KFC's "best chicken sandwich ever" will be available nationwide by the end of February.
The year is 2021 and we seem to be in a cultural moment in which consumers can’t get enough chicken sandwiches. This week alone has certainly proved as much, with Shake Shack’s
And just today, KFC announced the expansion of its new chicken sandwich to select markets–beyond its initial test in the Orlando market in May–and will make it available in all 4,000 restaurants by the end of February.
KFC is calling this product its "best chicken sandwich ever" and the attributes that make it so include a quarter-pound, all-white meat, double breaded Extra Crispy chicken breast filet, “crispier, thicker pickles” and either the Colonel’s real mayo or spicy sauce, all served on a toasted, buttered brioche bun.
In a press release, the company touts its meticulous approach to the sandwich’s creation–testing pickles with eight variations of thickness and more than 10 bun recipes with six different bakeries. The approach seems to have worked, as CMO Andrea Zahumensky said the test “nearly doubled sales expectations.”
“Many consumers hadn’t considered KFC as a part of the chicken sandwich conversation, but anyone who tastes this sandwich will know, without a doubt, that we’re playing to win,” she said in the release.
In December, Zahumensky told Ad Age that she’d “put this sandwich against any other chicken sandwich in the market and we have seen that response from our customers, from our team members and also with our franchisees. When it’s time to bring it, we will bring it in a big way because this sandwich is the real deal.”
The competitive set KFC is up against, however, is far more crowded than it was when the chain’s test started in May.
Lee’s Famous Recipe Chicken threw its hat into the ring in May, for example, while Golden Chick introduced its Big & Golden Chicken sandwich around Memorial Day. Checkers & Rally’s came up with a Mother Cruncher Chicken Sandwich in June, and Fatburger’s King’s Hawaiian Crispy Chicken Sandwich joined the fray in July.
Whataburger came out with a spicy chicken sandwich in September. Zaxby’s rolled out a new chicken sandwich in October, as did Church’s Chicken. Also in October, Wendy’s announced its “new and improved” classic chicken sandwich, BurgerFi added a “Spicy Fi’ed” chicken sandwich and Burger King was spotted testing a new chicken sandwich.
Meanwhile Jack in the Box
There’s a reason that seemingly every brand is focused on perfecting a signature chicken sandwich right now. The offering checks a number of boxes for consumers–who increasingly want chicken, portability, value and flavor–and operators who want to drive sales.
There’s also the case study of Popeyes to consider. That chain’s 2019 chicken sandwich rollout quickly became one of the most successful product launches in quick-service history and arguably changed the trajectory of the brand. The sandwich has sustained double-digit sales increases, has lifted other parts of the business (like beverages and desserts), and has even sparked new unit growth to fulfill demand.
Why wouldn’t KFC want to tap into that? The brand has admittedly not been in the chicken sandwich conversation alongside Popeyes or Chick-fil-A, the latter of which has been an absolute juggernaut in recent years, leapfrogging Taco Bell, Wendy’s, Burger King and Subway to become the No. 3 chain by sales. Much of that growth has come from its own signature chicken sandwich–one of its top-selling entrees.
But the potential for KFC to catch up is there. As displayed by Popeyes (and others), chicken sandwiches have been proven to drive trial. It's likely people will want to see for themselves whether or not KFC’s sandwich measures up to Popeyes’ wildly popular product and, if they like it, they’ll more than likely return again and again. If that is indeed the case, KFC will have an advantage thanks to its much deeper footprint (about 4,000 restaurants compared to Popeyes' 2,500 or so restaurants). In other words, KFC simply offers more access for ubiquitous chicken sandwich fans.
It's also worth noting that KFC hit a delivery milestone last quarter, with about 80% of its U.S. restaurants now delivering through multiple aggregator partners, which should bode well for the sandwich launch. Chicken sandwiches were the most ordered menu item on both Grubhub
The timing of this launch in general comes as the KFC brand is experiencing significant momentum. In May, the chain recorded its highest average weekly sales in its history. Its Q3 same-store sales were up 9%, despite the COVID-19 crisis. In the summer, KFC launched its new Secret Recipe Fries nationwide, which have since become the brand’s best-selling side item (and would pair well with a sandwich). And, recent research from TOP Data shows that KFC is America’s favorite fried chicken in 14 states–more than any other chicken brand analyzed (including Popeyes and Chick-fil-A).
This sandwich should very well provide an additional tailwind for the brand. At the very least, this sandwich will make the so-called chicken wars even more interesting and this cultural moment even more relevant.
