McDonald’s is bringing a popular U.K. menu item to its American customers as the so-called “chicken sandwich wars” rage on.
Now some patrons will be able to get their beloved Big Mac sandwich with chicken instead of beef, the New York Post reported, as the fast food chain competes with rivals such as Popeyes and Chick-fil-A. The menu addition has already been a big hit across the pond, which leads McDonald’s execs to believe the new Big Mac will be well-received stateside as well. USA Today reported that the chicken Big Mac was such a sensation there that it sold out completely in two weeks.
“We’re always looking to give our fans more ways to enjoy the classic menu items they know and love,” McDonald’s said in a statement. “Made with two crispy tempura chicken patties, our iconic Big Mac sauce, and topped off with pickles, shredded lettuce, and American cheese, this sandwich brings some of our fans’ favorite flavors together for the perfect bite.”
The chicken-based sandwich will debut for a limited time in certain Miami locations. If it’s successful, there’s a chance of this alternative Big Mac being expanded to other regions.
“Chicken continues to be a significant opportunity for us. … We’ve got some great global equities already in our McNuggets and with McChicken, but we also have some equities in McCrispy and McSpicy that we think we’ve got an opportunity to do more with globally. So that’s going to be a priority area,” McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski said in a Q2 earnings call, per the Post.
“While not everything we test makes it on our U.S. menus, we’ll use this time to gather feedback from both customers and restaurant crew as we consider opportunities to offer more delicious options in the future,” the company said.
McDonald’s is the highest-grossing fast food chain in the United States, but Chick-fil-A has been steadily climbing in popularity and bested Burger King as of 2020 to become the second most popular fast food restaurant on the list, per Fox News.
Meanwhile, a poll by the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) found that Chick-fil-A was far more popular with customers from a satisfaction standpoint. It topped the poll with a score of 83 on the scale, while McDonald’s only achieved a score of 70.
The items used to calculate satisfaction included staff courtesy and helpfulness, checkout/delivery speed, the accuracy of the order, restaurant layout and cleanliness, food and beverage variety and quality, mobile app quality and reliability, and website.