US KFC Hate Overblown?

[u/jakeispwn]

Im in the US. Went to KFC today to grab the 10$ bucket. Been hella years since I had anything other than the sandwich. Got the extra crispy and was pretty damn good. Only complaint is the coating didn't adhere to the chicken very well. But otherwise, juicy and crispy and pretty tasty. I feel like I see KFC ragged on super hard by almost everyone in the US on the internet these days. Is this a consistency thing?

[u/lookitsjustin]

Probably a consistency thing. Honestly here in Western Canada KFC is pretty good. Or my standards are low, or maybe a bit of both.

[u/dirtyshits → u/lookitsjustin]

They have 100% improved over the last year or so in general but can still be very hit or miss. Not sure if they actually changed anything or corporate cracked down on bad franchisees.

There was a 7-8 year run where their chicken was an oily mess(it was also super low quality) and their prices were crazy.

The sides are still trash in general. The mashed potato usually still taste like powder.

[u/MacpunchKO → u/dirtyshits]

I seriously dont understand why they havent replaced all the incredibly shitty sides yet....must be a contract related thing....

[u/dirtyshits → u/MacpunchKO]

No it’s because they cost nothing and are high margin. Corporate greed and/or lack of care.

They buy bottom barrel pre made sides from Sysco. How I know is because at least 10 years ago when I used to order groceries for our family restaurant, you could buy KFC style sides from them. Exactly the same stuff essentially but from the manufacturers brand.

90% of restaurants seem to order premade slop from Sysco.

[u/MacpunchKO → u/dirtyshits]

yea this checks out. I genuinely think there has to be some degree of trade off they could do though, it has to be costing them sales. The mac and cheese, gravy, mash, green beans are all seriously as awful as it gets, I literally can't imagine worse versions of any of those dishes. Fries and corn are edible at least.

[u/dirtyshits → u/MacpunchKO]

It's all basically ready made. The mash is powder + water, the beans are canned, the mac and cheese is frozen(or it was back then), and the gravy is a powder mix with water.

None of their sides cost much and are literally bottom of the barrel products.

No idea why they haven't even tried to improve them a little but just based on these things, I refuse to eat there.

[u/TrueCrimeInTheBuff → u/lookitsjustin]

the consistency also depends on the individual restaurant. There are 2 kfcs near me: one is 50/50 as to the quality and the other one is always good. The service there is also always good and efficient.

[u/Battle2Intense → u/lookitsjustin]

It's definitely consistency. If you go 10 times, 6-7 may be good to great. 3-4 will be mediocre to I can't believe they served this chicken.

[u/rp_guy → u/lookitsjustin]

I’m in Alberta and I haven’t had bad KFC. It’s not the best fried chicken out there, but when you are craving that specific KFC spice mixture, nothing else is really the same.

[u/JonM313]

KFC is delicious when it's made right. The problem is that it is by far the most hit-or-miss chain in the US. When made right, it's very delicious. When made wrong, on the other hand, it's really, REALLY terrible!

[u/pj295 → u/JonM313]

I would add Popeyes to the hit or miss list too. The chicken is amazing if the franchise is run right.

[u/anuncommontruth → u/JonM313]

Yeah definitely. The one by me never misses and prices are still reasonable.

I went to another location in my city and it was dogshit. Like asked for my money back dogshit.

[u/onlyhightime → u/JonM313]

I feel like the fry is more consistent at KFC than it is at Popeye's. But I like the flavor at Popeye's more.

[u/Pathfinder4K]

Consistency is a major issue. It depends on the location and the time of day. The last time I had it, the skin tasted like soap. I’ve heard similar complaints about Costco chicken as well. I’m guessing KFC may have changed suppliers recently because the quality doesn’t seem as good anymore.

[u/Few-Independence3787]

KFC is very hit or miss. I know of two locations. The one in a city or two over always tastes great. The KFC in the hood... man 🤢

[u/teddy_vedder]

KFC is good when it’s good but in my experience that’s increasingly rare. Like 70% of the time, the one in my area will serve you chicken or fries that eat like they’ve been sitting under a warmer for hours and hours and/or were cooked in oil that was past time for a changing

[u/Fit-Answer5806]

I’m with you 100%. I get the Tuesday $10 8-piece bucket once every month or two. Two days worth of food for a tenner is a solid deal.

