Burger King’s new chicken sandwich is here and it’s entering a market that’s busier than ever.
The burger chain first announced its new chicken sandwich in February. Since then, it has been rolling out the sandwich, served on a potato bun with pickles and a flavorful sauce, in its US stores.
The battle for crispy chicken supremacy has been heating up since Popeyes’ chicken sandwich debuted in 2019 and sold out within two weeks. Following the immediate success of the Popeyes sandwich, fast food chains have been adding or reintroducing their own versions of the product.
McDonald’s and KFC, for example, launched crispy chicken sandwiches this year. KFC recently said that it is having a difficult time meeting demand for its chicken sandwiches.
Burger King worked on its sandwich for about two years before bringing it to market, Ellie Doty, director of marketing for Burger King North America, told Citizen Free Press Business.
To help distinguish the product, Burger King also changed the name of the sandwich, calling it Ch’King (previously, it was known as the hand-breaded crispy chicken sandwich).
Now that the sandwich is officially here, the brand plans to raise awareness and drive sales with a special offer: From June 3 to June 20, customers who order a Ch’King through the website or app of Burger King will receive a free Whopper.
The campaign comes at a time when chicken supplies are limited. Burger King “is not immune” to those challenges, Doty said. But the brand secured its chicken supply during the gradual rollout, he said.
“We have used the time to close our supply chain,” he said. “We are confident in our ability to supply our launches.” The phased rollout also gave employees time to get used to the process of making the new sandwich, Doty said.
The sandwich will be priced between $ 3.99 and $ 4.99 depending on the market, Doty said.