Free KFC Chicken Meal - Very Limited Time

[knagl]

Their site is completely bogged down right now (I can't even get to the coupon page), but until 10:00p Central time Wednesday night, KFC is offering a free 2-piece meal of their new grilled chicken, including two sides and a biscuit.  You need to print a coupon by tomorrow night, and the coupon is valid through May 19th.

http://www.unthinkfc.com/

[StatFreak]

Thanks knagl. I've been trying to print it, but I think that they've chickened out.

[tjkeller]

Thanks knagl! 
Sadly, I have no KFC here! 

[brichter]

Worked for me!!!

[StatFreak]

Worked for me!!!

I got it later today. It looks like there are no individually identifying marks on the coupons, so the malarkey about only being able to "download" four coupons is BS. If you save the pdf you can print as many as you want.

Just to confirm, the bs encrypted barcode number on the coupon is  0012 3456 7890 1234, and the number that "looks" like a serial number, but which is really just the code that the clerk enters into the register, is 050409 014

If anyone else got different numbers, let us know. I used one this evening and they had no issues with it.

[brichter]

050509 013 on both the coupons I printed.

[Brianzz]

All my barcodes are different

[brichter]

As are mine.

[StatFreak]

All my barcodes are different

As are mine.

 

I thought that the 012345... was odd, so I closed and reopened the browser and re-navigated to the page and re-downloaded the file. I also tried opening it in a new tab. I got the same thing every time.

BTW, I also couldn't access the site using Firefox. It claims to accept Firefox browsers, but I kept getting a page that stated that I was using an incompatible browser. I tried enabling third party cookies (which I keep turned off) and made sure that javascript was enabled (but not Java -- security risk). I ended up using ie.

[StatFreak]

Okay, I just went back to the link using Firefox again (it's late at night), and this time it let me in and behaved completely differently than it did in ie this afternoon. This time I got what both of you probably got: a link to download a program that prints the coupon. This afternoon, it took me to a page that looked very similar, but which instructed me to right click and download a pdf file which contained the coupon. Needless to say, that download has the bogus bar code of 012345678901234, but they took it tonight.

If they take the pdf version with the bogus serial number then I'm going to keep using them until they tell me otherwise. After all, I followed the instructions on the web page and did what they told me to do!

Another thing: Once one opens the link that you provided, there is a link to "Print Coupon Now". This time the link on the first page went directly to their own page to download the program that prints the coupon. This afternoon, the SAME LINK on the first page took me to the Oprah Winfrey site, which had a link that took me to their pdf page.     I just went back to the Oprah site and they have replaced the pdf link with a link that goes to the coupon program download page. So this must have been an error that they have corrected, but since potentially thousands or tens of thousands of people must have gotten this pdf, they may have to honor it.

Here is a copy of the file if anyone wants it.


REMOVED COPY OF COUPON SEE POST ,,,,,

[knagl]

The 0123456789 coupons have to be valid.  As a work-around since the KFC site couldn't handle the traffic, at some point on Tuesday they posted a .pdf on the Oprah site of the coupon with that barcode, and as SF said I'm sure thousands of people saved/printed that version.  I, too, was re-directed to the Oprah site on Tuesday afternoon to print that .pdf coupon (rather than the generated coupon with the different barcode numbers).

They shot themselves in the foot in being able to enforce the limit of 4 per person by doing that, but I guess their choice was to do that or have thousands of angry people who had a carrot dangled in front of them who then couldn't get the promised carrot.  Enjoy your chicken!   

[StatFreak]

I printed a dozen.. 

[stayouttadabunker]

   I love FREE chicken....

