KFC store forced to shut amid chicken shortage
A KFC store in the Northern Territory was forced to close its doors on Australia Day after running out of chicken due to supply chain issues.
The Alice Springs drive-thru restaurant closed its doors on Wednesday morning as widespread flooding caused the closure of a section of the Stuart Highway, which runs from Adelaide to Darwin.
“Due to the Stuart Highway closure we have been unable to get our fresh chicken delivery,” a note left on the restaurant’s door told customers, assuring them that the store would reopen the following day.
The franchisee, Sam Edelman, who is famed for attempting to earn KFC a Michelin star — one of international dining’s highest honours — said that the closure was "a part of life."
"I will do everything to get my business running even if it costs me extra," he told ABC News.
Full-time staff were paid despite the closure, however a number of casual team members lost their shifts.
The store was back up and running on Thursday.
Yahoo News has reached out to KFC Australia for comment.
KFC and McDonald's meals 'better in Australia', US expat says
KFC unveils new vegan range – but is it coming to Australia?
Supply issues threaten Aussie businesses
The effect of the Covid-19 pandemic is being felt now more than ever by Australian businesses as supply chain issues continue to wreak havoc.
Previous announcements by KFC confirmed that delivery problems were forcing menu changes, while competitor Nandos recently announced that the pandemic has resulted in chicken shortages in its restaurants.
Shocking photos of bare supermarket shelves have also been doing the rounds on social media, with a heavy downpour cutting off train and truck access to Alice Springs this week.
Residents posted images of bare shelves at Coles and Woolworths, saying they are running out of food quickly.
"We're doing our best to maintain consistent supply," a Coles spokesperson told Yahoo News Australia.
"This is because of the number of people in our supply chain in isolation – from suppliers to truck drivers and distribution centre team members – which in turn is causing material delays to store deliveries."
Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.
You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter and download the Yahoo News app from the App Store or Google Play.
