Caitlin Shuda/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
It’s hard to believe it’s been more than five years since Popeyes found itself with a hit on its hands with the chicken sandwich that ushered in a fast food arms race. Chick-fil-A was no stranger to that particular battlefield, but it is rolling out a new weapon by testing out its take on chicken and waffles.
In the summer of 2019, Popeyes dropped a chicken sandwich that was a pretty blatant ripoff of the item Chick-fil-A has been peddling since its founder, S. Truett Cathy, perfected the offering that’s been gracing the restaurant’s menu since 1964.
The latter threw some shame at the former while inadvertently sparking a chicken-centric beef that helped Popeyes draw attention to the sandwich that became an absolute sensation to the point where an armed mob stormed one store in search of the sold-out item and a man was stabbed to death over a fight that broke out while waiting in line for one.
Other brands quickly scrambled to get in on the action while launching the so-called Chicken Sandwich Wars, a corporate conflict that grew fierce enough to warrant its own Wikipedia page.
That battle had largely subsided once the pandemic died down, but Chick-fil-A seems poised to revive it with a new offering that’s garnered a ton of hype.
Chick-fil-A is testing out a chicken and waffles sandwich in Baltimore and San Antonio
Chicken and waffles can be traced back to the Pennsylvania Dutch settlers who were serving pulled poultry and gravy over those crispy treats all the way back in the 1600s.
However, most people associated that dish with the soul food version dreamed up by Dickie Wells, the man who started serving up fried chicken and waffles with maple syrup to jazz artists at Wells Supper Club in Harlem at the end of the 1930s.
A number of major players in the fried chicken game have drawn inspiration from that dish for limited-time offerings. Popeyes introduced waffle tenders in 2013, KFC has periodically offered a chicken and waffles meal, and earlier this year, Bojangles started serving up a sandwich where they were used in place of a bun.
According to USA Today, Chick-fil-A has decided to copy that playbook, as customers at some restaurants in Baltimore and San Antonio will soon get the chance to chow down on the chicken and waffle sandwiches the chain is testing.
A store in Westminster, Maryland teased the items that were supposed to launch on November 10th, but it appears people will have to wait until December 1st to taste what is described as “crispy chicken stacked between warm maple waffles, all with a touch of smoked bacon.”
The locations in San Antonio will only be serving up the breakfast sandwich, but it appears they are identical aside from their size. Each item can be ordered with either an Original or Spicy patty, and standalone waffles will also be on the menu.
It looks like a road trip may be in order for this guy.