FAST-FOOD FANS were in a flutter today after many of the 900 KFC outlets in the UK. and were forced to close because of a shortage of chicken.

The company apologised to customers, blaming “teething problems” with its new delivery partner, DHL.

KFC first apologised for the problems on Saturday. In an update today, it listed almost 300 stores as open, but did not say when the rest might join them.

It said those branches that remained open were operating a limited menu or shortened hours.

“We know that this might have inconvenienced some of you over the last few days, and disappointed you when you wanted your fried chicken fix — we’re really sorry about that,” the company said in a statement.

KFC UK & Ireland / Twitter KFC UK & Ireland / Twitter / Twitter

DHL, which recently took over the KFC contract from Bidvest Logistics, said that “due to operational issues a number of deliveries in recent days have been incomplete or delayed.”

When DHL announced in October that it had won the KFC contract alongside logistics firm QSL, it promised to “re-write the rule book and set a new benchmark for delivering fresh products to KFC in a sustainable way.”

Read: McDonald’s US to cut chocolate milk and cheeseburgers from Happy Meal menu >

Read: Supermac’s is hiring hundreds of people as it opens half a dozen new outlets >

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