Who can forget the round-the-block lines and constant stream of photos on Instagram? The viral success of Restaurant Brands International (QSR)-owned Popeyes caught even its creators by surprise and began a fast-food war that is going on to this day.
In the last two years, everyone from McDonald's (MCD) and Wendy's (WEN) to Starbucks (SBUX) and Panera Bread (PNRA) tried to cash in on the popularity of the fried chicken sandwich by introducing their own versions.
Popey'es has also tried to expand on its success. Back in May, the chain launched a Buffalo Ranch Chicken Sandwich that added buttermilk ranch and a buffalo sauce to the original.
While this version simply added sauces to an existing sandwich, Popeyes just announced that it is launching a completely different take on the dish -- chicken breast marinated in spices on a bun.
The key difference is, naturally, that there's no coating.
What's This About A New Popeyes Chicken Sandwich?
As of Nov. 15, the Blackened Chicken Sandwich is available at Popeyes restaurants across the U.S. for $4.99. It also comes with two pickles while eaters can choose between the classic or the spicy mayo sauce.
Those who order online on the Popeyes site or mobile app will also get extra loyalty points that will be the equivalent of one free order of fries.
"Our Chicken Sandwich changed the QSR industry back in 2019, and since then, we've continued to innovate within the category to give our guests what they want -- even more chicken sandwich options," Popeyes President Sami Siddiqui said in a statement. "[...] We're excited for guests to try this delicious new offering, [...] we have a feeling it may spark some copycat Blackened Chicken Sandwiches down the road."
That said, the Blackened Chicken Sandwich is still a limited-time offer and is slated to eventually disappear from the menu.
The unbreaded chicken breast has also likely been envisioned for those looking for a lighter take on what is ultimately an indulgent dish.
Are The Chicken Sandwich Wars Still Going On?
Between an election and a pandemic, it can feel like we've all lived several lifetimes since 2019.
Inevitably, the chicken sandwich novelty wore off and even the original became just one of many items one can choose from on the Popeyes menu.
After every chain under the sun launched its own version, the market also became somewhat oversaturated as, despite what some will insist on, there are only so many chicken sandwiches that one can eat.
"Chicken sandwich volumes remain pressured by competitors which [...] started making their sandwich debuts in early 2021," Restaurant Brands International CEO Jose Cil said at an analyst call in February.
But the chicken sandwich's success also set off another trend of fast-food companies trying to find the next thing to go "viral." That can mean both new experiments or, as with the Blackened Chicken Sandwich, constant new spins on what worked in the past.
"Something like the chicken sandwich took multiple years to go from ideation to actually being in our restaurants," Siddiqui told TheStreet in an exclusive interview in May. "[...] Once [our recipe developers] come up with things, it goes to sensory testing and eventually market testing and operational testing to see what kind of impact it will have on our franchisees and profitability."
