KFC, already suffering sore drumsticks from last week's chicken giveaway fiasco, has been challenged by El Pollo Loco Restaurants to a taste test.

KFC seems rather busy at the moment, however, pushing its new Rain Check program as an apology to the many chicken-hungry customers who were unable to redeem their free Kentucky Grilled Chicken meal coupon last week.

KFC President Roger Eaton is featured groveling in apology in a new KFC ad. The company is offering a rather convoluted solution to the problem, instructing customers to visit a KFC, fill out a form, and give it and the original coupon to the store manager. The company will then send them "at a later date" a rain check for the free meal along with a Pepsi. By my count, that would be three trips to the KFC for one free meal. Many people will burn more gas money than the cost of a meal for this free meal.

KFC does not appear interested in a roast-off against El Pollo Loco, a 418-location Southwestern U.S. chain. The latter company has been making the most of the KFC debacle. When KFC excluded Mother's Day from the promotion, El Pollo Loco announced it would accept KFC's coupons at its locations on Mother's Day. The company has featured the competition in its TV advertising, which you can see on YouTube.

For KFC, this promotion has become a real KFU.