KFC is the same

TERRIBLE. While Brossie was in town, we headed over to New Times Square to see the mall and stores. We decided to stop for lunch at KFC. Now it had been a long time since I was at a KFC. Tammy and I ate there once while we were in college....once (and for you smart-alexs out there, that IS a long time ago). The "food" (and that's really stretching the definition of that word) was terrible and we have never been back...seriously. I don't usually write-off an eatery after one meal but this was sooo bad that it didn't deserve a second chance. We are talking Northern Maine so perhaps it was an unfair judgement of the company based on one establishment but it my world, I'm the only voice that matters (at least that's what I tell myself when Tammy and the kids aren't around). KFC was banned (much like a certain blog access....ironic, maybe just a bit).

Then comes the phone call from the governor (I'll be back) and so a reprieve was granted for China. KFC is very popular here for reasons that I have yet to fathom but we decided to give it a try. Let's bury the hatchet and move on. Well, I ordered the chicken sandwich, fries and a coke. The food looks okay but then it's time to eat. Something doesn't seem quite right with the sandwich. A closer look indicates the sandwich is nearly all dark meat and gristly fatty tissue. I'm not kidding, no white meat anywhere in the chicken, meaning no chicken breast. Who eats like that!?! I guess the Chinese do. Perhaps it was just my sandwich but I don't think so. I think that perhaps the Chinese are so used to using all parts of the animals that to them this would be just another thing to eat...no problem. I don't want to generalize about this and be wrong but it just might be that all white meat may not be as appealing to the Chinese. Stranger food choices are out there and from what I have seen at work for chicken, I believe this to be true. When chicken is served, it's never just a chicken breast, it's a chicken leg, chicken pieces on a stick with bones in between the small bits of chicken and it's chicken "nuggets" (not 100% white meat AND watch out, bones are included for no extra charge, yum-yum!). Whatever the reason, the sandwich was awful, no research required to make that statement.

The menu was also different than expected, no original recipe, no extra cripsy, no rack of chicken parts waiting to be dumped into a bucket to take home from thw working mom who doesn't have time to cook (and the family is so excited, YAY!!!! KFC!...man I really did watch a lot of tv). From what I could read (and by read I mean interpret from the pictures, honestly I read the magazine for the articles) it was all sandwich or legs and no huge pieces of chicken. Again, no chicken breast selection just thigh and leg meat. I know that some prefer dark meat from a turkey (once you go....nevermind, you know where that is going no need to take that any further) but from a chicken. Now that is something new.

Anyhow, sometimes knowing that there are some things that are the same between the US and China makes the distance seem less than it really is (not really but I needed to try and have something profound here....not very successful). I know that KFC will suffer after this scathing, critical review of their establishment at New Times Square in Suzhou. Perhaps I'll get a coupon for a free sandwich (can't we all just get along). However, as you know by now....there's no such thing as a free sandwich.