Marketing

McDonald’s will let you buy early access to its chicken sandwich

The company, preparing a national launch of the product next week, will let customers buy a limited-edition capsule that includes a hoodie and an audio track from producer Tay Keith.
McDonald's crispy chicken sandwich promotion
Photo courtesy of McDonald's

McDonald’s is giving customers early access to its new chicken sandwich set to make its national debut next week, but there’s a catch: You have to win something of a lottery.

The company will start selling a limited-edition “capsule” starting at noon ET on Thursday on CHKNDrop.com. For $5, that capsule will include a coupon for the chain’s new Crispy Chicken Sandwich, which can be redeemed on Feb. 23, one day before its national launch.

In addition, customers will also get an original audio track, on 7-inch vinyl, from the music producer Tay Keith created for the sandwich, along with a limited-edition hoodie.

The capsules will be offered on a first-come, first-serve basis.

McDonald’s is making a huge push with its upgraded chicken sandwich. The company has been working on an upgraded product for two years largely to compete with Chick-fil-A, its fast-growing Atlanta-based rival. The introduction of Popeyes’ chicken sandwich in 2019 only intensified that push.

Several other fast-food chains have also upgraded their chicken sandwiches, however, including KFC and Wendy’s. Meanwhile, Burger King is planning an upgraded chicken sandwich of its own.

Tay Keith has produced hits for several musicians, most notably Travis Scott’s “Sicko Mode.” Scott was the centerpiece of a successful promotion last year in which McDonald’s sold the “Travis Scott Meal” and offered various Scott-themed merchandise.

Members help make our journalism possible. Become a Restaurant Business member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.

Multimedia

Exclusive Content

Financing

Despite their complaints, customers keep flocking to Chipotle

The Bottom Line: The chain continued to be a juggernaut last quarter, with strong sales and traffic growth, despite frequent social media complaints about shrinkflation or other challenges.

Operations

Hitting resistance elsewhere, ghost kitchens and virtual concepts find a happy home in family dining

Reality Check: Old-guard chains are finding the alternative operations to be persistently effective side hustles.

Financing

The Tijuana Flats bankruptcy highlights the dangers of menu miscues

The Bottom Line: The fast-casual chain’s problems following new menu debuts in 2021 and 2022 show that adding new items isn’t always the right idea.

Trending

More from our partners