Has that fast food giant KFC come up with a novel way of marketing itself in China, one wonders?
Branches in the People’s Republic made a public announcement this week on Sina Weibo, a popular Twitter-like microblog site, denying stories that customers could specially request handsome boys to deliver their food for them, stressing that KFC only runs a "normal delivery service," and calling on their customers to be kind to the hard-working delivery staff.
It followed a posting on Weibo from a girl who claimed she had ordered a home delivery and wrote down that she wanted a handsome man to deliver the food to her. Later she reported that a "rangy handsome delivery boy with big eyes and white skin" had delivered her order. Furthermore, the blogger, who included a picture of her receipt on which her requirement of a handsome delivery boy had been printed, claimed that the branch called her 10 minutes after his arrival, "confirming 'is the delivery boy pretty, heh?'"
"The boy covered his face with his hands out of shyness and stammered, 'Am... I... satisfying?'," the girl wrote. "I laughed so much I nearly died. I was only making a joke with KFC."
Joke or not, the microblog entry has gone viral and quickly picked up over 5,000 comments, most of which described KFC's act as "interesting" and "lovable."
Some other bloggers were obviously disappointed, claiming they hadn’t had the opportunity to try out KFC’s “service”. Many took photos with their delivery boys and posted them online, accompanied by snaps of their receipts, to prove their demands were met.
There were, of course, the killjoys such as one who posted “These Chinese girls must have poor taste! KFC delivery boys are far from being handsome; have seen many of them on their rounds; doing a fine job perhaps, but certainly don't have the ideal looks!”
And another: “Chinese girls are desperate for men, even just a look at them is good for the girls, what's going on in their minds? Next, they would invite the deliverymen in for a chat? Population imbalance, more girls than men!”
Then there were, too, those who rose above it all: “You people are sick! So materialistic! Who cares if the boy or girl is handsome or not? Isn't the quality of the food you are paying for more important? Grab a brain.”
Then there were, too, those who rose above it all: “You people are sick! So materialistic! Who cares if the boy or girl is handsome or not? Isn't the quality of the food you are paying for more important? Grab a brain.”
To which I can only wonder if that last person has ever tried a Chinese KFC home delivery? Quality of food? Oh please!
