Chick-fil-A is making a major menu update this fall, offering several new items starting August 18.
The fall menu includes the fried chicken brand’s first ever seasonal soda as well as a new sandwich and two new potato chips that will be sold in stores.
Why It Matters
Many fast food chains are releasing their fall menus this month amid heightened competition within the industry.
While Krispy Kreme is launching the return of its Pumpkin Spice Original Glazed Doughnut and three other pumpkin spice menu items, Dairy Queen’s fall menu will include the Pumpkin Pie Blizzard, the Caramel Toffee Cookie Blizzard and the Maple Cookie Shake.
What To Know
Chick-fil-A’s fall menu features the return of its Cherry Berry drink mixed with Sprite and other flavors:
- Cherry Berry & Sprite: A sparkling mix of crisp Sprite with delicious cherry, blueberry and cranberry natural flavors.
- Cherry Berry Lemonade: Classic Chick-fil-A Lemonade with a sweet, fruity remix featuring cherry, blueberry and cranberry natural flavors.
- Cherry Berry Frosted Lemonade: A creamy blend of Icedream dessert and classic Chick-fil-A Lemonade mixed with cherry, blueberry and cranberry natural flavors.
- Cherry Berry Sunjoy: A blend of Sweetened Iced Tea and Lemonade mixed with cherry, blueberry and cranberry natural flavors.
Chick-fil-A fans will also likely be excited to try the new Pretzel Cheddar Club Sandwich after it succeeded in a test market round in Raleigh, North Carolina.
The sandwich has a toasted, buttery pretzel bun, lettuce, sliced tomato, cheddar cheese, strips of applewood smoked bacon and a side of Creamy Dijon Mustard sauce. It is also available with your choice of original, spicy or grilled chicken.
“Our Guests’ demand for bold, fun beverages is only growing and Cherry Berry’s return, now with a bubbly twist, brings something fresh and unexpected to our lineup,” Allison Duncan, director of menu and packaging for Chick-fil-A, said in a news release. “The Pretzel Cheddar Club Sandwich offers the perfect complement: it’s savory with layers of flavor that feel indulgent, yet distinctly Chick-fil-A.”
Also in the new fall lineup are two new potato chip flavors, available in a waffle cut that mimics Chick-fil-A’s famous waffle fries: the Original Flavor Waffle Potato Chip and Chick-fil-A Sauce Flavored Waffle Potato Chip.
The chips will be available in 7 ounce bags for purchase at retailers in the Atlantic and Southeast this fall.
“The fast-food industry is doing its best rendition of limited time offerings by tapping into the human condition of FOMO,” Kevin Thompson, the CEO of 9i Capital Group and the host of the 9innings podcast, told Newsweek. “Companies like Chick-fil-A are tapping into those offerings in hopes to boost retail sales in the fall as increase cost continue to hit margins.”
What People Are Saying
Allison Duncan, director of menu and packaging for Chick-fil-A, said in a news release: “We are always looking for ways to surprise our Guests with new and unique menu offerings, and this year’s fall lineup presents even more opportunities for Guests to customize and make them their own.”
Michael Ryan, a finance expert and the founder of MichaelRyanMoney.com, told Newsweek: “Chick-fil-A isn’t trying to innovate. They’re trying to ‘premium position’ their way out of the value war.”
“Honestly, it’s just classic menu psychology. They’re bringing back the Cherry Berry drinks because they tested well & cost next to nothing to produce. The Pretzel Cheddar Club is just their regular sandwich on a fancier bun with bacon. But here’s the brilliance: consumers will perceive pretzel buns as ‘artisanal’ even though they’re mass-produced.”
Alex Beene, a financial literacy instructor for the University of Tennessee at Martin, told Newsweek: “The introduction of a new Pretzel Cheddar Club sandwich and a collection of fruit-themed drinks for their fall menu could hint at the fast food juggernaut seeing some similar difficulty getting money-strapped customers to frequently come in to select locations and are banking on new menu offerings as a way of drumming up more business in the coming months.”
What Happens Next
The fast-food industry will likely continue facing pricing pressures as food inputs surge. The average price of food in the United States rose by 3 percent year-over-year in June, up from an annual increase of 2.9 percent in May, according to the U.S. Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics.
“Companies are looking to find ways to increase consumer appetite by introducing new limited time products that are seasonal as well as new combo meals to entice the consumer back,” Thompson said. “Many have seen prices, especially at Chick-fil-A rise so much, consumers have throttled back spending.”
The post Chick-fil-A Makes Major Menu Change: When New Items Are Available appeared first on Newsweek.
