I had a really disappointing experience at this KFC, and unfortunately it was one of the worst customer service experiences I’ve had.
I had a KFC gift card that my mom had given me as a way to help me save money while living in such an expensive city. When I went to use it, the employee, Riya, clearly did not know how to process it. Instead of simply telling me that she wasn’t sure how to use the gift card or asking a coworker for help, she repeatedly said loudly, “not approved.” This was extremely confusing and made me feel as though I was somehow trying to use a fraudulent or invalid gift card.
She then asked if I thought there was less than the total amount on the card. I explained that I believed there was, and she said she could try $20. However, she kept telling her coworker that I wanted to know the balance on the card, even though I had already been told they couldn’t check the balance. What I actually wanted was for her to try processing $20, as she had suggested. She never actually made another attempt and continued repeating, “not approved.”
She then told me to pay for my order first and that she would try the gift card afterward, which made even less sense to me. Eventually, she handed me off to her coworker, Lance, and went to the back while making comments such as, “not approved, right?” to her coworker. Thankfully, Lance actually took the time to help me, and when he attempted to process the gift card, it was approved.
When I received my food, I explained to Riya that if she didn’t know how to process the gift card, she should simply say that instead of repeatedly making a customer feel like they were doing something wrong. In a different situation, this could have been someone’s only way of paying for their meal or feeding their child. A customer should never be made to feel embarrassed or suspected of doing something dishonest simply because an employee doesn’t know how to process a payment method.
Unfortunately, instead of listening, she brushed me off and walked toward the door with her nose in the air. I told her that her manner and attitude were not appropriate for a customer-service environment.
After this, my partner went inside to get Riya’s name so that we could properly review the experience. He calmly explained that he only wanted her name so we could provide feedback about our experience at the location. She became aggressive and told him that she didn’t need to tell him anything.
The only positive part of the experience was Lance, who was helpful, patient, and actually took the time to assist us. I genuinely appreciated the way he handled the situation, especially after how uncomfortable the interaction with Riya had been.
I also want to raise a separate concern about hygiene. After handling the register, Riya walked to the back and began preparing food. I did not see her wash or sanitize her hands before doing so. Given that she had just been handling the register area, this was concerning.
I’m not upset that there was initially an issue processing my gift card — mistakes happen. What was upsetting was the refusal to simply ask for help, the repeated “not approved” comments, the attitude I received, and the way the situation was handled from start to finish.
Customers deserve to be treated with respect, regardless of how they are paying. I hope management addresses this situation with Riya and recognizes Lance for actually taking the time to help a customer who was simply trying to use a legitimate gift card.