A viral social media complaint about the cleanliness of the KFC restaurant at Warners Bay has continued to attract attention more than a week after it was first shared online.
The post, published in the KFC Complaints Facebook group on 27 July, has sparked widespread discussion after customer Ian Spruce described the condition of the restaurant as “a disgrace”.
Mr Spruce claimed he observed dirty tables that had not been cleared, food scattered across the kitchen floor and a drain blocked with chips while visiting the outlet.
“I’m currently sitting amongst the filth at the Warners Bay outlet and what I see looking around the place is a disgrace,” he wrote.
“Dirty tables with nobody tending to the rubbish left behind from previous customers.
“Food all over the floor in the cooking area, with the drain clogged up full of spilled chips.
“That’s apart from the ones that didn’t make the drain and pieces of chicken scattered around the floor.”
He also shared his personal frustration with the outlet, claiming: “I’ve always thought that Warner’s Bay was the worst KFC store in Australia.”
The post generated thousands of comments, with many people debating whether responsibility rested with management or staff.
Some commenters said hospitality workers were often under pressure, while others argued the reported conditions were unacceptable regardless of staffing levels.
The issue was first reported by Yahoo News Australia, which contacted KFC Australia after the images circulated online.
In response, a KFC spokesperson said the company was working with the restaurant team to address the concerns.
“Our restaurants have strict standards and procedures for food preparation, service, cleanliness, and the presentation of our restaurants,” the spokesperson said.
“We’re working directly with the restaurant team to address this immediately.”
Newcastle Weekly also contacted KFC Australia for further comment.
The company said it had nothing further to add beyond the statement provided to Yahoo News Australia and reiterated that all restaurants follow its parent company Yum! Brands’ standards.
Yum! Brands states its food safety approach includes globally approved suppliers and standards, consistent restaurant practices supported by audits, and ongoing training for team members.
The company says restaurants undergo regular food safety audits, including at least two audits per restaurant each year.
KFC Australia has not publicly released further details about the outcome of its review of the Warners Bay outlet.
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