McDonald’s Makes Its Latest Strike in the Chicken Sandwich Wars in Houston

Clearly hoping to bank on the success of Popeyes’s beloved chicken sandwich, McDonald’s has decided to enter the fray with its own take on the Crispy Chicken Sandwich.

The chain tweeted early Monday morning that it would launch the new Crispy Chicken Sandwich today in two cities, and Houston is one of them. Per a follow-up tweet, the new sandwich involves a deep-fried chicken breast that’s served on a tasty, buttery potato roll” with pickles and, weirdly, more butter. The chain will also introduce a “Deluxe” version of the sandwich that’s also topped with lettuce and tomatoes.

This, of course, isn’t McDonald’s first foray into the world of chicken sandwiches — the McChicken has existed forever — but it does come at a particularly interesting time in the world of fast food. As Eater reported previously, the obsession with Popeyes’s chicken sandwich sparked a fury that resulted in the crunchy new offering being sold out for months as the chain adjusted its supply of brioche buns and perfectly fried chicken thighs. It returned at the end of October, and clearly McDonald’s and other chains are looking to capitalize on Popeyes’s success.

According to CNBC, the McDonald’s Crispy Chicken Sandwich will be available in Houston until January 26, which means that Houstonians have plenty of time to taste test and see which fast food chicken sandwich reigns supreme.

• McDonald’s is testing a chicken sandwich [CNBC]
• Tracking Fried Chicken Sandwich Mania [Eater]