Immediate Action Required: Toilets and Service at KFC Lydenburg

KFC Lydenburg,

For months, your restaurant has been operating without functional restrooms. I watched today as a staff member turned away an elderly customer with the words, “the toilets don’t work.” This is not a minor inconvenience — it is a violation of South African municipal by-laws and national food regulations (Regulation R638 and the OHS Act), which require all sit-down food establishments to provide accessible, working toilets for both customers and staff. Toilets are not optional; they are a legal and human necessity.

We understand that street traffic may sometimes use facilities without purchasing food. That is part of operating in a community. But this cannot justify denying dignity and basic needs to paying patrons — nor can it excuse staff and customers being placed in uncomfortable, avoidable situations.

Beyond the toilets, the service at KFC Lydenburg is failing to meet even minimal expectations. Today, I ordered a meal with Coke Zero but was given regular Coke. When I asked for the correct drink, I was met with a side eye from the cashier. Condiments were missing from my meal, forcing me to flag down another staff member. This is not an isolated incident — every order I have placed, whether online or in-house, has come with some form of problem.

KFC is a global brand with a reputation to protect. Operating a restaurant without restrooms, while delivering inconsistent and inattentive service, undermines both the law and customer trust.

We demand, firmly and unequivocally: restore functional toilets. Rectify your service standards. Not next week, not with vague promises — but immediately. Your staff and customers deserve nothing less.