KFC came to Trinidad back in 1973, opening its first outlet in St. James that still stands today (that’s right, even back then St. James had everything). With over 40 years of oil in de coil that makes it the oldest international restaurant franchise in Trinidad and older than most people who reading this. We children of the ‘80s and ‘90s grew up on it, always looking forward to the odd Friday or birthday when our parents would buy us a Munch Pack and we’d be more excited for the toy (that would break by the next day) than the chicken.
From then ‘til now we’ve seen our friendly neighbourhood box ah dead grow to 55 outlets and become a cultural icon. This might seem like a bit of an exaggeration, but when you think about it, it really is. We negotiate with KFC – “Eh yuh see that $50 yuh owe meh from last week? Buy meh ah Dinner Special and we go call it even nah.” We give directions with KFC – “Ah living down Diego side. Take a right by KFC and then look for a green and blue house on the left.” We budget with KFC – “Hmmm ah could do with ah next drink eh, but ah better save meh last $40 so ah could buy a 3-piece after de party.” We reward ourselves with KFC – “Hear nah, yuh see all dis diet ah dieting for Carnival, is me and ah Mega Meal come Ash Wednesday.”
It is this deep, societal entrenchment that has allowed KFC to continue and prosper in spite of consistent price increases and its notoriously poor customer service. With the former being announced just last week, the latter issue has yet again come to light. There is no restaurant, or any commercial entity perhaps, that has a reputation for bad customer service like KFC. So much so that when you DO get the odd pleasant customer experience, you’re left stunned and often suspicious. ‘Wait, did that drive-thru worker just smile at me and say thanks? Something hadda be wrong with this chicken…” Good service at KFC is like an honest politician in Trinidad – after years of being scarred, it just seems too good to be true.
But Trinis, being the passive-aggressive people that we are, will inevitably excuse the price hikes and deplorable service with little to no protest. Yes, there will be the initial “Not me an dem again nah, I go fry meh own chicken at home” from the odd few, but when you drive past the nearest outlet on a Friday night, the line long like the one in the Passport Office. KFC is like that bad significant other who we know we deserve better than, but we just can’t help ourselves and keep going back to them. If KFC is Chris Brown we’re its Rihanna, and we love the way you fry.
But why does it have to be this way? Why must they never have change for a hundred? (“Yuh eh have nuttin smaller?”) Why must at least one thing in your order be unavailable? (“No corn, only fries and biscuits.”) Perhaps the rampant inefficiency is an intentional sales ploy – if they make you wait long enough in the line your initial order of a Snack Pack might turn into a Big Box Meal by the time you reach the cashier. Or maybe it’s not really KFC’s fault – with a typically high staff turnover they find it either impossible or impractical to train their employees where customer service is concerned.
At the end of the day the customer service problem goes well beyond KFC and permeates the entire local retail industry in general, but KFC, being perhaps the guiltiest offender, bears the brunt of criticism from the masses. However, the next time you go to order a Zinger combo and get a side of suck-teet and sour face, here’s some food for thought; we don’t depend on KFC, KFC depends on us. No matter how big or small a business is, they are nothing, nothing without the consumer. It is we, with our collective buying power, that turned that little pilot project in St. James 41 years ago into the multi-million dollar fast-food behemoth it is today.
Next order please…
