A tweet by a Kenyan journalist claiming that a man had persuaded KFC chains around Durban, South Africa, to give him free food every day by faking that he was from the restaurant’s headquarters has gone viral.
The 27-year-old, whose name wasn’t revealed, was a student from the Univesity of KwaZulu-Natal and was said to have persuaded the employees at the different KFC chains that he was sent by the head office of the fast-food chain in order to conduct quality control, according to India Today.
According to the post, the man’s carefully thought-out tactics helped him get free meals every single day by for a year, whereby he would arrive at the fast food location in a limousine. According to the South African junk news site Xpouzar, the 27-year-old student was very convincing. In addition to arriving in a limousine, he also dressed like someone from the head office to make it even more believable.
According to Xpouzar, the limousine driver was an accomplice and the 27-year-old’s friend, and the two of them were part of the scheme to eat at the fast-food chain without paying money. To top it all off, the 27-year-old also had a card that said “head office,” which he would use in every restaurant.
The news site claimed that one of the KFC branch managers even said that employees would try to act with their best behavior so the man who from head office wouldn’t get angry.
“He was so convincing because he was confident, and even colleagues from other branches of KFC know him,” one of the branch managers said, according to Xpouzar. “When he came in, he rushed to the kitchen and checked out everything, taking notes and then asked for samples of whatever he wanted.”
According to the branch manager, people who worked there never said anything because they thought the man claiming to be from head office knew everything.
Teddy Eugene, the person who shared the incident on his Twitter account “The African Voice,” grabbed the attention of many, and the post garnered over 2200 comments, over 29,000 retweets, and over 66,000 likes. The post eventually caught the attention of KFC South Africa itself.
South African man arrested for eating at KFC free for a year by saying head office sent him to taste if they are up to standard. pic.twitter.com/1V4eD7IR2i
— The African Voice (@teddyeugene) May 12, 2019
According to Daily Mail, KFC South Africa finally responded to the story of the man who got arrested for tricking the restaurant into giving him free meals, and said that the story was a fake.
“It would be legendary if only it were true,” KFC South Africa responded. “Fake is as far as it gets with this story.”
It would be legendary if only it were true. Fake is as far as it gets with this story. ????♀️ https://t.co/YIk7Dkd653
— KFC South Africa (@KFCSA) May 14, 2019
According to the news outlet, the fried chicken chain caught wind of the “rumor” after African press reported on the story.
“We’d give him all of the props if it were true but unfortunately it isn’t, cause this is fake news,” KFC South Africa wrote on its Twitter.
We’d give him all of the props if it were true but unfortunately it isn’t, cause this is fake news. ????♀️Team KFC|SM
— KFC South Africa (@KFCSA) May 14, 2019
KFC South Africa then added that the restaurant didn’t keep the secret recipe secret for as long as it did only to be tricked by a student.
Fake is as good as this story gets. As legendary as it would be we can confirm that this is false. We haven’t kept the secret recipe ‘secret’ for this long, only to be duped by a student ???? pic.twitter.com/32CE5OXVTA
— KFC South Africa (@KFCSA) May 14, 2019
However, ever since Eugene shared the story, many people have commented, applauding the 27-year-old university student for being very smart, despite it being fake news. Others called him legendary and a hero.
“He is a legend and is now very experienced taster. KFC should employ him,” wrote a Twitter user.
???????????? He is a legend and is now very experienced taster. KFC should employ him
— Lee Kirichu (@LeeKirichu) May 12, 2019
Another user wrote, “seizing the opportunity I call it! His is kinda funny to me.”
Seizing the opportunity I call it! ????????????????, His is kinda funny to me…. Whole damn year!
— Gladys (@gaggyshizzoh) May 12, 2019
