A girl goes on a verbal tirade at an Adelaide KFC. Courtesy: @yeahceebs via Instagram

A bloke has been hailed as “hero” online after he pretended to be from head office to get free KFC for a year.

The student, 27, even turned up in a limo to fool staff at several of the popular chain’s restaurants.

The anonymous man, from the University of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa, dressed in a suit and claimed he was from head office in order to get free chicken.

He pulled up to the KFC branches in a limo driven by a mate and flashed a fake ID card, and said he was there to make quality assurance checks on the food.

A staff member from one of the franchises said: “When he arrived we would all try to act our best so that we didn’t p**s off the man from head office.

“He was so convincing because he was so confident, and even colleagues from other branches of KFC know him.

“When he came in, he rushed to the kitchen and checked everything, taking notes and then asked for samples of whatever he wanted.”

Despite being arrested, people on social media described the man as their “hero”.

A Twitter post revealing his trick has gone viral, attracting more than 50,000 likes and 22,500 shares.

A Twitter user said “He should be knighted, not arrested! This guy is a freaking LEGEND!”

One person said: “Not all heroes wear capes.”

Another joked: “He should get honoured for this, not arrested. At least make him a Colonel.”

Plenty of Twitter users saw the funny side and congratulated the man for his efforts.

South African man arrested for eating at KFC free for a year by saying head office sent him to taste if they are up to standard. pic.twitter.com/1V4eD7IR2i — The African Voice (@teddyeugene) May 12, 2019

When they welcome him in jail pic.twitter.com/QLYQfqt939 — siphokazi (@KaziiMtshali_) May 13, 2019

This story originally appeared on The Sun and was republished here with permission.