Why fast-food companies like KFC and Chick-fil-A are betting on chicken tenders again

Why fast-food companies like KFC and Chick-fil-A are betting on chicken tenders again


Fast-food companies like Yum! Brands’ KFC and McDonald’s are getting back into chicken tenders as a way to attract consumers with a low-risk, high-reward bet on a familiar favorite.  

Nearly half of all fast-food restaurants served the chicken item as of the third quarter, up 5.7% from the same period in 2019, according to Technomic’s Ignite Menu data. More eateries are adding chicken tenders to other dishes like salads and wraps.

Taco Bell, also owned by Yum! Brands, has been testing chicken strips in tacos and burritos. McDonald’s says it’s also testing out versions of its McCrispy sandwich, which will be available in nearly every global market by the end of 2025.

The snack, a $6 billion category for fast food, has transcended the kid’s menu. Just look at the success of Raising Cane’s, which offers a menu of entirely chicken fingers. The company reported its first billion-dollar quarter at the start of this year. Its same-store sales and traffic grew by double-digits during the third quarter.

That’s because of the product’s taste and value, which have turned customers into loyal fans, said Raising Cane’s co-CEO AJ Kumaran.

“They’re looking for everyday value. They’re not looking for a gimmick,” said Kumaran. “And we can deliver that. So we are, because of that, pretty bullish about where we are and how we will continue to deliver on that promise.”  

In October, KFC kicked off a “chicken tenders battle” campaign for its new tenders, featuring a satirical ad that calls out its rivals. KFC representatives also visited locations of Popeyes (owned by Restaurant Brands International), Chick-fil-A and Raising Cane’s in Baton Rouge, New Orleans and Atlanta to pass out free KFC samples in front of the competitor stores.  

Catherine Tan-Gillespie, the company’s new U.S. chief marketing officer, was hired less than two months prior to the launch.  

“We have the world’s best-tasting fried chicken tenders, so I felt that we should kick off a fight,” she said. 

So, which chicken chain will win out?

Watch this video to learn more.



Source

This Wall Street strategist thinks small caps are ‘inferior.’ Where to pick your spots
World

This Wall Street strategist thinks small caps are ‘inferior.’ Where to pick your spots

Small caps may have climbed to all-time highs, but investors shouldn’t expect a repeat performance, according to Trivector Research. The Russell 2000 has rallied to all-time highs after clearing its prior record going all the way back to November 2021. It topped 2,500 for the first time this week, and it’s up more than 10% […]

Read More
Iraq signs deal with Exxon to help develop large oilfield
World

Iraq signs deal with Exxon to help develop large oilfield

A worker checks the valve of an oil pipe at Nahr Bin Umar oil field, north of Basra, Iraq. Essam Al-Sudani | Reuters Exxon Mobil signed an agreement with Iraq on Wednesday to help it develop its giant Majnoon oilfield and expand oil exports, government officials and sources said, marking the U.S. major’s return to the […]

Read More
European steelmakers rise after EU proposes slashing tariff-free import quota
World

European steelmakers rise after EU proposes slashing tariff-free import quota

LONDON — European stocks moved higher on Wednesday, as investors reacted to proposed tariffs on steel imported into the European Union. The pan-European Stoxx 600 was up around 0.6% by 3 p.m. in London (10 a.m. ET), with most sectors and major bourses in positive territory. The U.K. has been left fearing for its beleaguered […]

Read More