Limited time offers from KFC, Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen and Checkers & Rally’s use surprising brand collaborations that infuse chicken sandwiches with unique flavors, highlighting that today’s consumer now expects more than the basics in foodservice.
The viral chicken sandwich wars between Popeyes and rival Chick-fil-A spurred major growth in the chicken category in foodservice, especially in quick service restaurant chains (QSRs). Nowadays, almost every QSR has a chicken sandwich, tender or nugget on their menus. While I’m a fan of many of these offerings, I do have to note that there are a lot of chicken sandwiches that feel indistinguishable from one other.
That’s why I’m intrigued by these three new LTOs that feel far from basic.
KFC x Mike’s Hot Honey
KFC’a new LTO capitalizes on growing interest in “swicy” – which combines both sweet and spicy – with a collaboration with Mike’s Hot Honey. Chicken sandwiches, tenders or fried chicken pieces can all be ordered with Mike’s Hot Honey on top.
“Combining KFC’s flavorful fried chicken with the bold, sweet heat of Mike’s Hot Honey just makes sense. Crispy, juicy, salty, spicy, sweet – it’s food alchemy that’s meant to be,” KFC U.S. chief marketing officer and development officer Catherine Tan-Gillespie said in a statement. “These new meal deals are so irresistibly finger lickin’ good, you’ll wonder how you ever lived without them.”
Popeyes x Don Julio
Popeyes partnered with Tequila Don Julia to serve “up a one-of-a-kind culinary mashup” available only in six select restaurants for customers 21+.
The lineup includes two new limited time chicken offerings:
- Popeyes x Tequila Don Julio Reposado Flavored Concha Roll Chicken Sandwich: A chicken breast fillet marinated in reposado tequila then fried in Popeyes crunchy buttermilk breading, topped with a tequila lime slaw, spicy spread, a barrel cured pickle, and sandwiched between a sweet and buttery concha roll – a beloved Mexican pastry.
- Popeyes x Tequila Don Julio Reposado Flavored Louisiana Garlic 3-Piece Wings: 3 savory seasoned whole wings marinated in reposado with a dash of ghost pepper seasoning and special sauce.
Checker & Rally’s x John Soules
Okay, so this last one isn’t exclusively foodservice, but it definitely highlights a unique collaboration between a foodservice brand and a further processor to add value to traditional chicken offerings.
Checkers & Rally's, the iconic drive-thru restaurant chain, has teamed up with John Soules Foods to bring its fan-favorite Chicken Bites to freezer aisles nationwide. Made with all-white meat chicken, these fully cooked, crispy bites are seasoned to perfection and available at all Kroger, Dollar General and Family Dollar stores nationwide, according to the press release.
"Consumers are increasingly craving the convenience of enjoying their favorite restaurant items at home," said Michael Pierce, head of marketing at John Soules Foods. "We're thrilled to partner with Checkers & Rally's to bring the taste and quality of their signature Chicken Bites to grocery store freezers, making it easier than ever for fans to enjoy them."
