Original Chicken Sandwich
Encyclopedia
The Original Chicken Sandwich is a chicken
sandwich
sold by the international fast-food restaurant chain Burger King
. It is the "basic" chicken sandwich sold at Burger King. The Original Chicken sandwich consists of a breaded, deep-fried white-meat chicken
patty
with mayonnaise
and lettuce
on a sesame seed sub
-style bun
.
to expand Burger King's menu to reach the broadest demographic in order to better compete with McDonald's and fend off Wendy's growing market share. The plan was successful and the company's sales increased by 15%.
The other "Specialty Sandwiches" were:
LTO variants:
All sandwiches were served on the same style 7" sesame seed roll.
The Long Fish was eventually discontinued and replaced with the Whaler sandwich and the Steak Burger sandwich was discontinued all together, although two different steak sandwiches made from steak fillets or restructured beef were introduced as limited time offerings. The ham and cheese sandwich replaced an earlier version ham and cheese sandwich called the Yumbo that was served hot and was the size of a hamburger.
and promoted as part of the BK Tee Vee
ad campaigns.
In the autumn and winter of 2007 BK advertised the Italian Chicken sandwich with a commercial that played the "Have it your Way" theme on an accordion
with a simple text insert that asked the consumer if they had a problem with the sandwich being sold only at BK. This insert played up the Italian "toughguy" stereotypes.
, Canada
and Europe
. The alias Long Chicken is trademarked in Spain, King de Pollo in Argentina and Chicken Royal in the Middle East; all are displayed with the "circle-R" (®) symbol.
Available as a permanent menu option in Germany and as an LTO option in Austria and Switzerland.
Similar types of chicken sandwiches by other vendors:
Chicken
The chicken is a domesticated fowl, a subspecies of the Red Junglefowl. As one of the most common and widespread domestic animals, and with a population of more than 24 billion in 2003, there are more chickens in the world than any other species of bird...
sandwich
Sandwich
A sandwich is a food item, typically consisting of two or more slices of :bread with one or more fillings between them, or one slice of bread with a topping or toppings, commonly called an open sandwich. Sandwiches are a widely popular type of lunch food, typically taken to work or school, or...
sold by the international fast-food restaurant chain Burger King
Burger King
Burger King, often abbreviated as BK, is a global chain of hamburger fast food restaurants headquartered in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. The company began in 1953 as Insta-Burger King, a Jacksonville, Florida-based restaurant chain...
. It is the "basic" chicken sandwich sold at Burger King. The Original Chicken sandwich consists of a breaded, deep-fried white-meat chicken
Chicken
The chicken is a domesticated fowl, a subspecies of the Red Junglefowl. As one of the most common and widespread domestic animals, and with a population of more than 24 billion in 2003, there are more chickens in the world than any other species of bird...
patty
Patty
A patty is a flattened cake, often of meat.Patty may also refer to:* Patty , a family name* Patricia, a female given name, in all forms of English* Patrick , a male given name, in Australian English and Hiberno-English...
with mayonnaise
Mayonnaise
Mayonnaise, , often abbreviated as mayo, is a sauce. It is a stable emulsion of oil, egg yolk and either vinegar or lemon juice, with many options for embellishment with other herbs and spices. Lecithin in the egg yolk is the emulsifier. Mayonnaise varies in color but is often white, cream, or pale...
and lettuce
Lettuce
Lettuce is a temperate annual or biennial plant of the daisy family Asteraceae. It is most often grown as a leaf vegetable. It is eaten either raw, notably in salads, sandwiches, hamburgers, tacos, and many other dishes, or cooked, as in Chinese cuisine in which the stem becomes just as important...
on a sesame seed sub
Submarine sandwich
A submarine sandwich, also known as a sub among other names, is a sandwich that consists of a long roll of Italian or French bread, split lengthwise either into two pieces or opened in a "V" on one side, and filled with various varieties of meat, cheese, vegetables, seasonings, and sauces. The...
-style bun
Bun
A bun is a small, usually sweet, bread. Commonly they are hand-sized or smaller, domed in shape, with a flat bottom. A bun can also be a savory bread roll similar to a bap or barmcake....
.
