Popeyes started a fast-food chicken sandwich craze that pretty much every rival had to copy.
The Restaurant Brands International (QSR) chain had a fairly simple recipe. Take an oversized chicken breast, fry it, add pickles and mayo, then put it all on a bun.
It's a recipe that Yum Brands (YUM) followed, as did McDonald's (MCD), and nearly every other fast-food chain including takes by unlikely contenders Taco Bell and even Panda Express.
Having a chicken sandwich (or at least a variation of one) has become table stakes for the fast-food game. Aside from Taco Bell and Panda Express, the recipe has been pretty much the same and consumers appear to love it.
Panera has come late to the party, but it now has two chicken sandwiches. They're a little different than what the fast-food chains offer (Panera considers itself fast-casual). And they're a lot more money.
Panera
Meet the Panera Chicken Sandwich
Panera has built its business around being healthier than its fast-food rivals. Some of that is marketing, as the chain offers macaroni and cheese as well as clam chowder in a bread bowl. So it's not a fully healthy menu, but it does offer what the company calls clean ingredients, and a fried chicken sandwich would not fit on its menu.
Instead, the chain will add two Chef's Chicken Sandwiches featuring chicken breasts cooked in a unique way.
"A juicy quarter pound of 100% all-white meat chicken breast filet is marinated with rich chicken flavor and seasoned with Panera's signature spice blend. The filet is seared golden brown and then finished sous vide to lock in flavor, tenderness, and juiciness," according to a news release.
The chain will have two versions of the sandwich, the "Signature Take" and the "Spicy Take."
"Each filet is topped with a crunchy topping, either parmesan crisps or spicy, crispy pickle chips, and a proprietary garlic aioli sauce, all thoughtfully stacked between a buttery brioche roll -- designed to deliver a chef's kiss with each bite.," the company shared.
Prepare to Pay Panera Twice What You Pay Popeyes
That "chef's kiss" will set you back at least $10.99, about twice the going rate for the fast-food take on a fried chicken sandwich.
The company, which charges similar amounts for other sandwiches on its menu, clearly expected some sticker shock as it addressed it in the news release.
"This is no ordinary chicken sandwich," said Panera Bread's chief brand officer, Eduardo Luz. "This is for a guest looking for a delicious, chef-crafted, gourmet-level sandwich, freshly prepared and made with clean ingredients in true Panera fashion. This will shatter the expectations of what a chicken sandwich should taste like, and we think they're worth every bite and every penny."
Panera has followed a strategy similar to that of the fast-casual brand Chipotle (CMG). Both chains charge more because they believe customers will pay more for quality. That has clearly worked as the Mexican chain saw its overall sales rise 22% in its most recent fiscal year.
Panera's new sandwich comes in a specially-designed tear-away box, "a simple, recyclable box that helps protect the brioche roll from being crushed and helps keep the sauce from dripping out," according to the company.
The chicken sandwich has already been rolled out in select markets and will be available nationwide on March 30.
