat in those food. how much of those fat you consume. OMG.

    Start eating healthy otherwise will be too late. Eating healthy does not mean expensive restaurant and 20 dollars for a meal.

    • ethereal88 on 21/09/2014 - 15:42

      Pffft. When the cavemen were eating steaming animal organs, did they stop to think, Gee, saturated fat BAD! Cholesterol BAD! You need a bit of everything now. Eating 3 veg, fruit and meat every day with no treat would drive you up the wall.

      • PaperplaneXXX on 21/09/2014 - 20:57

        at least they were healthy hey! yeah you need a bit of everything as you said…but A BIT. Not much. Look at kids nowadays. Thats terrible…tendency. Australia is a number one in the world with the obesity in children.
        I think if you go to woolies and buy a piece of fresh salmon, 250 grams is 5 AUD, and spent 15 minutes to cook it …not expensive and much better than those foods cooked on the same oil all the time.
        people have become lazy, and addicted to junk foods.
        look at this thread. Nobody said that he or she feels good after KFC. WHY? the answer is simple.
        If you like it you can go and eat it once a month! that alright.

      • Cheeper on 22/09/2014 - 10:43

        LOL ethereal… but the cavemen were getting exercise, no laying around on a couch all day.

  • nikey2k27 on 21/09/2014 - 08:20
    +3

    eat KFC allways make me sick.

  • meatgasm on 21/09/2014 - 15:45

    If you want real nice fried chicken, you cant do much better then Shihlin Taiwanese Styled Fried chicken:

    http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/70/1768502/restaurant/Sydney/Shi…

    http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ltU9SrbMTZA/ToqPEhS7QxI/AAAAAAAACj…

    UMMPPH so tasty. Absolutely blows KFC out of the water. Once you have that, youll never go back to KFC, mark my words.

  • ankor on 21/09/2014 - 15:55

    http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2009/jul…
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTUxCvCz8Bc

    If my wife to be allowed me the fridge space, it'd be kfc clones every freakin night.. :S

  • Vhope07 on 21/09/2014 - 20:29
    +1

    KFC Quality has certainly gone down. Earlier this year I was dragged down to KFC in Bangkok, Thailand, kicking and screaming by my friends. The chicken and batter were surprisingly good! Came back here and tried it and felt like throwing up all day. My SO had the lunchbox deal the other day and that wasn't too bad but they don't have it any more.

  • pitufon on 21/09/2014 - 23:00

    All standards have gone down imho.

  • Cashback on 22/09/2014 - 01:09
    +2

    KFC is terrible IMO; they always get the order wrong!

    Never had an issue with Maccas, there staff are so well trained but KFC you ask for one thing and you get something else all together!

    I've also noticed the fishy taste recently over the past year.

    Although I enjoy eating it - I always regret it afterwards.

    I'm getting old (29) with too many years abusing fast foods, lol, my body just says no now!

    • plasmoske on 22/09/2014 - 16:29

      Yep I always seem to crave for that shit and then after I'm done eating, I just feel like shit. And then you get the runs and stuff. It's bad. I regret it every time.

      It's like post masturbation lol.

      • [Deactivated] on 22/09/2014 - 20:04

        You get the runs post masturbation? o_O

        :P

        • ProjectZero on 23/09/2014 - 15:09
          +1

          Wait… I thought everyone does… tends to get really messy -_-

  • songford on 22/09/2014 - 10:47

    Hang on, they've got some standard before?

  • Cheeper on 22/09/2014 - 10:48

    Complain all you like but the bottom line is all about the $$$'s.
    If their stores are still making a profit any response to complaints will only be a token gesture.

  • IdBuyThat4aDollar on 22/09/2014 - 13:06
    +2

    I've found with the chicken pieces at KFC in the last several years, its so hit & miss and inconsistent, that I dont bother taking the risk anymore.

  • bargainhunter_dande on 22/09/2014 - 13:39
    +3

    I'm sure there's no standard. I noticed that the smell is different and is soggy. You can tell that the oil is reused for a long time. Also like someone here said the pieces are of different sizes. May be they are trying to cut the cost by. I have stopped buying or eating KFC now.

  • edgar28 on 22/09/2014 - 13:57

    Bad ozbargainers…….. makes me feel like eating fried chicken now…….
    back to the drawing board and guinea pigs again! those who feel tempted. try the link below.

    https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/117019

  • mirridon on 22/09/2014 - 14:58

    I'm not a big KFC fan, but I love every other major fast food franchise. I dunno, just can't eat that much fried chicken.

  • mooreshady on 22/09/2014 - 15:23

    If anyone in Clayton Victoria, the chicken shop down the road (clayton road) is good, next to priceline. Try their spicy chicken.

    3 pieces + chips for $10. It's amazing.

  • tc4101 on 23/09/2014 - 10:13

    Anyone else here, when someone mentions KFC they get a bit nauseous?

  • donbot on 23/09/2014 - 13:25

    This recipe is fool-proof, and dirt cheap.. and will kick the crap out of any KFC.

    http://www.onceuponachef.com/2012/01/buttermilk-fried-chicke…

    If you like it hot - be heavy handed with the chilli/cayenne - the basic recipe is quite mild.

  • jzx100 on 23/09/2014 - 18:42
    +1

    Who here remembers the 'all you can eat' KFC (Pizza Hut had it too)? Funny thing is when these all you can eat takeaway joints were around there wasn't much people with obesity.

    I'm a big fan of charcoal chicken, reason being that actually tastes like what chicken should.

    We need Popeyes here in Australia (Well in Vic)

  • shyen1 on 23/09/2014 - 22:04
    +1

    Name and shame the KFC in question, they are suppose to have so called "Chefs" at each restaurant, get them sacked!!!

  • indium on 03/08/2015 - 15:25

    I'm glad I tried KFC out again today. Now I have peace of mind that I'll never consider eating there again.

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