Popeyes wants to recapture some of the magic from its chicken sandwich debut with a new line of wings.
Starting Wednesday, customers will be able to get Honey BBQ wings, Roasted Garlic Parmesan wings and Signature Hot wings at Popeyes locations across the country, along with the Ghost Pepper and Sweet N’Spicy wings that Popeyes says proved popular when they were sold earlier this year. They go for $5.99 for a pack of six.
Back in 2019, Popeyes’ chicken sandwich created a frenzy in the fast food industry, prompting a wave of copycats and became a barometer for success.
With wings, Popeyes thinks it can rekindle that enthusiasm, at least in part. And, chicken sandwich aside, it’s a good time to get into the wings game, with cheap eats gaining ground as some customers rein in spending.
Wings are here to stay
Over the past few years, Popeyes has brought wings to the menu on a limited-time basis. But customer interest has earned the items a lasting place on the menu, Sami Siddiqui, president of Popeyes North America, told CNN.
“In January, when we were running our Ghost Pepper wing [promotion], we saw incredible demand,” he said. “The offer was supposed to last for about six weeks. And we sold out of wings in two weeks.” This summer, Popeyes rolled out another version of the wings, this time with a sweet and spicy sauce. That one did even better, Siddiqui said. “It was actually the most successful product and results we’ve seen since the infamous chicken sandwich.”
When it debuted in 2019, the chicken sandwich prompted throngs of hungry people to mob Popeyes locations in search of the item, which sold out in just about two weeks. Popeyes ultimately brought the sandwich back, permanently, and saw its overall sales skyrocket.
With wings, Siddiqui said, Popeyes once again saw long lines and a sales lift. In the third quarter, sales at Popeyes locations open at least 17 months jumped 5.6% in the United States year-over-year, thanks in part to chicken wings. The customer reaction “reinforced and solidified our view that we need to have five permanent flavors of wings on the menu,” he said.
Siddiqui doesn’t expect enthusiasm over Popeyes wings to reach the same kind of fervor inspired by the chicken sandwich. “It’s really hard to replicate what was sort of [like] lightning in a bottle,” he said. But he does see some similarities, including a relatively low price.
A good time to sell cheap chicken
Other chains have seen success with chicken wings in recent months, as people cut back on spending by buying cheaper food.
Wingstop’s domestic same-restaurant sales, which include sales at restaurants open at least a year, jumped 15.3% in the third quarter. When customers ditch pricier options, “Wingstop is uniquely positioned to gain more new guests,” CEO Michael Skipworth said during a November analyst call discussing quarterly results.
Some customers aren’t necessarily switching from other food to wings, but see wings as a reasonably priced addition, Siddiqui said.
“If you’re coming for a sandwich, or you’re coming for tenders, for $5.99 you’ll add on six wings,” said Siddiqui. Plus, wings can attract a younger demographic to Popeyes than usual or new customers altogether, he added.
With the new items, Popeyes also seems to be trying to goad its competitors into another marketing war.
To promote the wings, Popeyes is putting up billboards next to competitors. It’s also encouraging people to try the wings with promotional deals that use codes that insult competitors, like “OPENSUNDAY” to mock Chick-fil-A, which is famously not.
