Wendy’s and Burger King this week announced new entrants into the chicken sandwich wars, with McDonald’s set to unveil three new chicken sandwiches next week.
Wendy’s introduced the Jalapeno Popper Chicken Sandwich, which will include jalapeno cream cheese, six slices of jalapenos, smoked bacon strips, cheddar and pepper jack cheese. The sandwich will retail for $5.99 and is now available.
“While everyone else is playing catch up and distracting consumers with stale chicken drops, we are listening and bringing exciting flavors and bold ingredients forward to help fans avoid the McStake of settling for the same boring chicken sandwiches from other fast-food joints,” Wendy’s chief marketing officer Carl Loredo said of the announcement.
The Jalapeno Popper Chicken Sandwich adds to Wendy’s lineup, which currently includes the Classic Chicken Sandwich first introduced in October 2020. The classic includes a premium fried chicken filet, pickles, lettuce, tomatoes and mayonnaise served on a premium toasted bun.
Also this week, Burger King announced it’s working on a Hand-Breaded Chicken Sandwich, will be offered original or spicy with a potato bun, pickles, lettuce, tomato and signature sauce. The sandwich will be available later this year.
“Since we aren’t down to half a** the process, we plan to introduce our sandwich later this year,” Burger King said in a statement. “We promise it will be worth the wait.”
“What if hand-breading were to chicken what flame-grilling is to burgers? That’s been our guiding filter to bring a delicious chicken sandwich to guests in a way only BK can,” Burger King North America’s chief marketing officer Ellie Doty said in a statement. “We’ll take the time to get it right and our guests will definitely taste the difference.”
KFC in January announced it was updating its chicken sandwich, named the KFC Chicken Sandwich, that includes an extra crispy chicken filet on a buttered brioche bun, pickles, and spicy or classic mayonnaise. The sandwich was first launched in nine U.S. cities with a gradual rollout to all of KFC’s 4,000 U.S. establishments.
“Many customers 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,” KFC said in its January press release announcing the sandwich.
Finally, McDonald’s plans to release three new chicken sandwiches starting February 24, according to a press release.
The sandwiches will include the Crispy Chicken Sandwich, topped with crinkle cut pickles and served on a new toasted, buttered potato roll; a Spicy Crispy Chicken Sandwich featuring a Spicy Pepper Sauce; and a Deluxe Crispy Chicken Sandwich that will include shredded lettuce, Roma tomatoes and mayonnaise.
