A representative image (Source: NBT)
In a recent ruling, the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission of Chandigarh has directed the manager of the Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) outlet in Sector 35 to pay a total of Rs 12,000 to a disgruntled customer after a serious mix-up involving a non-vegetarian burger. The complaint was filed by Anirudh Gupta, a Chandigarh resident, who alleged that his wife, a devout vegetarian, was served a chicken burger instead of the ordered vegetarian option.
Incident Details
On May 3, 2023, Gupta placed an order through KFC’s online app for a chicken bucket for himself and a classic vegetarian crisper for his wife. The total amount paid via UPI was Rs 696.59. Gupta reported that, upon receiving the order, his wife took a bite of the burger and immediately noticed an unfamiliar taste. Upon inspection, it was discovered that the burger contained chicken, leading to her vomiting as she is a strict vegetarian. Gupta’s complaint detailed the mental distress caused by this incident.
KFC’s Defense and Commission’s Ruling
In response to the complaint, the KFC manager accused Gupta of filing a false case to extort money and defame the brand. The manager claimed that the order was a takeaway and had been checked at the premises and that all packages have clear markers to indicate their contents. KFC argued that customers receive a message detailing their order, including its contents.
However, the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission rejected these defences. The Commission found that the evidence, including the order receipt and photographs, clearly indicated that KFC had delivered a non-vegetarian burger instead of the vegetarian item ordered. The Commission deemed this a “clear-cut deficiency in service and negligence” on the part of the KFC manager, who failed to provide sufficient evidence to counter the complainant’s claims.
The Commission observed that the manager’s negligence in fulfilling the order, particularly given the complainant’s wife’s dietary restrictions, resulted in significant mental anguish. Consequently, KFC has been ordered to pay Rs 7,000 in compensation for the mental distress caused, and an additional Rs 5,000 towards litigation costs.
Recent Trends in Consumer Disputes
This incident is part of a broader trend of consumer disputes involving vegetarian customers. Recently, the Ludhiana District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum penalized the food delivery app Swiggy and Behrouz Biryani for similar errors, directing them to pay Rs 50,000 to a complainant who received a non-vegetarian dish instead of the vegetarian option ordered.
Additionally, on August 9, 2024, a vegetarian passenger on Indian Railways was mistakenly served a non-vegetarian meal, resulting in the deactivation of the vendor, Sagar Barbeque, from the railway’s list of food providers.
Other notable cases include a Gujarat Police raid in April 2024, where a samosa shop was found selling beef-stuffed samosas, and a similar incident in Pune involving stuffed samosas with inappropriate items. In January 2024, Air India faced criticism when a vegetarian passenger received chicken pieces in her meal, leading to a social media outcry.
In response to growing concerns from vegetarian customers, food delivery aggregator Zomato had recently launched a ‘Pure Veg Mode’ to prevent such mix-ups.
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