In 2019, milk is out, plant-based meat options have taken restaurants by storm, and a drive-thru chicken sando chain — Chick-fil-A — is moving toward the head of the fast-food flock.
See, the ol’ witch hippy was right: The end times are upon us. And cows are loving it, that’s for sure.
But, as Chick-fil-A continues to fly high above the industry, with plans of going international, other beef-led chains are feeling the pinch.
2019: The year of the chicken
Chick-fil-A’s food is phenomenal. That’s not an opinion, that’s a poultry-sized fact.
Because of its fine feastings, the fast-fried franchise absolutely rakes in the dough. According to CNBC, one of CF’s locations Chick-fil-A’d $5.7m in 2018 — and the dang rooster robbers don’t even crow on Sundays.
While cows sipped dairy-free coladas on sabbatical, Chick-fil-A grew to become the 3rd-largest restaurant in the US by sales.
And competitors are bracing for some even rougher winds ahead.
Like a bunch of chickens with their heads cut off
Per Business Insider, in the first 6 months after a Chick flies into town, customer traffic falls an average of 5.4% at Wendy’s and 4.4% at Burger King locations within 1.5 miles.
Now, chains like BK and Carl’s Jr. have doubled down on the growing plant-based meat crowd to compete with the church of chicken.
Another clucker-chucker, Popeyes, is heading beak-first into the chickity-challenge by putting its own top-notch breaded bird on the menu.
McDonald’s franchisees are also pleading for a better chicken sandwich option as well. McChicken? More like McChopped Liver (nailed it).