The Gist: 13% are more likely to visit Chick-fil-A because of its new sandwich, and many of these customers prefer locally owned restaurants over fast food chains.
Chick-fil-A’s is hoping its newest offering will have mouths watering, and new customers through the door. The “Smokehouse BBQ Bacon” sandwich sounds more like something offered at a trendy local bistro than the national sandwich spot. The messaging around it sounds like that, too. Straight from Chick-fil-A:
“the Smokehouse BBQ Bacon Sandwich features Chick-fil-A’s signature grilled chicken along with new ingredients, including bacon coated in a brown sugar pepper blend. The sandwich is served on a new Hawaiian style bun with Colby-Jack cheese, green leaf lettuce and a zesty Smokehouse BBQ Sauce crafted specifically for the entrée.”
It’s not a stretch to say this move signifies a different direction for Chick-fil-A. The restaurant chain has reported strong growth over the past few years but, it’s also been deeply dedicated to the same menu, shying away from new items or limited time offerings. With the introduction of the Smokehouse sandwich, which will be available for a limited time, Chick-fil-A is taking a chance on both a trendy and time-sensitive item.
We were interested to see who Chick-fil-A might gain with this new item.
13% are more likely to visit Chick-fil-A because of its new sandwich. What’s more, when you look into who is more interested in going now, the restaurant could be pulling a new crowd in.
Over one-third of those who are now more likely to eat at Chick-fil-A most often dine at independent or locally owned restaurants. It looks like the handcrafted nature of the new sandwich could pay off. Chick-fil-A might be taking a risk with its off-brand offering, but it seems likely to entice a different crowd.
As we’ve seen before, limited time items and new products have been known to boost sales among other fast food chains, such as Burger King and McDonald’s. At the least, they cause some buzz. While things are looking good for Chick-fil-A’s BBQ sandwich, only time will tell if it’s a hit.