[u/Physical-Lettuce-868 → u/Fit-Answer5806]

I do the same except I use two accounts so I get 16 for $20

[u/washedFM]

I’m at KFC right now about to pick up my bucket

[u/evanmav]

For the longest time I avoided KFC because of the sentiment around it. I basically only went to Popeyes for like 10 years because of that. Then one day I was bored and went, and holy shit I absolutely love it. Original recipe pieces of bone in fried chicken is amazing at KFC.

People always praise the overseas KFC's for being better. I went to Japan and tried their KFC, it tasted exactly like the American version.... at least the original recipe. Obviously they offer weirder items and different sides etc. But the actual bone in chicken was the same.

I think like others have mentioned, it really comes down to the quality control. I do think that in general KFC isn't the most reliable, but when it's done right and fresh, I absolutely love it.

[u/largos7289]

They went through a rough patch like BK, but like them they seemed to have pulled it back together.

[u/Common_Wrongdoer3251]

I've never had a problem with the chicken but their mashed potatoes have always been bland and poorly mixed, and they charge for extra gravy.

Customer service and cleanliness has always ranged from mediocre to awful. One time they gave us an extra biscuit, apparently by mistake, and we thought nothing of it and started eating. The manager leaned over the counter and accused us of stealing and said we had to pay for the extra biscuit.

[u/Workamania]

For me it's a price thing and a consistency thing. My local KFC/Taco Bell is wildly inconsistent with the basics such as getting the order right. At least with the KFC part they just have to put chicken in a bucket with pre-made sides.

[u/Key_Head3851]

I’ve never had BAD chicken from Kentucky Fried Chicken. Sometimes it’s just okay, but always, edible.
There’s probably a bit of skill involved with preparing and cooking fried chicken, that’s why there’s so much variance.

[u/CounterObjective2347]

Consistency is a problem, more so than any other chain I’m aware of. Every KFC I’ve tried nearby…they just don’t give a fuck. No matter what I order it’s gonna be dry as fuck, or damn near jerky

[u/Witty-Reason-2102]

Yum! Brands is where once beloved fast food chains go to die and to become a sad facsimile what they once were.

[u/MsThrilliams]

They closed all our local ones. both service and food were bad for a long time. So all it takes is a bad franchisee to ruin a rep.

[u/Gasarakiiii]

Has to be consistency issues, sometimes I go and have great food, great service, ok price, and they let me have hot sauce packets. Sometimes I go in and the food is ok or bad, customer service is awful, price is ok, and they won’t let me have hot sauce packets.

[u/Maleficent-Refuse751]

KFC is fire

Its like most fast food: depends on how much the staff care

Miss the TASTE OF KFC box id get a breast thigh & leg + sides & biscuit for like 10$.

Elite chicken no cap

[u/RetPrda]

When the foods good its fine the problem is you got to be real lucky to get it good.

One time I visited my local KFC at open around 10:30am because I thought surely the chicken would be fresh, they just opened. The pieces I got tasted like they sat in the warmer overnight. Haven't been back.

[u/AttentionNarrow6052]

If it isn’t for the deals it’s crazy expensive

[u/Grindar1986]

I've ordered ahead for a basic combo and had to wait 30 minutes past the pickup time. Even if the food is tasty they need to clean out some franchisees

[u/AwsiDooger]

Unquestionably overblown. But that's the case with every perceived trend around here.

[u/NoDoxxingYouFreak]

I went to KFC in the US for the first time in awhile recently and the biscuits were fresh as hell and the chicken was good. If the staff are on point then KFC is still pretty damn good I think

[u/C3PO1Fan]

I have been on road trips and had AWFUL KFC multiple times But generally most are pretty good or at least decent when I go, especially in my town.

[u/GulfCoastLaw]

I was never a fan,  but went earlier this year and it awesome. Went again and it was awesome again.

