Oprah KFC Coupon Sparks Frustration & Confrontations Across U.S.

May 6th, 2009 by Castina

Tagged as: Oprah

We know that the nation is trapped in the grasp of a tough recession and finding extra cash for dining out at the moment can prove a difficult feat — but this is just outrageous.

All Hell is breaking loose at Kentucky Fried Chicken locations across America thanks to a coupon from The Oprah Winfrey Show offering everyone and their Dad a free 2-piece order of KFC’s new Kentucky Grilled Chicken. Too bad most KFC Restaurants aren’t honoring the promotion. But if you thought folks were putting on their Big Boy Pants and going home with glum faces without their chicken, you guessed wrong.

Think rioting and sitting-in…..

One witness tells Gawker.com:

I just returned from my lunch break hoping to use the attached coupon to score some free KFC grilled chicken at the mid town location 47 E. 42nd Street. Well I guess around 200 people also had the same idea
with coupons in hand. When I finally gave up (after 30 minutes of aguing with other customers) a small RIOT started going on outside the store with people screaming at the manager while he wont let them use their free KFC coupons (issued by OPRAH)….

Another KFC patron reports: “If the coupon doesn’t print, consider it a blessing! the portchestoer NY store sort of honored a few before noon (2 wings, mash & no biscuit) and then told the remaining coupon holders (that were shunned into a separate line) that the chicken was gone. I eat at this KFC regularly and was treated like a vagrant because I had a coupon; that they issued!”

Folks in Pasadena, CA. are telling a similar story: “I just came back from the North Lake KFC in Pasadena California, where the sign on the door read ‘We are not accepting internet coupons.’”

Are these people serious? It’s chicken –and lousy chicken at that! Just cut your losses and go home. Sorry, but I’m more of a Popeyes kind of girl.

Have any of you had any success redeeming this coupon?

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22 Comments, add yours

22 Responses to “Oprah KFC Coupon Sparks Frustration & Confrontations Across U.S.”

On May 6th 2009, GW wrote:

Way to go Oprah! Nothing like promoting animal cruelty, environmental degredation and an unhealthy diet!

http://www.kentuckyfriedcruelty.com
On May 6th 2009, Chris S. wrote:

I think that everyone who was told to go to hell by KFC should boycott the business for a year. If that’s the way you want to treat your customers, then you don’t need my money!!
On May 6th 2009, Little Godzilla wrote:

Let’s see…….
-You ask the queen of endorsement to endorse your product.
-Then your coupon partner cannot deliver.
-Next, if your were able to get the coupon to print, the store can refuse to honor it.

I guess the folks at KFC got into their tag line too much. UNTHINK!
On May 6th 2009, Lola wrote:

I’ve had no problems using this coupon.

My mom, brother, and boyfriend just went to KFC’s and got our free meals. The line was long but everyone just patiently stood there… wasn’t much different from lunch rush hour.
On May 6th 2009, Gia wrote:

After finally getting coupon to print, I was a little skeptic about using it because it allowed you to print as many as you wanted, and they all had the same bar code. But the KFC in Absecon, NJ gave me 2 dinners, no problems at all. I also thought we were going to be asked to pay taxes, but not at all
On May 6th 2009, Renee S wrote:

I think if you were stupid enough to run right out the first 2 days and try to redeem the coupon on you were a dummy, common sense ought to have told you all that everyone and there grandmother were going to print there coupons and many were going to try to redeem them the same day. The thing doesn’t expire until the 19th. People are so greedy and won’t evern take the time to do there research so they will know which store to go to so they don’t have to whine about they won’t accept my coupon. What in the world did you all expect when thousands of people heard about it just like you did. I’ve got sense enough to get my chicken later.
Dag I’m good!!!! I guess I told ya’ll
On May 7th 2009, Ray wrote:

I think geography definitely makes a difference.

Certain areas are going to have problems — both from the business side of things and from the customer side, quite honestly — and that’s to be expected.

My wife printed out the allotted four coupons, two of which she gave away to two friends. All were used with no muss, no fuss.

As a consumer, I’m glad to get free stuff. But as a business person, I never quite got why businesses even bother with promotions like this. It seems to be nothing but a complete loss, giving away that which you could be selling and making a living from.

The aggravation, the absurdity of people arguing and even rioting about something they spent no money for, and the loss of revenue to that business on such a scale just makes no sense, to me.

Whatever small amount of “goodwill” you may think you’ll make during a campaign like this will almost certainly be overshadowed by the black eye, smear campaigns and overall bad will your company receives when things don’t go “right.” Not to mention folks “taking their business elsewhere,” because they couldn’t get something for nothing.

God bless America.
On May 7th 2009, john fojt wrote:

i need some dam coupons. so i can try out this sjit out
On May 7th 2009, Brian wrote:

I work @ KFC, and I think that the people who printed the coupons and are complained about them should had done some research and called to make sure that their KFC is doing them. My KFC, and the ones around mine honored them. and You need to read the coupon it says “MANAGERS CHOICE”.
On May 7th 2009, Michelle wrote:

I think it’s a sham. More free advertising for NOT giving out the food.