History
The Original Chicken Sandwich was introduced in 1978 as part of BKs "Specialty Sandwich" line. The products were some of the first by the company to attempt to capture the adult-oriented market, members of which would be willing spend more on a higher quality product. The sandwiches were a part of a plan by the then-company president Donald SmithDonald Smith
Donald Smith may refer to:* Donald Smith , head college football coach at Kentucky State University * Donald Smith , English cricketer* Donald Smith , Australian tenor...
to expand Burger King's menu to reach the broadest demographic in order to better compete with McDonald's and fend off Wendy's growing market share. The plan was successful and the company's sales increased by 15%.
The other "Specialty Sandwiches" were:
- The VealVealVeal is the meat of young cattle , as opposed to meat from older cattle. Though veal can be produced from a calf of either sex and any breed, most veal comes from male calves of dairy cattle breeds...
Parmesan Sandwich - The Chicken Parmesan Sandwich
- The Ham & Cheese Sandwich
- The Long Fish
- The Steak Burger
- The Roast beefRoast beefRoast beef is a dish of beef which is roasted in an oven. Essentially prepared as a main meal, the leftovers can be and are often served within sandwiches and sometimes is used to make hash...
sandwich
LTO variants:
- A grilledGrillingGrilling is a form of cooking that involves dry heat applied to the surface of food, commonly from above or below.Grilling usually involves a significant amount of direct, radiant heat, and tends to be used for cooking meat quickly and meat that has already been cut into slices...
meatloafMeatloafMeatloaf is a dish of ground meat formed into a loaf shape and baked or smoked. The loaf shape is formed by either cooking it in a loaf pan, or forming it by hand on a flat baking pan...
sandwich with ketchup and onions; - A grilled Italian sausageItalian sausageIn the United States, Italian sausage most often refers to a style of pork sausage noted for being seasoned with fennel and/or anise as the primary seasoning...
patty sandwich served in one of three ways: with onions & peppers, parmigianaParmigianaParmigiana is a Southern Italian dish made with a shallow-fried sliced filling, layered with cheese and tomato sauce, then baked. Parmigiana made with a filling of aubergine is the earliest version...
style with mozzarella cheese & marinara sauceMarinara SauceMarinara sauce is a southern Italian tomato sauce usually made with tomatoes, garlic, herbs , and onion. However, there are many variations. Some of these include the addition of capers, olives, anchovies, and/or spices....
or all four ingredients. - The Bull's-Eye Barbecue sandwich included two hamburger patties, American cheese, 4 half pieces of bacon and Kraft Bull's-eye brand barbecue sauce. Another variant of this sandwich called the BBQ Hero added lettuce, tomato and onions.
All sandwiches were served on the same style 7" sesame seed roll.
The Long Fish was eventually discontinued and replaced with the Whaler sandwich and the Steak Burger sandwich was discontinued all together, although two different steak sandwiches made from steak fillets or restructured beef were introduced as limited time offerings. The ham and cheese sandwich replaced an earlier version ham and cheese sandwich called the Yumbo that was served hot and was the size of a hamburger.
Advertising
One of the promotions used when the Specialty products were first introduced was a scratch card game called What's my Specialty? Customers would get a card and would have to match famous people with their profession. The commercial explained that if you expected to lose, you would be disappointed, as all cards were winners. Prizes included fries, sodas and sandwiches. The Meatloaf sandwich was part of the BK Dinner BasketsBK Dinner Baskets
BK Dinner Baskets was a series of product introduced in 1993 by the international fast-food restaurant chain Burger King. The products were designed to add product that would appeal to families and customers looking for a "higher class" meal found in family style restaurants.- Product description...
and promoted as part of the BK Tee Vee
BK Tee Vee
-History:The campaign was created by New York based agency D'Arcy Masius Benton & Bowles. The original ads were used to promote the Burger King Every Day Value Menu and BK Dinner Baskets. The advertising program was designed as part of a back to basics plan by Burger King after a series of...
ad campaigns.
In the autumn and winter of 2007 BK advertised the Italian Chicken sandwich with a commercial that played the "Have it your Way" theme on an accordion
Accordion
The accordion is a box-shaped musical instrument of the bellows-driven free-reed aerophone family, sometimes referred to as a squeezebox. A person who plays the accordion is called an accordionist....
with a simple text insert that asked the consumer if they had a problem with the sandwich being sold only at BK. This insert played up the Italian "toughguy" stereotypes.
