Could it be? After decades of nudging their menus closer and closer to one another's, burger giants have finally found it in their buns to offer an unmistakeable difference.
Or at least two of them have. As we reported online today, Wendys is putting more fire into a chicken sandwich already marketed as a scorcher. And as we reported yesterday, McDonalds is putting its sizzler of a chicken sandwich back in the fridge. A franchisee might pull it out from time to time for a quick sales pop. But it's there for menu cameos, not for a starring role.
You're no doubt as stunned as I am by the sheer coincidence of the developments. What are the odds that Wendys would lift the silver dome off its new 4-Alarm Spicy Chicken Sandwich less than a day after stories broke (on www.nrn.com and elsewhere) that McDonalds was downgrading its Spicy Premium Chicken Sandwich to a menu option? To think otherwise would mean Wendys exploited the situation, and thats not often been said about the chain in recent years.
Regardless, this is a monumental development. If a fast-food fan wants spicespecifically a chipotle heathe knows Wendys has a chicken item that delivers it, and that McDonalds doesnt.
If this keeps up, think of what could happen. Chains might carve out distinct niches again. Consumers might base their fast-food choice on something other than price or volume. Loyalty could be cultivated again. Brand personality could be revived.
Oh, my.
But before we get too light-headed here, Im obliged to cite the other quick-service story we've covered online: Burger King also tweaked its menu. In its case, it added a line of mega-sandwiches dubbed Stackers, so called because they consist of burger patties stacked atop one another, with cheese and bacon layered in between. The objective is turning heads with heft, or exactly what Carls Jr. has done with its Six Dollar Burger, and Hardees is striving to do with its Thickburgers. And the approach is exactly what Wendys has used from its very beginning; its Classic Double and Triple are made by stacking burger patties into belly fillers you have to lift with two hands.
BK has shown through its advertising even the spots for the new Stackers that its willing to take the risk of doing something distinctive. But it doesnt seem to be doing it this time with its menu.
Source: http://nrnfoodserviceblog.blogspot.com/2006/07/novelty-of-choice.html
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- Jeffrey Summers
- I am the expert you call when you need to learn how to increase top line sales, lower your operating costs, increase your profit margin, hire and train better managers and staff, evolve your operation into more and better ways of doing business, buy or sell a restaurant, improve your service, engineer (or re-engineer!) your menu, market your business better and less expensively, keep yourself from going nuts because you have no life anymore, open more and better restaurants, don't want to have to give up your first born child to pay a consultant and have more fun! My mission is to enhance the quality of life for my clients by providing the best products and services to help them achieve their personal and professional goals. I take great pride in my clients, my company, my commitment to service and the products I sell. I am a recognized expert in the hospitality industry with over 24 years of success at planning and executing strategies for delivering dramatic results, a former "GM of the Year" for 2 major, full-service, franchises, an Award winning Multi-Unit Executive with 2 of the largest restaurant chains in the U.S., published author, husband and father of two.