Society

KFC apologizes for "fake" discount coupons

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-04-13 22:11

NANJING - US fast food giant KFC China posted an apology letter on its website Monday for rejecting discount coupons and the "ill-conceived" promotion that triggered widespread dispute in China last Tuesday.

KFC China also said "it was inappropriate for KFC to dismiss coupons printed from unauthorized websites as 'counterfeit,' a term used in its earlier statement."

KFC China admitted that, "it did not handle the issue timely and properly, and some customers were not treated equally since some coupons were accepted while others rejected."

However, the company said it has not found a plausible solution yet and will not resume the promotion soon, but "if they have figured out an appropriate promotion, they will launch it at a proper time."

KFC authorized KFC's "Super Tuesday" service on Taobao.com, China's largest e-commerce website, to launch the promotion, dubbed a "one-second act," which was set for 10 a.m., 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. last Tuesday and involved 100 e-coupons for each "act."

According to the promotion instructions, the e-coupon could be used after it is printed; copies of coupons are also valid; and the coupons can be used from April 6 to 9.

KFC said that some unauthorized websites offered downloads of the e-coupons in the second and third "acts," so KFC decided to reject all coupons from the two "acts."

After KFC rejected several customers, crowds besieged KFC restaurants, with KFC staff forced to call police to disperse the angry crowds at restaurants in Beijing, eastern Jiangsu Province's Nanjing, and eastern Jiangxi Province's Nanchang, among other cities.