KFC runs out of some items in the UK because of supply ‘disruption’

• "Things may be a little different when you next visit us," KFC told its UK customers Wednesday.
• Some items were unavailable, it said, without naming any.
• The supply problems were down to "disruption," it said, without elaborating.
• See more stories on Insider's business page.

KFC customers in the UK might have problems getting their favorite meal when they next visit the chain.

The fast-food giant tweeted Wednesday that, at some locations, some items were unavailable and the packaging "might look a little different to normal."

"Things may be a little different when you next visit us," it added.

-KFC UK (@KFC_UKI) August 11, 2021

The company didn't say which items or packaging were unavailable, or how many of its more than 900 UK restaurants had been affected. Some customers said that there were no cups.

KFC credited the supply issues to "some disruption over the last few weeks," without elaborating.

The fast-food chain didn't immediately reply to Insider's request for comment on which items were unavailable and what had caused the shortages. KFC hasn't tweeted about the shortages since Wednesday's post.

Read more: Consumers are spending less at the grocery this year, but big food companies like Kellogg and General Mills are increasing selection in an attempt to hold on to peak pandemic sales

Restaurants across the US have been hit by supply shortages, causing some restaurants to hike up menu prices or slash their opening hours.

A restaurant owner in Maine told Insider that ingredient shortages were forcing her to close her restaurant an hour early every day, while a New Jersey pizzeria owner said that he'd had to raise menu prices for chicken wings by more than 50%.

Starbucks also put a temporary hold on some ingredients like hazelnut syrup, toffee nut syrup, chai tea bags, and green iced tea, per an internal memo viewed by Insider in June.

Grocery stores across the UK have been hit by similar shortages, too.

The supply-chain issues have been attributed to soaring shipping prices, extreme weather events, and a huge shortage of truckers. The UK's Road Haulage Association estimates that there's a shortage of around 100,000 drivers.