KFC Free Chicken Offer: 5,000 Locations To Giveaway Food

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — KFC has cooked up another free offer to promote its grilled chicken, only this time, it promises, without the unwanted side of rainchecks.

The freebie is set for Monday, when more than 5,000 KFCs will give every U.S. customer a free piece of grilled chicken.

This will be the third time in six months that the chain famous for fried chicken is offering a giveaway to promote its Kentucky Grilled Chicken that debuted nationally last spring.

KFC's latest freebie will be minus Oprah Winfrey's star power from a May giveaway and, KFC President Roger Eaton promises, without the snafus when a free grilled chicken coupon on Oprah's Web site overwhelmed the chain, with some stores running out of the meals.

"Obviously, we had to deal with some tough stuff," Eaton said.

Still, KFC sees that May promotion, problems and all, as a net success. "We were the talk of the town," Eaton said.

This time, things will be orderly and efficient, he promised. "We gear the shifts up so we make sure we've got the staffing, we make sure we've got the chicken," Eaton said.

Conrad Lyon, a restaurant equity analyst with Global Hunter Securities, said the giveaways reflect a hyper-competitive fast-food sector where price is the biggest draw.

Story continues below

advertisement

"It comes down to getting those bodies in the door," he said.

The newest offer is identical to KFC's first grilled chicken giveaway – a one-day-only offer in April when KFC handed out more than 4 million pieces to launch the product. That chicken handout went smoothly, company officials said.

KFC executives are pinning hopes on grilled chicken to build stronger U.S. sales by winning over health-conscious consumers turned off by the chain's fried offerings.

KFC is a part of Louisville-based Yum Brands Inc.

This month, Yum Chairman and CEO David C. Novak told industry analysts that grilled chicken gave KFC a badly needed "shot in the arm." He said grilled chicken accounts for over 30 percent of KFC's domestic sales.

Still, KFC had a 2 percent drop in sales at stores open at least a year in the third quarter ending Sept. 5.

Larry Miller, a restaurant analyst with RBC Capital Markets, said the sales mix for grilled chicken was high for a new product but KFC's last-quarter performance was disappointing. He said grilled chicken "needs to drive the overall business, otherwise they're not going to be any better off."

"I think people still think it's fried chicken first and not grilled chicken," he said.

Comments

[kanglecap]

"You have just dined, and however scrupulously the slaughterhouse is concealed in the graceful distance of miles, there is complicity". ... Ralph Waldo Emerson

How anyone can eat an animal, bird or fish is well beyond my understanding. The pain inflicted on these living breathing creatures is beyond anything anyone can imagine! Their beaks are cut off! Their legs are torn from their sockets! They are hung by their feet and their throats are cut! And all these acts are done while the bird is still ALIVE!

I have been a vegetarian for some years now. I can't tell you how glad I am not to be personally responsible any longer for the horrific practices going on in the slaughterhouses.

Studies prove that meat is responsible for many health problems ... meat is the direct cause of many types of cancers and that's a fact.

1915 Noble Prize winner Romain Rolland said, "thousands of animals are uselessly butchered everyday without a shadow of remorse. If any man were to refer to it, he would be thought ridiculous. And that is the unpardonable crime".

[loki]

not a big fan of KFC, but at least they can still give it away. I had some Pop eyes the other day, they cant give that away.. it was bad. tasted like bad seafood, and it was fried chicken!

[NoSillyName]

Is it true that the grilled chicken is flavored with "beef powder"? That sounds mighty nasty.

I don't frequent any fast food places, but was curious about the grilled chicken. When going to visit an elderly couple that eats from chains, I decided to buy three grilled chicken meals that were cheap as a new item advertising ploy. The folks enjoyed the meals, but prefer the fried stuff. I thought the chicken was ok... just an average grilled chicken breast.

Curiosity satisfied. No need to buy it again.

[vandegrasse]

Who can't make money on friend chicken? Look at Chik Fil A! Every now and then they away free chicken sandwiches. That place is always crowded!

[ObamAtomic]

KFC are on the wrong business,food give away never attract permanent consumers.

[weebils]

But it isn't even real chicken. It is just something the colonel concocted to look like chicken.

[julierose]

I think the grilled chicken isn't bad. I believe it has less calories than the other chicken.

[noweknow]

I never go the free KFC chicken that Oprah promised on her show.
All KFC restaurants I went to refused to honor the free meal ads.

[rowzeer]

same thing happened to me.

[No1TrainedChimp]

Colonel Sanders must be rolling over in his grave! The giant franchiser known as Yum Foods has given this once mighty American food outlet a bad name and many customers massive indigestion!

The service in many outlets is beyond bad (like most fast food chains), the food is less than edible and the state of the restaurants are usually appalling (dirty, smelly, etc.)!

Yum Foods would be doing their customers and themselves a favor by scaling back their operation; they're too large for their own good. The debacle of their last give away should have taught them this; if you're going to be mentioned on Oprah, you had better expect a response!

[BigShotBob]

GRILLED chicken from Kentucky FRIED Chicken? What a travesty.

[mick7191]

It sucks.

[RJII]

riiiight. that cr@p was dry like jerky. barely edible when I tried it.

[bsc]

is there actually chicken in it?

[texastrixie]

We don't eat KFC simply because it is too expensive. This give away is too small (1 piece?) to be worth standing in line. If KFC wants to bring in customers, they should cut their prices. As to all the vegans, etc., this is a meat-eating country. You will never convince the majority of us not to eat meat and poultry (at least once in a while).

[bsc]

read Fast Food Nation and then talk to me about the joys of meat eating

[moutonnoir]

'a meat eating country'.. how dumb that sounds.. this is a (generally) 'meat eating world'..

that still dosent mean the (real) vegans cannot look at us meat eaters with a smidgen of contempt.

Just because you do not like having people feel contempt for your meat eating ways, does not mean the 'majority rules' argument exonerates you.

As someone with many friends that are vegitarian or vegan, I have thought about this.. The best decision seems to be slightly envious that they go without meat and seem happier for it..

[ChelseaC]

KFC uses MSG and many other chemicals in their food. I will never eat this slop.

[pj-smith]

and what kind of hormones and feed are the chickens raised with?

[randakost]

I remember a book that came out years ago that had all the "secret" recipes of fast food restaurants. They had sent the fried chicken to a lab to be analyzed and find out what the secret eleven herbs and spices were. The lab results came back - salt, pepper and MSG.

[rowzeer]

not only KFC, but also Taco Bell, McD, and Round Table (in their sauce). I bought wheat thins b/c I thought they were better than Doritos, which does have MSG, but turns out even WT have MSG

[GeoLee]

I will not go as I might be depriving someone who has not job of the meal. I would home many here who have jobs would forgo this free offer. It might be the first eating out in some time for some of our fellow citizens.

[noweknow]

It's not a meal. It's just one little piece of chicken.

[liberalsrheros]

that may well pass for a meal to some and it's a nice gesture.

[xilduq]

I tried their grilled chicken once and was dissatisfied as it was quite dry. No interest in trying again.