Available for a limited time starting Tuesday, the $4.99 Buffalo Ranch Chicken Sandwich features classic ingredients with a twist: crispy battered chicken on a brioche bun with pickles, but topped with a new sauce that’s a mix of Buttermilk Ranch is and Spicy Buffalo.
When Popeyes first launched its chicken sandwich three years ago, the product sold out in a matter of weeks. Customers flocked again when the sandwich returned to menus a few months later after Popeyes secured a larger supply of ingredients.
Since then, the chicken sandwich has been an extremely important item for Popeyes. In 2020, the chain’s restaurants open 17 months or more increased 13.8%, thanks in part to customer interest in the chain’s chicken sandwich.
But the resounding success of Popeye’s chicken sandwich has increased the competition considerably. McDonald’s, KFC, Wendy’s and others have launched their own new chicken offerings, and those efforts are paying off. “Chicken sandwich volumes continue to be pressured by competitors who … began their sandwich debut in early 2021,” Jose Cil, CEO of Restaurant Brands International (QSR), Popeyes’ parent company, said during an analyst call in February.
In the first three months of this year, sales in stores open for at least 17 months fell 3%, according to financial results released on Tuesday. In the United States, sales at these restaurants fell 4.6%.
As rival efforts continue to weigh on sales, Popeyes is hoping the Buffalo Ranch Chicken Sandwich will lure customers.
Popeyes has also used its own Original Chicken Sandwich as inspiration for other new products. In February 2021, the chain introduced a limited-time fish version featuring flounder. The following summer, chicken nuggets were added to the menu.
And in October, Popeyes collaborated with rapper Megan Thee Stallion on a hot sauce meant to add flavor to the brand’s chicken sandwiches and nuggets. These new products are helping generate renewed interest in the brand, Cil said in February.