Over the past week, KFC fans have been flooding the fast food franchise’s Facebook page asking why the potato and gravy flavour has suddenly changed.
A handful of disgruntled customers from different parts of the country have complained that the potato and gravy taste “soapy” and like “plastic”, with some alleging the “yucky” “plastic” taste only occurred after KFC changed the containers the product comes in.
“Anyone else’s potato and gravy taste soapy tonight? Just bought from Feilding KFC,” one wrote.
Another customer from the South Island agreed, revealing they had complained and hadn’t received a response in over five days.
“What is wrong with your potato and gravy?” a customer asked, saying it had an offputting smell, making him “suspect it is the new containers” they’re using.
“I made the complaint five days ago and have heard nothing. Even tried the product again, and I am convinced it’s the containers.”
A fourth said: “the new containers potato and gravy don’t taste any good” writing that there is a “funny aftertaste like plastic.”
The Herald has contacted Restaurant Brands numerous times for comment since Tuesday morning but has yet to receive a response.
A KFC employee confirmed to the Herald the company has recently changed containers.
Others questioned whether the potato and gravy recipe had changed.
A handful of customers have told the Herald their potato and gravy is a lot runnier.
“The potato and gravy was watered down, would not have been a spoon of potato,” one claimed.
Another told the Herald: “The potato was very runny, I’d say even watered down. The gravy was watery and it tasted completely different.”
The complaints come from customers around the country, including Auckland, Thames, Feilding, Greymouth and Blenheim.
Customer complaints have been rife for more than a week and some claim they have still not heard back.
On Facebook, KFC has responded to a handful of comments claiming to have direct messaged disgruntled customers about their potato and gravy concerns.
The Ministry for Primary Industries has been contacted for comment.