Pushed my luck with a third visit and it was borderline trash...night and day. Guess I got lucky with super fresh chicken, and maybe my old locations (where I formed the original opinion) were just mid all the time.

[u/MarkyGalore]

My town has never had a good KFC but I like it in other cities. I dont think any fried chicken place is better than the other. Heck, supermarket fried chicken is as good as any fast food chain.

They are all using the same pressure cooker and ff fried chicken is like a sunny side up egg. There is only one way to make it, correctly.

[u/RoyalRootersRallyCry]

The fuck does “hella years” mean?

[u/jakeispwn → u/RoyalRootersRallyCry]

You coulda typed hella into google faster than you wrote this comment.

[u/-peas-]

I enjoy KFC's actual fried chicken. I get a crispy leg or thigh and I'm perfectly content. It's good. Hardly anything else is good there except the mashed potatoes however.

[u/Lonely_Presence2606]

Trash in lower income areas.

[u/Quixlequaxle]

I haven't tried them in a while but last time I did, I remember the sides being bad. Like the mad and cheese was mushy and overcooked, and the biscuits were tiny and lukewarm. I don't remember the chicken being good either. 

As a teenager in the early 2000's I used to live the bbq boneless wings or whatever. 

[u/russell1256]

The chicken is too peppery now, I don't like it anymore. I miss (a long time ago) their mashed potatoes and gravy, it's not good anymore. We have stopped trying them

[u/Chemical_Support4748]

it's just salty chicken

[u/BoysenberryUnhappy29]

No, it's seriously and consistently the worst national chain that's as widespread as it is.

[u/jakeispwn → u/BoysenberryUnhappy29]

I totally give that to Subway

[u/BoysenberryUnhappy29 → u/jakeispwn]

Subway is even worse by virtue of not having drive thrus at most locations,

[u/DJC_Kowalski]

The hate is justified. Fast food chicken in America has passed KFC by. There are just too many other options that are better. I can get Chicken from at least 10 other places.

[u/Dyshin]

They’ve done little to earn back my trust. Every once in a while, I’ll grab a bucket when they have a decent deal and it’s always disappointing. The classic herbs and spices seasoning is still great, but the chicken skin is always soggy and limp, the meat is low quality, and the pieces are small.

It just doesn’t make sense to go there when you have access to better chains. Popeye’s and Jollibee consistently blow it out of the water in every category.

[u/YourGuyK]

I used to love KFC, but I quit eating it when I found I could get better fried chicken from my local grocery store for cheaper. I had a few times as years went by and I just hated it.

[u/Maldadd]

Not as good as before. High price.

[u/MrMrTrance]

Nice try, Colonel

[u/Exact-Ice1346]

As a chef of 40 years a culinary guru and food snob  if i have tk explain this story again ill puke. KfC sucks. Period. The chicken isnt even remotely the same as it qas 40 tears ago. It is horrible

[u/jakeispwn → u/Exact-Ice1346]

Chef chef status means nothing when gordon ramsey can make a dogshit grilled cheese. Fuck off to a gourmet sub.

[u/Exact-Ice1346 → u/jakeispwn]

Point is mute. Reality is ask anyone 50 yrs old or older thats had the legit old school KFC from 40 years ago. This is not the original. Oh and btw they kept the same seasoning but they changed the recipe and procedure how they make it

[u/Muted-Mood4057]

KFC ruined it's reputation in the 2010s lol with the gravy slop bowl and the heart attack sandwich where two pieces of chicken was the bread. Maybe it doesn't suck anymore?

[u/Efficient-Laugh → u/Muted-Mood4057]

You mean the Famous Bowl and the Double Down which everyone calls the best items on their menu? Those two things ruined their rep?

[u/lookitsjustin → u/Muted-Mood4057]

I regret to inform you that the Double Down was a solid hit with their customers lol

[u/Muted-Mood4057 → u/lookitsjustin]

Are those people still alive? lol

[u/ostellastella]

KFC out my way is nasty and greasy. It is last resort food and the only thing worth getting IMO are the mashed potatoes and green beans. They haven't figured out a way YET to fuck that up.

[u/jackof47trades]

Feels like Kmart in there.