[kenokarz]

im am going to lunch there today will let everyone know how it goes 

[kenokarz]

ok just got back, im so full of free  i cant move, no problems at all i did buy 2 drinks so total bill was 3.37 for the 2 of us to eat,
told the wife that the money i saved on meals i could buy more slots 

[Joeylc]

Re:  Infringement of KFC Corporation’s Trademarks and Copyrights

 

Attn:  Joey Carruthers

 

Dear Mr. Carruthers:

 

We are outside intellectual property litigation counsel for KFC Corporation (“KFCâ€�).  KFC has just learned that you have unlawfully copied a KFC coupon and posted it on your website as follows:

http://newlifegames.net/nlg/index.php?PHPSESSID=74d688f85dd1471e66e6b8a73bbf02f1&action=dlattach;topic=2937.0;attach=88841

The complained-of material is not authorized by KFC, its agents, or the law.  Indeed, the unauthorized copying, posting, and distribution of this coupon violates KFC’s intellectual property in several ways and constitutes, among other things, copyright infringement, trademark infringement, and unfair competition.

As such, we ask that you immediately remove this posting.

 

Please note that all information in this notification is accurate, and, under penalty of perjury, the undersigned is authorized to act on behalf of KFC—the owner of the exclusive rights that are being infringed.

 

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me directly.  My contact information is listed below.
 
 
Daniel P. Kaufman
Attorney at Law
Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner, LLP
901 New York Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20001-4413
202.408.6088 | fax 202.408.4400 | daniel.kaufman@finnegan.com | www.finnegan.com

WE REMOVED THE COPY OF COUPON.

 

[rickhunter]

Man, the copyright cops are everywhere! 

Is it safe to use    or anything with a product logo?


How about >> << is he a copyrighted entity?

[kenokarz]

i still have 100 if someone wants them getting sick of free chicken for lunch look out Oprah they will be after you next
this was to be a secret

[StatFreak]

Re:  Infringement of KFC Corporation’s Trademarks and Copyrights
...KFC has just learned that you have unlawfully copied a KFC coupon and posted it on your website as follows:
...

WE REMOVED THE COPY OF COUPON.

 

Hey! Joey didn't post the coupon, I DID. And if you lawyer bastards want to come after me then COME AHEAD!!! I've got nothing to lose. You made that pdf file freely available on the public internet and in doing so, lost all rights to it. The version that I posted had no restrictions or limits on it as did your serialized versions of the offer, and once you posted it as an unrestricted download for public consumption you lost control of it. Screw you.

Of course, I support Joey's removal of the file, since he doesn't need any harassment over this issue. Anyone who wants it can contact me and I'll send it to them.

This post is entirely my own statement and opinion and in NO WAY reflects the opinions of anyone else on this board, or of the owner of the board, or of the board in any way. You lawyers want a piece of me? Come and get me!

[kenokarz]

better look out they will make you eat chicken till you don't want anymore,  glad to see the American way is to give a good deal and try and get
people to eat there crappy food and then come after any one that does, maybe WE should start a protest of all of kfc , they say a good word goes
long way and BAD word of mouth travels at great speed, time to make the BAD word TRAVEL  if the dumb
would have made the coupon good if you bought a large drink to get the meal and only ran it for 3days they would have made money,
some time people are to stupid for there own good    but one good thing is that they now know that we have a big crowd, and  that we can get the  BAD word out on K F C

[dpalmi]

Cease and desist!!!!!

 

Dan #2

[StatFreak]

better look out they will make you eat chicken till you don't want anymore,  glad to see the American way is to give a good deal and try and get
people to eat there crappy food and then come after any one that does, maybe WE should start a protest of all of kfc , they say a good word goes
long way and BAD word of mouth travels at great speed, time to make the BAD word TRAVEL  if the dumb
would have made the coupon good if you bought a large drink to get the meal and only ran it for 3days they would have made money,
some time people are to stupid for there own good    but one good thing is that they now know that we have a big crowd, and  that we can get the  BAD word out on K F C

Oh, I agree! They just lost me as a customer, AFTER I finish getting as much free product as I can, of course. And yes, I admit to being a customer many, many times in the past...

Let's see:
First, they botch an attempt to market a restricted offer of a coupon for free food by underestimating the load that the response would place on their servers.
    They have no excuse, since they must have known that people would flood them with requests,
    especially in this bad economy where money is so tight for so many.

