KFC pricing rip off

QrizB

Just checked my own KFC app (yes I'm that sad, sorry).

A 10 Piece Family Feast for collection is £23.99.

For delivery, the same item is £30.99 plus a £2.89 delivery fee and a £0.99 service fee. £34.87 total.

All the prices are there to view before you order, so you can decide for yourself whether the convenience of delivery outweighs the effort of collection. If my experience is anything to go by, collection also helps guarantee that your meal is still hot when you eat it.

Albermarle

Largs said:

It's mainly pensioner types who comment here so not sure if they will have much experience of KFC.

I am a pensioner, but have fond memories of buying a 'finger licking good' KFC when staggering home from the pub as an 18 year old, and eating it walking along with the grease dripping everywhere.

SiliconChip

flaneurs_lobster said:

Largs said:

It's mainly pensioner types who comment here so not sure if they will have much experience of KFC.

Well KFC "celebrated" the 50th anniversary of the opening of it's first "restaurant" in the UK last year so I guess most of the pensioner types here will have been in at least once.

I think you'll find it was the 60th anniversary, the first KFC in the UK opened in Preston in May 1965.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cnv1pdd8560o

flaneurs_lobster

SiliconChip said:

flaneurs_lobster said:

Largs said:

It's mainly pensioner types who comment here so not sure if they will have much experience of KFC.

Well KFC "celebrated" the 50th anniversary of the opening of it's first "restaurant" in the UK last year so I guess most of the pensioner types here will have been in at least once.

I think you'll find it was the 60th anniversary, the first KFC in the UK opened in Preston in May 1965.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cnv1pdd8560o

Quite right, my typo. So that's another 10 years when that the "pensioner types" (whatever that means) might possibly have sampled the delights of the secret "11 herbs and spices" that grace every greasy mouthful.

Grumpy_chap

YorkshirePete said:

Recently purchased a family meal deal from KFC and wondered if anyone else had noticed the price differences. 

To collect the meal was £23 but for delivery it was £30 + £4 delivery and service charge. 

So when I asked what service I was receiving for the additional £7 I was fobbed off with some ridiculous reply which didn’t answer my question. 

Anyone else noticed this rip off ?

I don't think this is a rip off.

It is not unusual for restaurants to have two price lists - for eat in or for take away used to be common when take away was subject to lower VAT.  That has evolved at some venues to "eat in or take away" or "via third party app".

I have to admit I had not originally realised that the apps such as Uber Eats charged the restaurants as well as the customer to provide the service.  However, I was speaking with the proprietor at our local independent Italian Restaurant and he explained that the apps retained 1/3rd of the menu prices charged by the restaurant and also charge the customer the delivery fee.

In fact, for the restaurant, the sales via the app are a double-whammy as there is substantially reduced opportunity for "up sell" when a customer orders via app they will order the food courses they want, most often just a main, sometimes a starter, rarely dessert. The customer won't order a drink to accompany the meal as they have drink in the cupboard at home.  The customer won't order a coffee to close.  It is actually a big loss of potential value from that customer if they order via the app rather than dine in, plus the customer not dining in does not make the restaurant look busy so less attractive to catch passing trade and less atmosphere for those that are dining in.  It is a real and significant challenge for the restaurants.  The restaurants also cannot afford not to be on the apps.

I don't see any reason why KFC should not also have a standard price list and an app price list.  Indeed, the £7 out of the £30 is not far off the 30% that the local independent has to pay and I would imagine that KFC might well be able to have negotiated some lower deduction being retained by the ordering app than an independent is able to.  KFC can't realise any reduction in other costs by having the app ordered food rather than the restaurant collection / eat in as the restaurant is there regardless.

One thing I have noticed in our area is that McDonalds don't have food collection by the from the local restaurants but operate an almost anonymous grey kitchen on an industrial estate which services all the app orders for several of the local restaurants.  This is a cost that has to be met and, quite possibly, disrupts the franchise model that operates.  Maybe there is a percentage of app value that gets returned to the local franchise sites.

Either way it is all far more complex than might initially appear.  Ultimately, you had the prices prior to ordering and had the choice to order via the app and have the food delivered or to walk to the restaurant and dine in / collect your own take away.

eschaton

You generally pay more as the retailer has additional costs. 

It’s really a tax for being lazy. 

Albermarle

One thing I have noticed in our area is that McDonalds don't have food collection by the from the local restaurants

I do not think most people would think of a McDonalds as a restaurant   

Emmia

Albermarle said:

One thing I have noticed in our area is that McDonalds don't have food collection by the from the local restaurants

I do not think most people would think of a McDonalds as a restaurant   

But it is a restaurant - which is a place where  people pay to sit and eat food cooked on the premises... Whether you consider McDonalds/Burger King / KFC food is a different question.

MyRealNameToo

As well as charging you the apps also charge the merchant up to 35% so their choices are either to increase the price or receive less per item sold. If you are a takeaway then Deliveroo has done virtually nothing to reduce your costs and so this would be a massive slice to give away. Being a big name or agreeing to exclusively use them etc all can lower the commission as can using your own delivery but still you are talking double digit commission plus the commission is on the gross so they take commission on the VAT too. 

Many places increase their prices as a consequence of the commission the apps take, its up to you to decide if its worth the price or to get your !!!!!! out the house and go collect your own food. 

Albermarle

Emmia said:

Albermarle said:

One thing I have noticed in our area is that McDonalds don't have food collection by the from the local restaurants

I do not think most people would think of a McDonalds as a restaurant   

But it is a restaurant - which is a place where  people pay to sit and eat food cooked on the premises... Whether you consider McDonalds/Burger King / KFC food is a different question.

There are different definitions . This is from Collins Dictionary.

A restaurant is a place where you can eat a meal and pay for it. In restaurants your food is usually served to you at your table by a waiter or waitress.

In any case I am sure most people would not refer to a McDonalds as a restaurant, regardless of the exact definition of what one was.