After urging German customers to order fried chicken and cheese to remember Germany’s 1938 anti-Jewish pogrom, KFC was forced to issue an apology.
On the anniversary of the 1938 Kristallnacht, or Night of Broken Glass, the fast food restaurant suggested that consumers “treat themselves” by sending out a notification on Wednesday, according to sources.
Nazi rioters set fire to and plundered synagogues and Jewish-run businesses on November 9, 1938, an act that is usually seen as the beginning of the Third Reich’s campaign to exterminate Jews.
The notification, according to KFC, had “an obviously unplanned, insensitive, and unacceptable message.”
KFC issued a statement saying, ” “We understand and respect the gravity and history of this day, and remain committed to equity, inclusion, and belonging for all.
The fast food restaurant chain claimed to utilise a bot connected to national holidays to generate notifications for its mobile app. Customers received the alert because KFC claimed its internal review procedure wasn’t handled properly. It said that in order to prevent a repeat of the error, app communications have been suspended.
Concerns over growing anti-Semitism directed at Jewish communities have been exacerbated by recent anti-Semitic remarks made by rapper Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, and NBA player Kyrie Irving. Adidas cut ties with the rapper in response to Ye’s remarks, while Gap removed Yeezy merchandise from its stores. According to Nike co-founder Phil Knight, the company’s partnership with Irving is probably over, according to reports.
