chicken sandwich wars

{{Short description|Rapid introduction of fried chicken sandwiches to American restaurant menus}}

File:Fast Food Fried Chicken Sandwiches.jpg, KFC, PDQ, and Popeyes in 2019]]

The chicken sandwich wars were a marketing trend in the United States during which numerous American quick serve restaurant chains introduced fried chicken sandwiches to their menus. The phenomenon began in 2019 when Popeyes and Chick-fil-A disputed which of them was first to serve such an item. Over 20 American fast food brands added fried chicken sandwiches to their menus in the following two years.

History

File:Popeyes_chicken_sandwich.jpg

On August 12, 2019, Popeyes introduced a fried chicken sandwich to its menu, an addition that prompted Chick-fil-A (a chain that had seen its market share increase in the 21st century, buoyed by increasing American consumption of chicken{{cite news |title=McDonald's, Popeyes, Chick-Fil-A And The Chicken Sandwich Wars |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3L33H6cVTY |access-date=July 18, 2021 |work=CNBC |via=YouTube|date=December 12, 2019}}) to claim – in a Tweet – that its own fried chicken sandwich predated Popeyes' sandwich.{{cite news |last1=Cobe |first1=Patricia |title=A Brief History of the Chicken Sandwich Wars |url=https://www.restaurantbusinessonline.com/food/brief-history-chicken-sandwich-wars |access-date=July 17, 2021 |work=Restaurant Business |date=January 7, 2021}} A tête-à-tête on social media between the two restaurant chains followed, which The New York Times reported "captivated the internet for ... [a] week and a half".{{cite news |last1=Arceneaux |first1=Michael |title=Popeyes started a chicken sandwich war with Chick-fil-A. This is why they'll win it. |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/popeyes-started-chicken-sandwich-war-chick-fil-why-they-ll-ncna1044406 |access-date=July 17, 2021 |work=NBC News |date=August 20, 2019}}{{cite news |last1=Sedacca |first1=Matthew |title=15 Minutes to 'Mayhem': How a Tweet Led to a Shortage at Popeyes |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/29/business/popeyes-chicken-sandwich-shortage.html?.?mc=aud_dev&ad-keywords=auddevgate&gclid=Cj0KCQjw_8mHBhClARIsABfFgphOcuSX46gJ2W103aIVArX0j-zP2IjITVh_PMSANlk7_wbIl0Ip3B4aAogoEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds |access-date=July 17, 2021 |work=The New York Times |date=August 29, 2019}}

By the end of 2019, Popeyes had seen a 38 percent increase in sales, with the surge in business largely attributed to its new chicken sandwich. In a November episode of the comedy serial Saturday Night Live, Harry Styles starred in a sketch that parodied the popularity of the Popeyes chicken sandwich.{{cite news |title='SNL' Parodies Popeyes Chicken Sandwich Craze |url=https://www.complex.com/pop-culture/2019/11/snl-jokes-about-popeyes-chicken-sandwich-craze |access-date=July 17, 2021 |work=Complex |date=November 17, 2019}}

In response to the perceived popularity of the Popeyes menu item, additional fast food chains added or expanded fried chicken sandwich offerings to their own menus. By January 2021, more than 20 American fast food brands had introduced or re-released chicken sandwiches. In addition to Popeyes and Chick-fil-A, they included: Golden Chick, KFC, Fatburger, Church's Chicken, Wendy's, BurgerFi, Zaxby's, Fuku, Jack in the Box, Sonic, Carl's Jr., Shake Shack, Boston Market, McDonald's, Pollo Campero, Taco Bell (which introduced its Chicken Sandwich Taco), Bojangles, Panera Bread, Burger King, and Panda Express (which introduced its Orange Chicken Sandwich). In a July 2021 marketing stunt, Airheads candy also introduced a limited edition, novelty chicken sandwich in conjunction with Chicago restaurant Frances' Deli & Brunchery.{{cite news |last1=Pesce |first1=Nicole Lyn |title=This Airheads candy chicken sandwich might ruffle some feathers on #NationalFriedChickenDay |url=https://www.marketwatch.com/story/this-airheads-candy-chicken-sandwich-might-ruffle-some-feathers-on-nationalfriedchickenday-11625588381 |access-date=July 6, 2021 |work=Market Watch |date=July 17, 2021}} The sandwich was served on a bun made out of the sour candy.

