Friday, May 11, 2007


Bignews Margate’s Пиршество Семьи *


Its seems incredible, but KFC have apparently trade marked the phrase “family feast”, no big deal you might think, until you find a lawyer for some big, all powerful global company writing you letters, telling you that they can no longer use, the English language to express yourself.

According to several reports licensees of the Tan Hill Inn, in Yorkshire have had to put up with a bit of advice from KFC lawyers on the use of the phrase “family feast”. The fact that the Tan Hills ‘Family Feast’ refers to a traditional Christmas dinner and KFC’s ‘feast’ is something that comes fried in oil in a bucket, which in my case I try to forget as soon as I’ve got the grease off my hands. It seems that lawyers were worried that Joe public might somehow confuse the two things.

There are principles involved here, KFC the fast food chain formally known as Kentucky Fried Chicken, before we got too lazy to use whole words (and cook) or was it some marketing re-branding. Once we concede this sort of nonsense where does it stop.

Most consumers are fairly sophisticated, I think we can tell the difference between pubs which these days are generally clean, cosy, comfortable and provide good food to fast food joints which often have all the stark ambience of a supermarket but longer queues, primitive staff and greasy surfaces.

I occasionally arrange a family feast here at Flaig Mansions, will I in future have to consult a lawyer rather than a cookery book, if so I have this two word phrase I’m considering getting trade marked one word is OFF, I can’t tell you the other until the lawyers have sorted it.

How did we ever get to a situation where foreign corporations can highjack or rather trade mark the English language. I know I frequently abuse the privilege but I’m British, so I feel entitled.

Finally a restaurant that mentions on its website “a computer controlled process ensures thorough cooking” is always a consideration when eating out.

One I made earlier My own unique recipe for Chicken

BBC Story

The Publican Story

KFC site "Quality Chicken".

* I think its Russian for family feast, I had enough legal threats this week.

1 comment:

  1. I followed your link to KFC's 'Five Steps'. They appear to have left out a very important step - the one where the chook gets its head sliced off. Which is presumably only a couple of steps away from their restaurant and therefore explains why the pavement outside always seems to have a slimy feel under foot.

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