KFC — Restaurant in Winter Garden

Honestly, not sure why I'm even reviewing a KFC, other than in the hopes that a store manager or owner might see and take these reviews in, hopefully, with an eye towards driving more customers to the store and generating more revenue, while providing a more positive experience for the customer.

I've been to this KFC twice in the past few months, after having not been to any in decades (there are SO many better options nearby)... have so many fond memories of KFC as a child with family and friends. It was an institution. Not any more.

This KFC shares space with Taco Bell - that should tell you something right there. But I digress. So the last time I went recently, I actually downloaded the app and ordered online (I was only blocks away, but you get much better deals in the app only). So I pull up through the drive-thru and the speaker voice tells me I have to go inside to pick up my mobile order (not sure if this is a store policy or a ridiculous KFC policy - do they not comprehend the meaning of MOBILE order?). If I wanted to go in, I'd go in.

So I go in the store, and they don't even want to talk to me, they just point to the mobile pick-up shelves, where my bag is waiting. There were only plastic forks available (not even sporks), so I asked for a spoon (who eats mashed potatoes and gravy with a fork?!)... the woman just looks at me with a blank stare and shakes her head "No," and walks away!! I tried to get her attention so ask for some honey for the biscuit... sorry, too busy. Ridiculous!

Food was rewarmed, and not at all fresh, and definitely did not bring out the alleged flavor of the Colonel's 11 herbs and spices. I promised myself I'd likely never go back. Unfortunately, they got me recently with a mobile offer, and I was hungry and across the street. No fake mobile order for me this time, I parked and went inside. Didn't even use the app deal.

PS: Parking in this little outdoor strip-mall restaurant environment is abysmal - way too many cars with far too few parking spaces!

I go inside and order a 2-piece original dark meat combo box. After spending forever talking to someone at the drive-thru window (apparently only 1 or 2 people seemingly work there for both KFC and Taco Bell?), the woman takes my order. I asked (foolishly, but more out of routine for all the fast food apps we have nowadays) if I could put my phone # in to get credit for the purchase. "We don't do that here." What? There is no bar code to have them scan on my phone, and no pad to enter my phone #, like most places. She went and asked someone, who agreed, "We don't do that here." Whatever. I'll just take my food, please.

So she comes back to the counter and says they have 1 piece of original and 1 piece of extra crispy. Nope, all original for me, please... I'm a purist and need that brief, hopeful flashback to my childhood memories. So she goes to one side of the warming tray in the 2-sided warmer, and is talking to her cohort looking through the other side. They are literally arguing about what piece of chicken is which - light vs dark meat. She then tells me, yep, they've got me covered for 2 pieces of dark.

She hands me my bag, again (foolishly), I have to ask if I could please have a spoon, or a spork, or whatever passes a spoon substsitute for my potatoes and gravy. "We don't do those here." So I'm left with flimsy plastic fork tines to try to scoop up the gravy again. Still no honey, either. Sensing a pattern here? And the woman wouldn't give a rat's...behind... about it.

At least the chicken was warmer and fresh this time... except... despite their robust argument over dark/light meat, I ended up with one drumstick and one white meat breast... not exactly a 2-piece dark meat combo. Whatever, I ate what was in front of me, since going back wasn't likely to do me any good.

So there you have it. After writing all this out, I actually had to go back and reduce my ratings, realizing I was being too generous at first. Maybe I should've tried a taco?! ...

I have visited this location a handful of times over the past few years and always had a good experience. Today, service was fine and the food was tasty. Halfway through eating is where the story took a turn. I want to preface this review by saying this does not reflect on everyone working. The gentleman who rang us up was very attentive to the guests as well as restocking. First, 2 employees were at the entrance smoking as guests were walking in. As the employees entered the dining room the smell of the cigarettes followed. Neither washed their hands and immediately went back behind the counter. No one is stopping you from smoking but at least be considerate enough to step away from the main entrance. Second, an employee emptied the garbage in the dining room, placing the over full bags on the floor. Happens, not an issue. The issue is that both bags were leaking and left a pretty significant, foul smelling puddle on the floor. Which sat...and sat...and sat. At about the 10 minute mark another employee entered the restaurant, I assume coming in for their shift, saw the puddle and grabbed a wet floor sign to place next to it only to immediately walk through the puddle tracking the liquid across the dining room. At least he acknowledged the puddle and potential slipping hazard but why walk through it?? We finished eating and left after about 20 minutes of the puddle sitting there and STILL no one had attempted to clean it. Finally, after paying more attention to what I can only describe as a lack of care, I started looking around the dining room and noticed many of the ceiling tiles were very badly water stained and not fresh stains. Some stains were turning black, others were a dark brown. Regardless, the ceiling is in very poor condition. If this is the kind of care that goes into the front of house, what does the back of house and food handling look like? I have been in hospitality/retail/restaurant management for almost 20 years. Watching multiple patrons walk in, look around and leave loudly expressing their disgust towards the state of the dining room is embarrassing. Obviously, I can't speak to the realities of the business or what hurdles there may be. My perception was that there is a serious lack of caring/attention going into this particular store. Having visited this location many times in the past I can definitively say I will not...

The drive thru service is horrendous. I simply wanted a 4piece meal. No one spoke to be thru the speaker for a solid 9minutes. I felt bad for the car behind me so I just kindly gestured the “ idk” body language when putting my window down. She suggested maybe the speaker wasn’t working and to move forward to the window. My left arm was burning hot from sitting in the car and the sun beaming directly on it and the left side of my face was also sun burning as I was waiting for so long, so at that point, I was very uncomfortable and decided to go ahead and move forward to the window. I was appalled to be told at the window that my order could not be taken. The lady insisted she could not take my order and at one point she asked me “what she was supposed to do” and “how she could take my order”. At this point, I asked to speak to a manager and then when the so-called manager came to the window, she told me she couldn’t really take the order there. However, I explain to her that I was waiting in line and I had to get going, and I needed some food and miraculously she took my order . This “manager” had a very rude disposition & tone. I finally got my order then after leaving as I opened my meal box it was NOT my order. Life is short so I chose not to turn around as I had pre commitments;after all a drive thru is supposed to be convenient. Sadly it was so inconvenient I wanted to share the ill willed service exchange in efforts to thwart anyone else having to go through this very unpleasant and lack of...