Popeyes launches new spicy chicken sandwich as competition heats up | Food and cooking

Dad started The sandwich war with chicken in 2019 – and it adds a new dish to battles.

The $ 4.99 Buffalo Ranch Chicken Sandwich is available for a limited time, starting Tuesday, and includes classic ingredients with a feature: Crispy Chicken by Hand on a Bun with Pickles, but Flavored with a New Butter Sauce ranch and sharp buffalo.

When Popeyes first launched its chicken sandwich three years ago, this product sold for a couple of weeks. Customers again found themselves en masse when the sandwich returned to the menu a few months later as Popeyes provided more stock of ingredients.

Since then, the chicken sandwich has been an extremely important item for Popeyes. In 2020, chain restaurants, open for at least 17 months, jumped 13.8%, in part due to customer interest in the chicken sandwich chain.

But Popeyes ’incredible success with the chicken sandwich is a significant success competition intensified. McDonald’s, KFC, Wendy and others have launched their own new chicken offerings, and those efforts are paying off.

“The volume of chicken sandwiches is still under pressure from competitors who … began debuting sandwiches in early 2021,” said Jose Sil, CEO of the parent company Popeyes Restaurant Brands International, during a February call from an analyst.

According to financial results released on Tuesday, in the first three months of this year, sales in stores open for at least 17 months fell by 3%. In the United States, sales at these restaurants fell 4.6%.

As competitors ’efforts continue to put pressure on sales, Popeyes hopes Buffalo Ranch Chicken Sandwich will attract customers.

Popeyes also used its original chicken sandwich as inspiration for other new products. In February 2021, the network introduced Fr. time-limited version with fish made of flounder. Next summer it is added chicken nuggets to the menu.

And in October Popeyes partnered with rapper Megan Thee Stallion over a spicy sauce designed to add spice to sandwiches and nuggets with the brand’s chicken. These new products are helping to spark new interest in the brand, Sil said in February.