Boycott KFC!!
On May 8th 2009, jerrykilgore wrote:

im pissed i went to kfc after getting the coupon on line only to be embarresed by some employee, they said i had a bogus coupon in fron of a dozzen people, not only will i pass by kfc from now on, and i have been eating there for 45 years, i wont watch oprah anymore, the whole thing has been nothing but chicken shit..good riddens and if i can find a lawyer to sue those people that called me a thief i will…good bye
On May 8th 2009, em g wrote:

to On May 7th 2009, Ray wrote:

What about someone like me that spent my time and MONEY to travel to KFC, wait in line, and then be treated like a convict because they said my coupon was fraud?
Screw KFC & Screw OPRAH for this fiasco. Someone should step forward and start a class action suit against KFC and the YUM corporation for this shameless advertising and shame on you OPRAH. I wasn’t too much of a fan of yours to being with – but now I have more confidence in the SH*T on my shoes than your word!
On May 8th 2009, June Sanders wrote:

I live in Wheaton Illinois. I stopped by the kfc near my house. I was told by the manager they could not honor my coupon becuase there were a franchise and not a corporaton. What the hell! that info was not listed on the coupon. I don’t blame oprah I feel this was kfc greedy way of getting publicity that in the end will cost them. I will take my business to “popeyes” better chicken anyway. I feel Oprah was not informed . IN the end, the famous kfc chickend out!
On May 8th 2009, Don wrote:

Brian, the Manager’s Choice was directly linked to the piece of chicken offered, not which stores would accept.

There were problems printing the coupons, they went to pdf and not the printer. The pdf coupons all had the same code and the store I used would not accept them. I was able to print coupons and did get my meal, dry, but free.
On May 8th 2009, Gandydancer wrote:

The only thing that was “managers choice” was which two pieces of chicken you got, not whether the store honored thecoupon. Though the coupon did say “at participating restaurants”, so franchises may have an out. One they would be stupid to exercise, of course. Nearly as stupid as the decision to treat coupon holders as second-class customers, keeping the stock of chicken for the customers paying cash. Yes, treat me like a vagrant if I use a coupon you gave me. Gives that warm feeling of wanting to come back. And then there’s the “rain check” procedure where you have to give KFC a form with your name and address, along with the original coupon (or maybe four forms, one for each coupon?) so they can mail you a replacement. What’s wrong with honoring the coupons for a month or so after the expiration date? Treating my time as if it has no value gives me even more warm fuzzies for the Colonel.

There are bait-and-switch laws which KFC probably violated. I hope some lawyer makes a bundle off them. This clown Roger Eaton who signed off on the “thank you for your understanding” rain check offer ought to be fired for sure.
On May 8th 2009, Tasha wrote:

Damn some people act like they deserve free shit. People should not be mad at Oprah or KFC. They are not responsible for ignorance. And I not even a fan of Oprah. I had my meal and had no problem. There were like 50 people inside and 20 cars in the line. I like Kfc but i understand why some of the restaurants stop accepting the coupons. It is overwhelming with all the people. Some of the employees should not be treating the customers like shit for wanting a free meal cause I can assure you if they was off they ass would be in line right along with them.
On May 9th 2009, jen wrote:

as a manager of KFC, allow me to explain some things. Oprah was a fan of the grilled chicken…she wanted to endorse it. she met with KFC and they hatched this plan to help those families in economic distress AND anyone else in this free country to try this new product AT NO COST TO THEM. however, the heads at KFC made a mistake by choosing to do this around the nationally busiest sales day of KFC, Mother’s Day. Our suppliers are literally running out of very key products(i.e cole slaw, biscuits, CHICKEN.) our restaurants are now scrambling to find product. not to mention, oprah hasnt contributed one cent to this promo. this comes out of OUR profit. now, i know some of you may say that im whining about losing those sales….but would you want to run your butt off at your work and not be getting anywhere? are your jobs ok if you are losing profit? the area that i am in, has not had to deal with “rioting” or any of that nonsense. however, i have had a few ungrateful customers who complained that they couldnt choose their side dishes(we offer mashed and slaw)…and a group of well dressed businessmen who grumbled about having to pay for a bottle of water. i mean, come on, do you people hear yourselves complaining about your FREE MEAL? this truly shows americas greed and unappreciation for anything anyone tries to do for them. i hope to god that the people who are complaining about not ever coming back because of this promo mean what they say…because some other restaurant can deal with you. and to those of you who appreciated it…thank you…come anytime:)
On May 9th 2009, Rosemary wrote:

I was able to print out the coupons and get our meals for free. I thought it was a great deal and
the employees where I received the meals were very polite and helpful. Good job.
On May 11th 2009, No name wrote:

I printed my coupon without problems the day the show aired. However, our only KFC refuses to accept them claiming “coupon fraud”. What a joke and a poor excuse. I will never go to KFC again.
On May 12th 2009, John Bolling wrote:

I printed my coupons went to a local KFC to redeem it and they said they would not and were nasty to me. I went home called other outlets(5) . Nobody were answerering the phones including district office. I will never set foot in another KFC. They can cram it.
On May 13th 2009, Wayne wrote:

@Jen

As you stated this is a promo designed to bring customers to your establishment and instead it has frustrated a lot of people including myself.

If you are a KFC manager your attitude toward customer complaints only displays how much KFC really cares about customers and drawing in business.

You should be thanking each and every customer that visits your restaurant as they’re the ones who make your pay check.

It is well known that if you please one customer they might tell two or three people about it, but if you piss them off they will tell ten or more people about it. I’m sure you’ll see what I mean very soon.
On May 17th 2009, Matt wrote:

@Jen

I can understand your point of view (being a businessman myself), but let me explain mine.

I rarely watch Oprah, but happened to be watching it at a friends house and saw the promo. I went online, and after fighting a little bit with the KFC site, I finally got the coupon to print.

I went to KFC for the FIRST TIME and what did they say…. Your coupon is FRAUDULENT! What about these honest people like me, trying to get a free meal (believe me, I probably wouldn’t have complained even if it tasted like cardboard!) but were told that their coupon is a fraud?

I know I won’t go back to KFC.

First Impression is Lasting (or LAST) Impression.

Thanks, KFC for NOTHING!