FSR March 2023

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Chefs & Ingredients

IN THE END, THE SO-CALLED “CHICKEN SANDWICH WARS” ELEVATED THE CATEGORY INDUSTRY-WIDE.

The Great Chicken Sandwich Era is Here to Stay

The restaurant world became a different place in 2019 when fried chicken sandwiches rose to a never-before-seen level of promi nence. The craze was ignited by an epic battle among quick-service chains, each trying to prove their respective sandwich was supe rior in a marketing trend known as “The Chicken Sandwich Wars.” Four years and one industry-shaking pandemic later, consumer interest in battered and fried chicken between two buns has con tinued unabated; full-service restaurants are even cashing in on the trend with elevated adaptations of the product.

How fried chicken sandwiches evolved beyond flash-in-the-pan trend to amenumainstay at both full- and quick-service restaurants. BY CALLIE EVERGREEN

QSR FSR

GAUGE ICON: ADOBE STOCK / EMIL’. ADOBE STOCK / Y VAASEENAA

➺ OPEN THE FOLD TO READ MORE ON WHERE THE CHICKEN SANDWICH WARS GO FROM HERE.