Popeyes called for a truce on July 28, 2021, as part of a promotion for a "We Come in Piece" 8-piece chicken nugget menu item. Popeyes further purchased $1,000,000 of chicken nuggets from its competitors, and donated these to the Second Harvest Bank of Greater New Orleans and Acadiana.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mashed.com/473106/the-surprising-way-popeyes-is-trying-to-end-the-chicken-sandwich-wars/|title = The Surprising Way Popeyes is Trying to End the Chicken Sandwich Wars|date = July 28, 2021}} The Chicken sandwich wars became "less intense" after 2021 and consumer preferences for chicken sandwiches had changed little from that time through to 2023.{{cite web |title=The Chicken Sandwich Wars Might Be Dormant, but Gen Z Is Always Ready for a Revival |url=https://civicscience.com/the-chicken-sandwich-wars-might-be-dormant-but-gen-z-is-always-ready-for-a-revival/ |website=CivicScience |date=24 January 2023}} Rabobank Protein Analyst Christine McCracken has speculated that high beef prices may result in a resurgence of the conflict.{{cite web |title=Chicken sandwich wars are far from over |url=https://www.wattagnet.com/poultry-future/consumer-trends/article/15541041/chicken-sandwich-wars-are-far-from-over |website=WATTPoultry.com |date=22 June 2023}}

Economic impact

According to Edison Trends, "online spending on chicken sandwiches across all restaurants in this analysis combined grew 420% between January 2019 and December 2020."{{Cite web|title=In QSR Chicken Sandwich Wars, Chick-fil-A Rules the Roost with 45% Market Share|url=https://trends.edison.tech/research/chicken-sandwich-wars-feb-2021.html|access-date=2021-08-05|website=trends.edison.tech}} This was likely driven by the shift toward online spending during the pandemic. In April 2021, McDonald's franchisees were selling about 262 chicken sandwiches per day.{{cite news |last1=Lucas |first1=Amelia |title=Chicken sandwich wars pay off for KFC and McDonald's, putting pressure on supply |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2021/04/28/chicken-sandwich-wars-pay-off-for-kfc-and-mcdonalds-putting-pressure-on-supply.html |access-date=July 17, 2021 |work=CNBC |date=April 28, 2021}}

Due to the onset and intensity of the chicken sandwich wars, combined with existing supply chain disruptions brought by the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, shortages of chicken were reported in the United States beginning in the spring of 2021. The National Chicken Council sought to allay public concerns about disruptions to the nation's poultry supply, with a council spokesperson stating in May of that year that there was "a very tight supply but short of a shortage".{{cite news |last1=Tyko |first1=Kelly |title=Is there a chicken shortage? How COVID, chicken sandwich war and chicken wing demand are impacting restaurants |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/food/2021/05/06/chicken-shortage-2021-chicken-sandwich-war-chicken-wings-covid/4936554001/ |access-date=July 17, 2021 |work=USA Today |date=May 6, 2021}} The same month, the price of chicken in the United States reached a three-year record high, with the pricing surge principally attributed by The Birmingham News to the Chicken Sandwich Wars.{{cite news |last1=Archibald |first1=Ramsey |title=Chicken prices going up? Blame the 'chicken sandwich wars' |url=https://www.al.com/news/2021/06/chicken-prices-going-up-blame-the-chicken-sandwich-wars.html |access-date=July 18, 2021 |work=The Birmingham News |date=June 20, 2021}} Popeyes, meanwhile, began stockpiling chicken in advance of a planned summer menu expansion.{{cite news |title=Popeyes Stockpiles Chicken Meat |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-07-13/popeyes-stockpiles-chicken-meat-ahead-of-nationwide-nugget-debut |access-date=July 18, 2021 |work=Bloomberg |date=July 13, 2021}}

In popular culture

The podcast My Brother, My Brother and Me has featured a "Munch Squad" segment since 2016 in which Justin McElroy reads out bizarre food press releases and marketing materials for comedic effect. From 2019 the segment became dominated by the chicken sandwich wars.{{cite web |last1=Hickey |first1=Walter |title=Numlock Sunday: Justin McElroy, Chicken Sandwich War correspondent |url=https://www.numlock.com/p/numlock-sunday-justin-mcelroy-chicken |website=www.numlock.com |language=en |date=3 March 2024}}

chicken sandwich wars

History

Economic impact

In popular culture

See also

References

Further reading