KFC to revamp menu with new chicken sandwich

The battle to topple Popeyes as the King of the Chicken Sandwich is heating up.

KFC is the latest fast food chain to revamp their menu with a new chicken sandwich. At the end of February, diners across the country will be able to order the new sandwich, which replaces its current offering.

Owned by Yum Brands Inc, KFC said its Crispy Colonel Sandwich “falls short of our heritage as fried chicken experts,” the company said in a statement.

The new sandwich, which was tested in Orlando earlier this year, is a crispier double-breaded fillet, served on a brioche bun and paired with Colonel’s classic or spicy mayonnaise and thicker pickles.

“They tested pickles with eight variations of thickness and brine before they landed on our pickle,” KFC US marketing director Andrea Zahumensky said in a statement earlier this year. “And for our Perfect Brioche Bread, we’ve partnered with six different bakeries and tested over ten formula revisions to find the perfect one for the bigger fillet than ever before.”

Popeyes – owned by Restaurant Brands International – started the Chicken War in 2019 with a $ 3.99 sandwich that was so popular it was sold in many restaurants. This prompted other chains to look to compete, including burgers like McDonald’s.

The Golden Arches announced this week that they are releasing three new versions of a crispy chicken sandwich in February. And Shake Shack this week announced a limited-edition Korean-style chicken sandwich that will be available in its U.S. stores until April 5.

The Korean-style Fried Chick’n will be accompanied by Korean-style fries, the company said.

Burger King, also owned by Restaurant Brands International, could also join the fray by testing out a “hand-breaded crispy chicken” sandwich in Arizona, according to restaurant analyst Mark Kalinowski.

The new KFC sandwiches will first be available today in select cities including Chicago, Kansas City, Louisville, Portland and San Francisco, and by the end of February, all 4,000 KFC locations in the United States will have the $ 3.99 sandwich, the company said.

“KFC has had a good year with same store sales that were better than average chain store sales,” Kalinowski said.

But the 68-year-old chain has a lot of competition – and it was knocked off its pedestal as the dominant chicken chain some time ago by Chick Fil A, Kalinowski added.