LOUISVILLE, Ky., April 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Today,
Kentucky Fried Chicken® announced it will provide $500,000 worth of groceries to team members
across its more than 4,000 U.S. restaurants to celebrate its
workforce who are continuing to keep America fed amidst the
COVID-19 pandemic. KFC franchisees have joined forces to
create a Grocery Assistance Fund through the KFC Foundation,
which will provide $100 grocery gift
cards to thousands of U.S. employees.
With kids home from school and college, many are feeling a
pantry pinch during this time. KFC recently surveyed restaurant
employees to learn more about how it could better assist
restaurant-level team members during the crisis, and groceries for
employees and their families consistenty ranked among the top
responses as a preferred means of support.
KFC franchisees all over the country, many of whom are small,
local business owners, have been working to support and
celebrate their individual teams through bonuses, hourly pay
increases, meals for their employees and their families, pay
continuation for employees impacted by COVID-19, and a variety of
other financial incentives.
Notably, KFC franchisees Dick
West (West Quality Foods) and Todd
and Justin Stewart (Stewart Restaurant Group), among others,
granted a $2 per hour appreciation
incentive to employees. Franchisee Brandon Robertson provided all
team members with $20 Fill Ups,
enough food to feed a family of four, to take home for their
families, along with a coupon to share one with someone in need
within their local community. Harman Management Corporation, KFC's
oldest franchisee, provided a bonus to each of their 5,000 hourly
employees, as well as their 560 restaurant general managers and
above unit managers.
"Our team members are going above and beyond to keep America fed
and spread goodwill throughout our communities, whether that's by
donating thousands of meals to frontline healthcare workers or
feeding children missing school meals," said Justin Stewart, board chair, KFC Foundation. "As
a small thank you, and in addition to many individual franchisee
efforts, we have come together as franchisee leaders to care for
restaurant employees through the Grocery Assistance Fund."
The Grocery Assistance Fund is just another way KFC and its
franchisees are working to support team members across the country.
For this initiative, franchisees and employees in all U.S.
restaurants can recommend co-workers in need to receive a grocery
gift card from the KFC Foundation, in partnership with the YUM!
Foundation. Team members can choose to recommend others for any
reason.
In the wake of COVID-19, KFC has also made the following
commitments to support its people, communities and franchisees:
- Continuing to keep America fed: KFC is open and
ready to feed your family. KFC is offering free delivery (minimum
$20 order before taxes, tips, and
fees) with contactless delivery options in addition to remaining
open for drive-thru and carry-out.
- Increased safety measures for customers and team
members: KFC recently announced new measures across the U.S.,
including:
-
- Distribution of thermometers with infrared contactless
temperature scanners to every restaurant, and implementation of
temperature checks for every employee before their shift
starts.
- Distribution of non-surgical, disposable masks for restaurant
team members across the U.S.
- Instillation of acrylic front counter shields in restaurants,
providing a safety barrier between employees and guests.
- Using a drive-thru extender payment pad to further limit
contact between customers and employees.
- Feeding our communities: KFC recently donated one
million pieces of chicken to provide relief to communities in need,
due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Through the donation, KFC franchisees
across the country were able to provide meals to organizations of
their choice in their local communities. In addition to the one
million pieces of chicken donation, KFC franchisees have been
stepping up their relief efforts across the country, donating
thousands of meals to frontline healthcare workers, feeding
families in need and providing meals to essential workers.
- Supporting children in need: In March, KFC
announced a $400,000 donation to
Blessings in a Backpack to provide meals to children who may
otherwise go hungry due to school closures.
- Providing relief to franchisees: KFC will grant
franchisees a 60-day grace period on current royalties. KFC parent
company Yum! Brands (including KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell) has
also deferred all 2020 capital obligations for remodels and new
unit development through the end of this year.
For more information about KFC's efforts to support franchisees,
employees and customers during the coronavirus pandemic, please
visit www.kfc.com/coronavirus.
About KFC
KFC Corporation, based in Louisville,
Ky., is the world's most popular chicken restaurant chain. KFC
specializes in Original Recipe®, Extra Crispy™, Kentucky Grilled
Chicken® and Extra Crispy™ Tenders, Hot Wings®, KFC Famous Bowls®,
Pot Pies, freshly hand prepared chicken sandwiches, biscuits and
homestyle side items. There are more than 23,000 KFC restaurants in
140 countries and territories around the world. KFC Corporation is
a subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc., Louisville,
Ky. (NYSE: YUM). For more information,
visit www.kfc.com. Follow KFC on Facebook
(www.facebook.com/kfc), Twitter (www.twitter.com/kfc) and Instagram
(www.instagram.com/KFC).
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SOURCE KFC