It's the LAST DAY to donate and pick up any of our thank-you gifts at a discount. 🔥 Give Now!

Why fast-food chicken is soaring

Kristin Schwab May 20, 2021
Heard on:
HTML EMBED:
COPY
An illuminated Burger King sign is seen on August 25, 2014 in Washington, DC. MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images

Why fast-food chicken is soaring

Kristin Schwab May 20, 2021
Heard on:
An illuminated Burger King sign is seen on August 25, 2014 in Washington, DC. MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images
HTML EMBED:
COPY

You may have heard about a nationwide shortage of chicken. Wings are flying off the shelves of suppliers and supermarkets, seemingly as bars and sporting venues open their doors and expand service hours. Burger King just announced it’s launching a new chicken sandwich–breaded by hand no less–to presumably compete with Popeye’s, McDonald’s and, of course, KFC.

A few years ago, Jason Sobocinski and his business partners went to Nashville and fell in love with hot chicken.

“Crispy, crunchy, juicy, spicy, delicious. We tried … I can’t tell you how many different recipes,” he said.

But it wasn’t just about taste. They opened Haven Hot Chicken in Connecticut because chicken is a good business plan.

“It’s been a really affordable protein. It’s readily available. Up til recently,” he said.

He’s paying 15% more because demand is so high. David Portalatin at the NPD Group says the craze started with Chick-fil-A’s expansion in 2017. Then came Popeye’s new sandwich in 2019. Now it seems like every chain needs one.

“The American consumer loves to try new things, especially if we’re already familiar with it,” Portalatin said.

Chicken makes people feel safe trying unfamiliar flavors, like the Korean-style gochujang chicken Shake Shack tested earlier this year.

Portalatin said the last time the industry faced a shortage was a few years ago during a chicken wing boom. But businesses always find workarounds. That’s how we got boneless wings.

There’s a lot happening in the world.  Through it all, Marketplace is here for you. 

You rely on Marketplace to break down the world’s events and tell you how it affects you in a fact-based, approachable way. We rely on your financial support to keep making that possible. 

Your donation today powers the independent journalism that you rely on. For just $5/month, you can help sustain Marketplace so we can keep reporting on the things that matter to you.