Customers were served with a price and menu adjustment at some fast-food restaurants from yesterday.
Just before reopening its doors to welcome customers, KFC announced that a limited menu will be available until today. Customers will only be able to buy chicken, fries and sandwiches. However, the real surprise was an increase in the prices of meals.
Some meals went up by $2 while others went up by as much as $10.
Group Chief Executive Officer of KFC’s parent company, Prestige Holdings Limited, Simon Hardy, told Guardian Media it was a move that could not have been avoided.
“Since the pandemic, there has been such disruption to the supply chain and so on. We have experienced some significant increases in our input costs. For example, oil has gone up 30 per cent in the last few months but the largest driver of the price of chicken is grain like corn or soybean and those have gone through the roof,” Hardy said.
Some customers were not pleased with KFC’s announcement, while others said it did not matter to them since they were happy to spend time in the kitchen. But there were some who took to social media to say they were not convinced the price increases and limited menu are enough to keep people away. This point was confirmed by Hardy.
“We are seeing a lot of people buying buckets. I guess after not having it for two and a half months, people are just eager to get it again,” Hardy stated.
He noted that the company continuously reviews its prices and once able to, customers will benefit from either reduced prices or specials.
One KFC worker said she felt like “it was her first day back to school.”
Speaking under anonymity, an employee at one of KFC’s Port-of- Spain branches said it appears customers are opting for delivery. At one outlet, there were more than 60 delivery requests by noon yesterday.
Customers will also have to pay slightly more to bite into some Church’s Chicken meals.
“We made minor adjustments like a dollar or two dollars for the most but nothing drastic,” Aaron Paul, General Manager of Church’s Chicken in Maraval, said.
“Quality and some prices will remain the same,” he added.
Paul said he and staff at the Maraval branch were eager to be vaccinated and ready to operate.
At More Vino restaurant, customers were rejoicing over reduced prices. The restaurant posted a notice to customers announcing it had taken the decision to reduce prices. The restaurant said it understands the pandemic has been difficult not only for restaurants but for customers, many of whom have suffered a reduction in income.