KFC branches in UK forced to close because of chicken shortage

Yui Mok/PA Images via Getty Images

A closed sign on the door of a KFC restaurant in Clapham, south London, as the fast food outlet has been forced to close a raft of stores after a new delivery contract with DHL resulted in chicken shortages across the country.

KFC has apologized to its customers in the U.K. after branches of the fried chicken chain were forced to close because they’ve run out of chicken.

Taking to Twitter to explain the crisis, KFC said the shortage had been caused after it had taken on a new delivery partner, DHL, and apologized for the closures.

Tweet:

“We’ve brought a new delivery partner onboard, but they’ve had a couple of teething problems — getting fresh chicken out to 900 restaurants across the country is pretty complex!,” the chain said in an online statement Monday.

“We won’t compromise on quality, so no deliveries has meant some of our restaurants are closed, and others are operating a limited menu, or shortened hours.”

The chain listed the restaurants that were open Monday.

Tweet:

Delivery firm DHL, which took on the contract last November with QSL after promising to “re-write the rule book and set a new benchmark for delivering fresh products to KFC in a sustainable way,” also apologized.

A DHL spokesperson told CNBC on Monday that the delay was due to “operational issues.”

“Due to operational issues a number of deliveries in recent days have been incomplete or delayed. We are working with KFC and our partners to rectify the situation as a priority and apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.”