Second, in a frenzied attempt to head off a large negative backlash against the company from consumers who could not access the promised offer, they haphazardly decide to forego the restrictions and make a generic coupon freely available to the public via a high-visibility website: re: Oprah.com.
    They did this, presumably, after weighing the consequences of pulling the offer entirely or offering some other
    less satisfactory remedial solution to the angry public and knowing full well that this solution meant opening
    Pandora's proverbial box with regards to enforcing any restrictions on the use of the coupons.

Third, after the site traffic slows down, they realize the potential monetary cost of action two, and decide to reinstate the original restrictions, even though these restrictions can NO LONGER BE ENFORCED at any local KFC outlet or by corporate when redeeming said coupons from their franchisees.

Fourth, now in a panic, they scour the internet to try to threaten anyone posting the aforementioned open coupon to try to mitigate the damages caused by THEIR OWN ACTIONS, lack of foresight, and proper planning, including, but not limited to, planning for implementation failure.

Fifth, should they actually try to take legal action against a private citizen for distributing copies of the open coupon, which they freely offered to the public of their own volition and without coercion, the consequences of negative press and their conviction in the court of public opinion (David vs. Goliath) will make them wish that they had never thought up this promotion in the first place -- which is almost certainly the case already.

Conclusion: KFC, eat your mistake and take some Pepto.

[Joeylc]

Day after pandemonium, Kentucky Fried Chicken honors Oprah's grilled chicken coupons
 



BY Lacie Hales AND Dave Goldiner
DAILY NEWS WRITERS

Updated Thursday, May 7th 2009, 3:19 PM
Watts/News

Customers wait in line on East 42nd St. to redeem their free coupon for KFC's new grilled chicken.
After being turned away angry Tuesday, customers left a bit happier Wednesday. Watts/News

After being turned away angry Tuesday, customers left a bit happier Wednesday.

I want my chicken - tell 'em Oprah sent me!

Bargain-hungry New Yorkers flocked to KFC outlets for a second day Thursday to take advantage of a free meal coupon deal from the talk show queen.

"I'm just really hungry," said Julio Layana, 36, of Manhattan, a postal worker. "Anything for free in New York, you got to take it."

Lunch-hour lines of dozens of customers clutching coupons for free grilled chicken meals stretched around the corner from one KFC on E. 42nd St.

Still, it was nothing compared to the pandemonium that erupted Wednesday when the restaurant was overwhelmed and stopped honoring the coupons.

"It's worth the wait," said Marlene Lake, 42, of the Bronx. "Anything for free in New York City, we're here."

Oprah Winfrey promoted the fast-food joint's new KGC - it's grilled chicken, get it? - on her show and offered the coupons on her website.

The downloadable coupons are good around town for two weeks, but some New Yorkers were determined to take advantage as soon as possible.

Adam Antreassian got on line at 11 a.m. and planned to get coffee with his chicken and mashed potatoes.

"I thought, 'I'm pretty hungry,'" said Antreassian, 26, of Astoria, a financial analyst. "I'm going to get some KFC for breakfast.

[ricker]

This may become the biggest Clucking(sic) nightmare ever created. I cannot wait until May 20th, when this is over. Not because of the long lines, or traffic, or "All we have are wings left"(although valid reasons for me), but the arrogance to threaten the public domain of the internet. You allow a pdf. on the internet(Oprah) and then say, hey you other sites can't post links, smacks of chicken entrails. If someone should have legal action taken against them it's, poor old Oprah. The pdf file in question is all over the internet now, and removing from a site such as this one or any internet site, will only send em searching for more, and there are plenty. You have my permission to look for yourself. I would post these links here, but no reason to bring attention to this fine site.

Now if they printed a coupon every time you cashed out at a casino(TITO)..............wait that's a great idea! You may have lost your ass cash but here's a wing and thigh.

Richard

[StatFreak]

...
Now if they printed a coupon every time you cashed out at a casino(TITO)..............wait that's a great idea! You may have lost your ass cash but here's a wing and thigh.

...as opposed to a "Wing and a Prayer"!
I don't think that I'll be able to keep abreast of all of the KFC jokes that will be flying around -- if only chickens could fly. KFC may have wanted to sell chicken, but they came off as turkeys, instead.