Jack In The Box Heats Up Popeyes, Chick-Fil-A War With New Chicken Sandwich

Jack in the Box (JACK) is going to toe-to-toe with chicken rivals Popeyes and Chick-fil-A with its latest creation – The Cluck Sandwich.

The new menu item is made with a crispy chicken fillet topped with pickles and a sauce that Jack in the Box calls a “mystery” all served on a warm brioche bun. The sandwich combo sells for $5.99.

The sandwich can also be upgraded to a Deluxe option, which is topped with ingredients such as guacamole, cheddar cheese, and bacon for $2 extra.

The Cluck Sandwich is available for a limited time at select Jack in the Box restaurants.

The restaurant's latest offering comes amid an intense chicken war among fast-food chains. As noted by USA Today, Popeyes "sparked" the rivalry in 2019 by releasing its new highly-anticipated and eventually sold-out chicken sandwich. Chik-fil-A promptly responded by calling its chicken sandwich "the original."

The Atlanta-based chain continued to turn up the heat by announcing a Honey Pepper Pimento Chicken Sandwich in September. Now, it looks like the two chains will have even more competition.

When it comes to Jack in the Box's The Cluck Sandwich, it is releasing it in conjunction with “Power Rangers” actress and “Shower” singer Becky G, who has created a chicken dance to share on Instagram and TikTok to help launch the fast food offering.

For every dance shared using the hashtag #JacksNewChickenDance from now until Feb. 14, 2021, Jack in the Box will donate $1 to No Kid Hungry, a national campaign committed to ending childhood hunger, up to $100,000.

Becky G will also enlist the help of other TikTok influencers for the Chicken Dance, including Joshua Sadowski, The Williams Fam, and Matt McCall, building off the dance moves that have inspired consumers over the last few months through tutorials and short GIFs, Jack in the Box said.

"We've been looking forward to introducing this new craveable and indulgent chicken sandwich and what better way to celebrate this launch than partnering with global superstar, Becky G,” Adrienne Ingoldt, senior vice president, chief brand and experience officer at Jack in the Box, said in a statement.

“Her personality reflects the limitless nature of our consumers. We knew by having her be a part of this launch, we'd truly create our own iconic moment within culture.”

Shares of Jack in the Box were trading at $91.85 as of 1:33 p.m. EST on Friday, up $1.21 or 1.33%.