I work at a Food Court KFC on Front Counter. Ask me anything about my job.
[AMA] KFC Front Counter Worker, Ask Me Anything
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Very few. It's very annoying for us because they're now enforcing the check ID rule, which most people cannot provide or take ages to find
Really? Most recently I visited on the 16th November and the staff member only asked me to verify my name by asking for it. Maybe this might be for paid in advance orders?
Yep just the paid in advance ones sorry should've been clearer
@realfancyman: I mean it makes complete sense, I wouldn't want some random waddling off with my bucket of fried chicken!
what is this the Colonel's Dinner and how did you find out about it
x 4 pieces of Original / Spicy chicken
x 4 Chicken Strips
x 1 sauce of your choice
x 2 large sidesFrom my memory and it only costs $15.95. Hard to argue with the value for money there, the odd time I get it I always end up with breast pieces too.
That's pretty good. I wonder why they don't advertise it
@DiscoJango: Probably because it's not that profitable for them? I mean it is great value, have a look at it in their app! But if they were to properly publicize it it'll only be a limited time thing but the Colonel's Dinner has been around for 3 months at least.
@ThePriceMatchGuy: Im not liking this concept of having minimal information in store and forcing people to use the app to see the full menu
@DiscoJango: Why's that?
I think it's great.
There's plenty of marketing in stores to say "download the FREE app today for exclusive deals and rewards!"
No arguing that online ordering is great too, I love walking in every now and then past the long dinner queue straight to the front of the line, collecting my meal and leaving to all the onlookers stunned at wondering how it came to be.@ThePriceMatchGuy: Because i rarely eat fast food. And on the odd occasion i do, no way am i going to stop, open the app store, search for kfc/mcdonalds whatever, wait for it to download and install, create an account, sign in, search for food, place the order etc etc etc
If it does come to this then i would just walk out. And probably be healthier for it. I can see how it can be beneficial for regular customers. However ive seen the "size" of fast food regulars…
How often is the oil changed in the fryer?
Chip oil or chicken one?
Chicken one if they haven't changed it, goes through a little pumping trolley thing that supposedly filters it out with some powder additive.
Chip oil - not sure, when it goes brown from memory?
How come NSW don't have hot 'n' spicy all year round like QLD?
Does that cost more or something?
Because QLD is a better state. There's no stupid lockout laws either up there
In my store, I see a monitor with service times for drive thru for a number of stores probably within a 15km radius. Would those stores be owned by the same franchisee ? Is interstore competition taken seriously ? From the service times of some stores I see Im guessing not always.
We don't have that, but no there is no competition between stores. We often share stock and if we don't have something we'll recommend a store that does
Can you ask Colonel Sanders to open a restaurant in Circular Quay, Sydney? Thanks
Why does the zinger box come with 2 wicked wings now instead of 3?
It was still three last week?
it's 2 at the store i go to now as well
its 2 where I live and im furious. Can you please tell the Kernel for me?
Why is Hot n Spicy neither hot nor spicy these days?
Why are you guys stingy with the refresher towels? You used to put a bunch in, now if you don' ask you get zero.
My guess is so the general population can enjoy Hot and spicy as well. Its now more marketed as a standard menu item nowadays rather than a way to get rid bits of tiny chicken too small to counted as a piece of chicken.
You can leave them overnight in the fridge, and they will be more spicy next day.
I got an idea KFC can have a new promo item.. Hot n Spicy "Hot n Spicy Wicked wings."
I love thighs. Sometimes the store (Victoria) limits me to only able to purchase two at one time. It there really a rule that said I can only purchase two max?
for example 10 Winged-wings, Can i swap all of them into chicken wingettes.
Maybe not all 10 but yes you can definitely choose this
I always just say can you try make them all wingettes, that way it lets them know that you understand it’s not always possible (purely because they do t have 10)
Why do some stores sell hot and spicy all year round and some don't? Is this an individual store decision or headquarters strategy?
Any idea if the zinger pie if ever coming back?
^This needs to happen!
do you guys fill chips 75% for fun? Lol, i paid for a large not a regular
We have pictures that show the correct serving size for each product right next to the chip dump, pretty easy to follow. I'm always generous with servings
I always assumed you were a software developer.
Do they really have "set combinations" or is this something they just say. cause i only want thigh pieces
Is the gravy made with chicken fat from the fryer?
Yes it is, they only use ready made gravy at the last resort.
Ready made gravy as in from the supermarkets?
How do you guys sometimes run out of chicken?
Why do some KFCs no longer have mach potato but only sell the gravy.
That's crazy.
mach potato
Because the potato broke the sound barrier.
When is the 9 pieces for $9.95 coming again?
Whats the average wait time for an order?
What's a reasonable wait time?My local it's pretty normal to wait ~ 7 - 10 minutes instore for just a burger combo. I ordered online a few weeks ago and it was 10 minutes from when I sat down in the store - but I'd already pressed 'I'm in store' when I was still at home 2 minutes away. Keep in mind my local was once on the front page of the local newspaper for having 40 minute wait in drive through. You'd often wait an hour in store during Friday peak. It's better now but it doesn't seem right - I can get a pizza faster than that.
What would happen if an online order was prepared but the person was not there? Is there a designated space in a warmer to keep it?
