While most fast food chains created new sandwiches to wage battle in the chicken sandwich wars, Burger King is going back into its archives to bring out a classic favorite from the pre-war period. The Italian Original Chicken Sandwich is making a comeback nationwide, marking its first time on the Burger King menu since 2014. The sandwich is part of the company’s “2 for $6” lineup, which also includes the Whopper, Impossible Whopper, Chicken Fries, and the Big Fish sandwich.
The Italian Original Chicken Sandwich debuted at Burger King restaurants in 1979. The sandwich includes an elongated lightly-breaded white meat chicken patty on a sesame seed bun with marinara sauce and melted mozzarella cheese. It will only be available for a limited time, reports PEOPLE. News that the sandwich was making a comeback was first reported by Chew Boom earlier this month. The roll-out began on Nov. 8 and the chicken sandwich is now available nationwide.
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The chicken sandwich is making its return a short time after Burger King’s parent company, Restaurant Brands International, shared disappointing results with investors during its third-quarter report in October. Although total revenue for the company, which also owns Popeyes and Canada’s Tim Hortons, climbed 11.8% to $1.50 billion, it missed estimates of $1.53 billion, reports Reuters. Analysts suggested Burger King’s marketing has been lackluster. Popeyes locations are also struggling to stay staffed, so Restaurant BRands is hoping to cut operating hours.
“We saw a continued gap relative to our peers. We’re keenly aware of this gap,” CEO Jose Cil told analysts when discussing Burger King’s struggles. “We also see clear opportunities across operations, digital, menu, and image that can work together to reclaim market share.”
Last week, Burger King did try to drum up interest in its new traditional chicken sandwiches, the Ch’King Deluxe and Spicy Ch’King, by joining in on the National Fried Chicken Sandwich Day event on Nov. 9. Burger King Royal Perks members got a free Ch’King sandwich with any $3 purchase that day. Popeyes, the chain that started the whole chicken sandwich war, did not have a deal, but fans could get a free side by joining its loyalty program, notes USA Today.
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