KFC in Hartlepool

Visited KFC after checking in at Travelodge which is next door very handy.Normally were I live it’s very greasy and cold chips.This was really nice and chips were hot.

Ordering system a pain to use as it is not face to face! Food only just warm enough to eat, though claimed to be cooked fresh?? Was eatable but not enjoyable hence 3 stars. Staff friendly enough hence 3 stars not 2 that the food itself deserved in my opinion.

It was a cold day and we started eating in and then we noticed that it is very cold so we asked to turn on the heating. At first someone said they do not know how to turn the heating on, then we someone asked again, another staff said the heating is not working for while now. They could have put a sign on the door to warn customer that there is no heating inside or even just told us before we ordered.

Fast food fix on way back to Travelodge and it did what you would expect KFC to do. Nothing more and nothing less but that’s fine.

The chips tasted like they have been reheated and were awful. Even though they were open nearly all the seats we up and only three booths open to sit at and you had to put in your table number for table service and then they called you to collect your order anyway? Didn’t feel comfortable in there food very food service much the same would certainly not go back, which is a shame because we always go there when we are up here but not anymore.

We were staying in the Travelodge hotel next door and we wanted something to eat that was hot, filling, quick and would not break the bank so we decided to go to KFC. My partner had never been to KFC at all before and I had not been for years (with a slightly negative experience previously at a different restaurant) so we decided to go. When we walked in to the store, we were greeted by a member of the team who was presentable, happy and looked genuinely pleased to be at work. She asked us if we were eating in or taking out and as we were eating in, she directed us to the sefl-service point. Having not been to a KFC during lockdown and now being allowed to eat in, I was not sure of the process so I asked what to do. The colleague explained that we choose 'eat in' on the first option and then take a table flag (a triangle of plastic with a number on that you put on your table) and that after the order is placed, when prompted, you put the table flag number in the machine to help the staff know where you are sat. We did as directed and took our seats. The restaurant started to get busier but the colleague was unphased and equally as pleasant, professional and polite to all of the customers who entered the store. I heard her making conversation with one of the children who was there with his family as well as making sure they had everything they needed for their meals. The staff member brought over our food to our table after about 15 minutes and asked if we would like any sauces or condiments which she returned with straight away. My partner and I both got snack box meals (he got a wrap meal and I got a gravy box) and the food that arrived was hot and delicious. My gravy box consisted of two spicy wings, a crispy fillet, fries and gravy (for around £4) and his consisted of a wrap, popcorn chick and fries (for around £3). The chips looked homemade and we delicious (not oily or floppy) and the gravy was steaming hot. The chicken was also hot and we both wolfed down our food within minutes. My partner said afterwards that he liked the fries and preferred them to anywhere else we have eaten. I enjoyed my whole meal. Overall, the restaurant was clean and tidy with hand sanitiser available at the door, along with the track and trace QR code and the floor is clearly marked. Staff wear masks and are protected by screens and customers are asked to wear masks when walking around. Having worked for McDonald's what seems like a lifetime ago (twenty years go when I worked it out), it was always drilled into us about QSC and V - Quality, Service, Cleanliness and Value and that 'quality does not stop when the sun goes down and it is good to see that in this KFC restaurant, they mirror similar values. It may only have been a trip to a fast-food restaurant but I think that it is important, particularly in these times of the importance of good hygiene, that we recognize places that are not only good value places to eat, but also, safe for ourselves and our families. Well done KFC.