Maccas and Dominos have screens that compare their store performance regionally and nationally on key metrics, constantly updating - does KFC have something similar?
Do online orders get priority over in store orders? What about drive through? I assume drive through would still beat online pickup and obviously online drive through you just make it in order of the cars..
Very rarely over 5 minutes for anything. For something like a go bucket, we often prepare them before the customer even finishes paying.
When someone doesn't come for an order, we write the number on the bag and put it in the warmer.
There's no written rule for giving certain orders priority, it's all just common sense really. If someone had 10 zinger boxes in front of them and just wanted a drink, we'd give the drink priority.
I work at a Food Court KFC on Front Counter. Ask me anything
Do you want fries with that?
… sorry.
Upsized please
Hey mate, do you judge people who use the survey on the docket to get chips and coke.
Also are you able to change it to something else instead of those two things
No, why would I? We appreciate the feedback, it's one of the most valued things my management and positive feedback gets rewards for us.
And yes, you can swap it just like a regular side
When you spend $20 you get a free large chips and 1.25L drink. Can you swap those things out?
Yep
Large chips and 600 ml bottle drink *** :)
@TheMoDz: I thought that was the case. for the last 10 times or so they always gave me a 1.25L bottle!
@realfancyman: What can I trade the large items (chips and drink) for? As you mentioned you can trade the small ones for regular. The only other side I can think of is potato and gravy.
Here in WA they only give you a regular chips and a small drink, even when spending over $20 :(
Which chicken pieces is the most value for money?
The breasts, but the easiest to eat are the legs
is the breasts the biggest piece?
Drumsticks are my favorite for that reason :D
I miss XTC chicken. Tell your bosses to bring that back. :)
Oh and the original popcorn chicken. Not this pre-processed garbage you have now.
Oh and WHY ARE THEY MAKING BURGERS UPSIDE DOWN NOW? LETTUCE GOES ON THE TOP!!!
Oooh I have a question.
WHY ARE YOU ALWAYS RUNNING OUT OF SWEET AND SOUR SAUCE??
Sorry for yelling, this subject makes me emotional.
Tell the manager to order more. We always have it
sweet and sour sauce is rubbish. it shouldn't be stocked anyways
I agree
Is there a secret menu? if so what are the options?
Nope
why is hot & spicy only avaiable during winter? i hate this…
hot and spicy chickens only grow in winter
I tried sleeping my way to the top of KFC. They fired me for sleeping in and not showing up to shifts :(
extra chicken salt… cheers
What’s a fun fact that only employees would know and when you found out, you thought that it was interesting?
why would you post a AmA if you are a pleb frony counter worker with no actual knowledge..
OP has intimate knowledge about his work as KFC front counter worker - and shared lots of those insights/knowledge, in answering questions people are curious about. It made it as a Hot Topic Discussion. I think many would disagree with you.
Do you have refuse to serve obese customers? Just because it is the right thing to do.
No
To the Neg Voter. I am obese and when people question my eating, it helps me to control my eating. Eating disorders are emotional, at least for me. So if you can get the brain to start thinking, you can control the impulse.
So you’re blaming other people for your obesity because they’re not questioning you as to why you’re eating more than you should?
Sounds like you need professional help if you have an eating disorder.
So mean :-(
Are you the neg voter, or just a troll?
@Zaddo: Takes one to know one.
Do you really think anyone who's in a front facing customer role go 'excuse me sir, you shouldn't be eating that Zinger burger as you're morbidly obese'?
So annoying when businesses do this. My local gym doesn't let anyone fit join unless they see you eating junk.
Chill out dude.
How much food do you throw out daily?
A whole garbage bag worth or like only a few meals worth or something.
thinking of doing a dumpster dive eh? ;)
Haha no way definitely not for food. Just curious how much excess wastage is produced nowadays.
Why does my local KFC suck so much? Most times I go there they mess up my order usually leaving something out but sometimes just giving me something wrong.
Once we got home only to find out the dinner rolls were missing, when we called them they said they had none but we can come back anyway and they will give us normal rolls instead or something but when we got there guess what they had? dinner rolls. They have also run out of chicken before, not even kidding.
Hey.
If I buy a large ultimate box can I swap out the large chips for a 2nd 600ml bottle of pepsi max?If I am happy to wait can I choose my own combinations of pieces and not be bound by 'set combinations apply'. eg. can I wait 30mins for a 3-piece pack of 3 breasts?
Also, I have found KFC to have a much better range and better specials in other countries eg. Malaysia and the usa.
I remember in Penang buying KFC 'pizza'
I remember in Hawaii I could choose between grilled, original or hotnspicy pieces when buying a 3 piece pack (I could choose any combo of pieces).
imo there is plenty of opportunity for KFC in Australia to have more interesting offerings.
What do you think?is it my imagination or has the small chips (box) size just shrunk?? i reckon the box i got tonight was about 1/8th the size of the previous small chips, closer to the size of a small popcorn chicken. Luckily i got it for free from the survey because there is no way i would actually pay the price they want for such a small serving.
Lucky you. I once had to put my order in 3 times to get my discount. Made the whole purchase unpleasant. Using an LG G4, not a bargain basement phone. (And no it wasn't a bootloop thing).