What Your Words About Your Chicken Say About You

Things are getting spicy. KFC, Burger King, and McDonald’s have already announced the launch of their revamped chicken sandwich. Can you smell the goodness?

The latest fast-food chain that plans to join the battle now is Taco Bell.

The poultry trend is nothing new. The chicken wars battle already took place back in 2019 where Popeyes, Shake Shack, and so many more burger and fast-food joints were eager to create the best chicken sandwich for customers to munch on – and of course, decide who does it best.

So now – let’s see what they’re all saying and how it makes them look from a communication perspective.

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McDonald’s

In an effort to win the chicken wars, McDonald’s is said to launch three new sandwiches in February. Something you can pull off when you’re the biggest player on the court.

“Globally, the chicken category is almost twice the size of beef. It is growing faster and represents a significant opportunity,” said President of McDonald’s USA, Joe Erlinger.

“Developing a reputation for great chicken represents one of our highest aspirations. We want customers to choose McDonald’s for chicken.”

KFC

While KFC, the chain most famous for its extra-crispy, deep fried chicken menu, has already launched its sandwich at the beginning of 2021.

“Many customers hadn’t considered KFC as a part of the chicken sandwich conversation, but anyone who tastes this sandwich will know, without a doubt, that we’re playing to win,” said chief marketing officer of KFC U.S., Andrea Zahumensky. That’s the kind of confidence it’s natural to exhibit when playing on your home court.

Burger King

BK that got everyone’s attention with their fantastic new logo a couple of weeks ago is also rolling out a new and improved chicken sandwich on its menu.

“The King must eat like a king,” the company said in a statement. “So, we’re constantly testing new items to satisfy his cravings. We don’t have details to share just yet because he hasn’t decided what’s next.”

That’s the kind of undecided language you can expect from an unsure outsider.

Wendy’s

Perhaps the stunt we loved most is this one. Wendy’s leveraged their mobile app when announcing their latest sandwich, and customers were able to get a free chicken sandwich for a select period.

That’s what you can do when you mix creativity and technology.

Taco Bell

Perhaps somewhat of a surprising competitor, but also the Mexican-inspired fast-food chain has decided to toy with chicken. Though according to the Thrillist, it’s not the first time Taco Bell has been talking chicken – they released their Crispy Tortilla Chicken and Crispy Chicken Wings meals recently.

One thing is for sure, though, in 2021, Taco Bell plans to focus on revolutionizing its chicken menu.

“I love watching the competitors,” Taco Bell’s global chief food innovation officer Liz Matthews said.

“I think a lot of players out there are doing a great job, but what I will say is that we will interrupt that with what we’re going to do on chicken.”

We love the sentiment here, promising to disrupt the niche.

Whichever language these companies use, it’s clear the poultry trend has got customers buzzing. Customers are excited to try out the different chicken sandwiches to decide and rave about who does it best. Being innovative and constantly renewing your product and offering to stay relevant should always be top of mind. And, of course, going viral now and then never hurts. But the language you tie it with is almost as important.