McDonald’s is the latest fast-food chain to enter the crispy chicken sandwich wars, announcing Monday it is launching three versions of the menu item on Feb. 24.
The global food retailer confirmed to Reuters that one of its sandwiches will be a spicy version.
A company internal memo reportedly viewed by Business Insider said McDonald’s new menu offerings will be a “thicker and juicier” chicken fillet. The new sandwich will include crinkle-cut pickles served on a buttered potato bun.
“They’ll definitely improve their chicken sandwich. It won’t win awards,” restaurant marketing consultant Chas Hermann told NASDAQ.com. “They will have some of the very best marketing around it.”
The fast-food chicken sandwich wars started in 2019, when Popeyes had a successful run of its first chicken sandwich, ultimately selling out completely before bringing back the menu item for good in regular and spicy offerings that November. That drove sustained spikes in Popeyes’ comparable sales growth beginning that third quarter of 2019 and prompted other companies to try to follow its lead.
Wendy’s entered the market in late October with its classic chicken sandwich, which it introduced with a free giveaway. The sandwich is available in a variety of flavors.
Church’s Chicken also entered the fray. It introduced its new chicken sandwich, which comes with mayo and pickles on a brioche bun, Oct. 26. Like several other restaurants, there’s also a spicy version.
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