In 2019, Popeyes started the chicken sandwich wars with their addition of the chicken sandwich to their menu. When Popeyes first released their chicken sandwich three years ago, it sold out in just two weeks. It then returned to the menu a couple of months later when Popeyes had redistributed the ingredients to their locations.
Popeyes first chicken sandwich created a large amount of competition between fast food chains. Everybody wanted to have the “best” chicken sandwich, thus leading to the beginning of the chicken sandwich wars.
Junior Aden O’Donnell thinks the fast food chicken sandwich wars have been entertaining. “I think the chicken sandwich wars have been really funny to watch go down on social media. I’m always seeing new posts promoting different sandwiches and restaurants taking shots at others,” said O’Donnell.
The battle is not just between social media accounts though. Chicken sandwich fans have stood their ground in defense of their favorite chicken sandwiches. “For me, the McChicken is my go to. It’s cheap and I can always eat three or four in a single sitting.” stated O’Donnell.
Popeyes, Chick-fil-A, Mcdonalds, Wendy’s and Burger King have all made attempts to take the crown as chicken sandwich king. Popeyes brought a new competitor into the battle on May 3, 2022 when they introduced the $4.99 buffalo ranch chicken sandwich.
This addition to the menu will likely cause more buzz around the chicken sandwich world. “Chicken sandwich volumes remain pressured by competitors,” said Jose Cil, CEO of Popeyes.
The social media buzz around the chicken sandwich over the last couple of years has certainly been helpful for fast food chains around the country. It essentially acts as free marketing. Along with this word of mouth is spread about which chicken sandwich is the best, leading to people going out and trying different restaurant’s sandwiches.
Popeyes new buffalo ranch chicken sandwich is essentially just their original chicken sandwich but with a buffalo ranch sauce on top. The chicken itself is very good. It is crunchy and well-seasoned. The chicken is very juicy and not dry at all.
For me, the sauce left a little to be desired. The buttermilk ranch softened the heat of the buffalo sauce creating an odd tangy flavor that was not super enjoyable. On top of this, the acidity of the pickles on the sandwich made for a weird combination with the tangy tasting buttermilk.
When eating something with buffalo sauce on it, many want it to be spicy and flavorful and the buffalo ranch sauce was neither. The sandwich, although disappointing, still created plenty of buzz around the fast food world nonetheless.
