Join our Waitlist for Expert Advice!

Burger King Enters the Chicken Sandwich War With the Ch'King Burger King is set to release its new crispy sandwich, called the Ch'King, on June 3.

By Emily Rella

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

All is fair in love and chicken wars as another fast-food giant has entered the competition in creating the best chicken sandwich.

Burger King is set to release its new crispy sandwich, called the Ch'King, on June 3.

The sandwich has been slowly phased out in select stores across the country with the original announcement of the item being made earlier this year in February.

It consists of a hand-breaded chicken filet topped with pickles and Burger King's famous sauce on a potato bun.

Related: Internet Has Meltdown After Taco Bell Removes Fan-Favorite Menu Item: 'My Life is Over'

"We said we would create a delicious hand-breaded chicken sandwich that was worth the wait, we just didn't anticipate that it would turn out quite this good," Chief Marketing Officer of Burger King North America Ellie Doty said.

In order to amp up sales and awareness of the new item, Burger King will be running a promotion from June 3 to 20 where customers who purchase the Ch'King online or through the BK app will receive a free Whopper.

The battle of the fast-food chicken sandwiches started in August 2019 when Popeye's released its fried chicken sandwich that instantly began selling out at stores across the country. The sandwich — which also included breaded chicken, pickles, sauce and a brioche bun — caught the attention of Chick-fil-A who cheekily tweeted what seemed to be a jab at Popeye's for creating nearly the same sandwich.

Since then, fast food chains like Wendy's, Arby's, McDonald's and even Taco Bell have taken a stab at creating their own twist on the classic sandwich.

Related: Its Time to Reserve Some Restaurant Brands International Shares

Burger King's release comes at a risky time where the restaurant industry as a whole is facing widespread poultry shortages due to supply and demand issues, many presumably brought about by the pandemic.

The company believes that its phased rollout method and expectation of high demand will prevent early sell-outs and an inability to keep up with demand, however.

"We're not immune to macro forces, they hit us just like they hit everybody else, but we have put in place a very robust supply chain support system, we have a diversified set of suppliers," Doty assured.

And industry experts are confident that the chicken craze isn't going anywhere.

"No matter which chicken sandwich wins the chicken sandwich war or which sandwich is competing with the burger, operators who put chicken sandwiches or burgers or both on their menus are headed in the right direction," said NPD Food Industry Advisor David Portalatin.

Related: Ex-Burger King Employee Awarded $2M by Orlando Jury in Trachea Tube Lawsuit

Emily Rella

Senior News Writer

Emily Rella is a Senior News Writer at Entrepreneur.com. Previously, she was an editor at Verizon Media. Her coverage spans features, business, lifestyle, tech, entertainment, and lifestyle. She is a 2015 graduate of Boston College and a Ridgefield, CT native. Find her on Twitter at @EmilyKRella.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Side Hustle

At 16, She Started a Side Hustle While 'Stuck at Home.' Now It's on Track to Earn Over $3.1 Million This Year.

Evangelina Petrakis, 21, was in high school when she posted on social media for fun — then realized a business opportunity.

Health & Wellness

I'm a CEO, Founder and Father of 2 — Here Are 3 Practices That Help Me Maintain My Sanity.

This is a combination of active practices that I've put together over a decade of my intense entrepreneurial journey.

Business News

Remote Work Enthusiast Kevin O'Leary Does TV Appearance Wearing Suit Jacket, Tie and Pajama Bottoms

"Shark Tank" star Kevin O'Leary looks all business—until you see the wide view.

Business News

Are Apple Smart Glasses in the Works? Apple Is Eyeing Meta's Ran-Ban Success Story, According to a New Report.

Meta has sold more than 700,000 pairs of smart glasses, with demand even ahead of supply at one point.

Money & Finance

The 'Richest' U.S. City Probably Isn't Where You Think It Is

It's not located in New York or California.

Business News

Hybrid Workers Were Put to the Test Against Fully In-Office Employees — Here's Who Came Out On Top

Productivity barely changed whether employees were in the office or not. However, hybrid workers reported better job satisfaction than in-office workers.