Dive Brief:
- Taco Bell is adding its Crispy Chicken Nuggets back to menus for a limited time starting April 24, and will add menu items with Crispy Chicken to its permanent menu next year, according to an emailed press release. The nuggets will be available while supplies last.
- Taco Bell did not specifically commit to adding the nuggets as a permanent menu item, however, noting in an email to Restaurant Dive that the nuggets were a first step toward creating a Crispy Chicken platform.
- Taco Bell sold the nuggets for a brief time in December, a period in which one-sixth of all Taco Bell orders included the item. Five million people tried the nuggets before they sold out in less than a week, according to the press release.
Dive Insight:
A strong chicken menu will likely help Taco Bell win some occasional customers from chicken chain competitors and generally makes its menu more broadly appealing.
Taco Bell’s menu innovation strategy often relies on testing specific item performance in small geographies before launching national LTOs to create buzz. Then, it may transition the most successful items to its permanent menu or its stable of rotating LTOs.
This particular Crispy Chicken recipe was developed after testing more than 50 variants, the brand said in the press release. The nuggets are marinated in a jalapeño buttermilk flavor and breaded with a blend of breadcrumbs and crispy tortilla chips.
Much of Taco Bell’s recent menu development has focused on chicken.
“As 95% of innovations from the Taco Bell test kitchen feature chicken as the premier protein, Taco Bell’s chicken dominance is becoming undeniable,” the company said.
As evidence of this growing chicken emphasis, Taco Bell cited its premium Cantina Chicken menu, which went nationwide last year, and its Chicken Al Pastor Street Chalupas.
The QSR segment as a whole is emphasizing chicken at the moment. Other brands, like McDonald’s, are emphasizing the protein as a key component of menus. The Golden Arches plans to bring back its chicken strips this year, and recently created new restaurant experience units focusing on menu development, including one dedicated to chicken. Wendy’s is looking to expand its chicken offerings, as well.
One reason for this market trend is likely the price of chicken: cleaned birds sell for about $1.32 per pound, according to recent USDA price data, while ground beef sells for a minimum of $2.49 per pound. Another factor is strong consumer demand for the category, which has powered the growth of chains like Chick-fil-A, Raising Cane’s, Zaxby’s and Dave’s Hot Chicken in recent years.
