Hundreds of KFC outlets across the United Kingdom were closed last week after a change in logistics providers led to a chicken shortage.

Over 80 percent of all KFCs in Britain, some 750 locations, were forced to close because the company switched deliveries to DHL, and the logistics provider proved unable to deliver. Days before the snafu, KFC swapped deliverers from Bidvest Group to DHL.

KFC tried to make light of the situation, writing on Twitter, “The chicken crossed the road, just not to our restaurants.” The company also promised that “the  Colonel is working on” the problem.

According to local press reports a labor leader representing Bidvest employees said DHL was “not geared up” to deliver chicken around the country. Bidvest has multiple distribution points around the country, according to the same report, while DHL has but one, in Rugby, a town in central England. KFC’s outlets range from locations in northern Scotland to southern England.

It’s a far cry from last October, when DHL was awarded the KFC contract, promising to “revolutionize the UK foodservice supply chain.”

“DHL will re-write the rule book and set a new benchmark for delivering fresh products to KFC in a sustainable way,” the company claimed at the time. DHL planned on doing that by partnering with specialist foodservice logistics provider QSL. QSL was to bring its expertise in the fast-food restaurant sector with demand planning, stock management, dedicated IT solutions, purchasing, and accounting. DHL was to manage the physical warehouse and distribution service.

“DHL is also committed to setting a new industry benchmark by delivering outstanding service to all KFC’s restaurants and its consumers,” DHL said in October.

Well, maybe some day, but not just yet.