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KFC is finally updating its Fried Chicken Sandwich after finding itself catching up with sandwiches from rival chains in recent years. The aptly titled “KFC Chicken Sandwich” features an extra crispy chicken fillet placed on a buttered brioche bun and topped with pickles and spicy or classic mayonnaise.
The new sandwich is available Thursday in nine U.S. cities: Chicago, Kansas City, Louisville, Portland, St. Louis, Sacramento, San Francisco, Seattle and Tulsa. It will be rolled out gradually to KFC’s 4,000 restaurants across the country over the next two months, and fans can follow the sandwich’s arrival on a special website.
The sandwich costs $ 3.99 a la carte or $ 6.99 for a meal combined with fries and a medium drink.
KFC tested the sandwich last June at 15 Orlando restaurants. At the time, Andrea Zahumensky, KFC’s chief marketing officer, told CNN Business that the reformulated sandwich “boasts of an upgrade of every component” and she believes the chain “will now be able to compete.”
The KFC Chicken Sandwich will replace the chain’s current sandwich, the “Crispy Colonel”.
“The ‘Crispy Colonel’ has a lot of fans, but we knew we could do better and it wasn’t good enough for us,” she said.
Early results for the new chicken sandwich are positive: Sales during the trial doubled KFC’s expectations, according to a press release. “A lot of customers hadn’t seen KFC as part of the chicken sandwich conversation, but anyone who tastes this sandwich will know, without a doubt, that we are playing to win,” Zahumensky said.
Owner Yum! Brands (YUM) reported mixed results for KFC in its third quarter results. Global comparable store sales fell 7%, but increased 9% in the United States compared to the same quarter in 2019. The increase was attributed to an increase in digital sales and drive-thru, which will be both at the heart of the overhaul of its restaurants.
Chicken is a winner
Fried chicken sandwiches continue to be a popular product in fast food restaurants as customers crave affordable, comfort food.
Popeyes started the war by first introducing the popular menu item in August 2019. Customers flocked to the chain and the sandwich sold out in less than two weeks. The company said at the time that the “extraordinary demand” took her by surprise and it took several months before she returned.
And it’s still popular: Sales at Popeyes restaurants that have been open for at least 17 months climbed 17.4% globally in the third quarter of 2020 compared to the same period last year, thanks to the sandwich. Popeyes, which belongs to Restaurant Brands International (QSR), also controls Burger King and Tim Hortons. Popeyes was the only brand in the company to report increased sales in the quarter ending September 30.
Mcdonalds (MCD) is also launching three new chicken sandwiches next month: the crispy chicken sandwich, topped with pickles and served on a potato roll; the spicy chicken sandwich, which adds a spicy pepper sauce; and the deluxe chicken sandwich, which includes lettuce, tomatoes and mayonnaise.
Like its peers, McDonald’s thinks chicken is a good bet.
“Globally, the category of chicken is almost twice the size of beef,” noted Joe Erlinger, president of McDonald’s USA in November. “It is growing faster and represents a significant opportunity,” he said. “Developing a reputation for excellent chicken is one of our biggest aspirations. We want customers to choose McDonald’s for chicken.”
Wendy (MAGNIFYING GLASS) added a new chicken sandwich to the menus last fall. Her classic chicken sandwich replaced the house-style chicken sandwich, which has been on Wendy’s menu for about a decade. Smaller chains, like Shake Shack (Shake), Church’s and Whataburger, have also released variations of a chicken sandwich.
Of course, the chicken has also proven to be a successful formula for Chick-fil-A, the 73-year-old channel that has a dedicated fan base despite its controversial past. The private label continues to expand its reach, surpassing chicken chains by nearly twice its size. It has added approximately 1,000 locations and nearly tripled its sales over the past decade.
– Danielle Wiener-Bronner of CNN Business contributed to this report.
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