In an age when Fast Food purveyors will do almost anything to get your attention, to raise their brand image above the noise and churn of the intense competition on their niche, Popeye’s Fried Chicken has pulled an interesting stunt to promote their new Chicken Sandwich. Or have they?
Popeye’s new Chicken Sandwich: Simple, but mesmerizing for fans…
I wouldn’t have thought anything about it had I not first seen coverage of the ‘controversy’ on CNN and then read about it on one of my fave daily Food News feeds this morning. Remember when we told you about Popeye’s new Chicken Sandwich, in a Saturday Fast Food Week rundown of top QSR and Snacks news earlier this month? Now there’s news that the menu item had actually sold out at most locations round the chain earlier this week.
Launched amid much hype and self-congratulation, the Sandwich was Popeye’s first such offering and I wondered if it would have enough uniqueness to appeal to diners who have come to expect fancy, high-stacked ‘specialty’ Sammys from the take-out chains. After all, it’s just a boneless Popeye’s Chicken Breast Fillet with Pickles on a standard Bun.
“Nothing really new or notable there – but nothing anybody would quibble about, either…” I said.
Clearly, I underestimated Popeye’s fans. Reports earlier this week told of ’round the block lineups at Popeye’s locations far and wide – hundreds of fans waiting more than an hour to get their first taste of the new treat. Then, yesterday morning, CNN showcased a report that many Popeye’s outlets were posting hastily-hand-written ‘Sold Out’ signs. No forecast of when the menu item would be available again.
Trick or triumph?
On first examination, I thought it reasonable – given the apparent popularity of the Sandwich – that initial stocks of the ingredients might well have run out in three weeks. Popeye’s claims they had distributed inventories calculated to last until the end of September and were going to watch initial sales closely to determine when to ship replacement supplies. After all, each individual restaurant has finite fridge and freezer space, and they have to keep ingredients for all their other menu items on hand, too, through any unusual event.
But then, reacting to the ‘Sold Out’ reports, industry observers and folks who probably prefer KFC or Chick-Fil-A began to wonder openly on social media whether news of the apparently triumphal Popeye’s launch was real or a marketing stunt, to maintain the hype.
Sour Grapes on the menu?
The Popeye’s doubters seemed convinced that the whole ‘Sold Out’ story was a a fake, designed to generate additional free promotion noise for the smaller, less wide-spread Chicken segment player; a device to propel the traditional third-place brand to the head of the line, even if ‘for a limited time only’ (as the marketing gurus are fond of saying).
My take
Well, I’ve taken a second look at the situation and, after some consideration, I believe the Chicken Sammy actually did sell out at many Popeye’s locations. Without the evidence of my own eyes – the viral pictures and videos of the long line-ups and raucous crowds, and the dazed looks on the faces of the Popeye’s employees posting the ‘Sold Out’ signs – I might be tempted to side with the doubters and declare the whole sting a stunt. But I’m convinced it’s all on the up-and-up.
If not… Well, this may seem immodest, but you have to get up pretty earlier then I do to foll this crusty old food service observer. If it turns put, in the end, that the ‘Sold Out’ story was a stunt, good on their marketing folks and all the greater my admiration for the Popeye’s team.
Meanwhile, no word from the company about when they’ll be able to put the Sammy back on the menu. We’ll let you know…
~ Maggie J.