Naming and trademarks
Burger King currently does not have any trademarks on the Original Chicken Sandwich name or the line of Specialty sandwiches in the USUnited States trademark law
Trademarks were traditionally protected in the United States only under State common law, growing out of the tort of unfair competition. As early as 1791, Thomas Jefferson proposed that the marks of sailcloth makers could be protected under the Commerce Clause, but it was not until 1870 that...
, Canada
Canadian trade-mark law
Canadian trade-mark law provides protection to marks statutorily under the Canadian Trade-marks Act and also at common law. Trade-mark law provides protection for distinctive marks, certification marks, distinguishing guises, and proposed marks against those who appropriate the goodwill of the mark...
and Europe
European trade mark law
European trade mark law is governed by national law in the countries which make up Europe, together with European Law within those European countries which are also EU member states...
. The alias Long Chicken is trademarked in Spain, King de Pollo in Argentina and Chicken Royal in the Middle East; all are displayed with the "circle-R" (®) symbol.
Variants
Regional, limited time offerings (LTO) and discontinued varieties:- The Italian Chicken Sandwich - a Chicken Parmesan sandwich with marinaraMarinara"Marinara" may refer to:* Marinara sauce, a variety of sauce served with pasta* Marinara, a former fantasy TV series of GMA Network in the PhilippinesSee also:*Marinera, a Peruvian dance...
and mozzarellaMozzarellaMozzarella is an Italian Traditional Speciality Guaranteed food product. The term is used for several kinds of Italian cheeses that are made using spinning and then cutting :...
.
Sold in the US, ArgentinaArgentinaArgentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, CanadaCanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and ChileChileChile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
. - The French Chicken Sandwich - a Chicken Cordon Bleu sandwich with hamHamHam is a cut of meat from the thigh of the hind leg of certain animals, especiallypigs. Nearly all hams sold today are fully cooked or cured.-Etymology:...
and Swiss cheeseSwiss cheeseSwiss cheese is a generic name in North America for several related varieties of cheese which resemble the Swiss Emmental. Some types of Swiss cheese have a distinctive appearance, as the blocks of the cheese are riddled with holes known as "eyes". Swiss cheese has a piquant, but not very sharp,...
.
Sold in the US, Argentina and Chile. - The American Chicken Sandwich - mayonnaiseMayonnaiseMayonnaise, , often abbreviated as mayo, is a sauce. It is a stable emulsion of oil, egg yolk and either vinegar or lemon juice, with many options for embellishment with other herbs and spices. Lecithin in the egg yolk is the emulsifier. Mayonnaise varies in color but is often white, cream, or pale...
, lettuceLettuceLettuce is a temperate annual or biennial plant of the daisy family Asteraceae. It is most often grown as a leaf vegetable. It is eaten either raw, notably in salads, sandwiches, hamburgers, tacos, and many other dishes, or cooked, as in Chinese cuisine in which the stem becomes just as important...
, tomatoTomatoThe word "tomato" may refer to the plant or the edible, typically red, fruit which it bears. Originating in South America, the tomato was spread around the world following the Spanish colonization of the Americas, and its many varieties are now widely grown, often in greenhouses in cooler...
and American cheeseAmerican cheeseAmerican cheese is a processed cheese. It is orange, yellow, or white in color and mild in flavor, with a medium-firm consistency, and melts easily. American cheese was originally only white, but is usually now modified to yellow. In the past it was made from a blend of cheeses, most often Colby...
.
Sold in the US, Argentina and Chile. - The Chicken Club - mayonnaiseMayonnaiseMayonnaise, , often abbreviated as mayo, is a sauce. It is a stable emulsion of oil, egg yolk and either vinegar or lemon juice, with many options for embellishment with other herbs and spices. Lecithin in the egg yolk is the emulsifier. Mayonnaise varies in color but is often white, cream, or pale...
, lettuceLettuceLettuce is a temperate annual or biennial plant of the daisy family Asteraceae. It is most often grown as a leaf vegetable. It is eaten either raw, notably in salads, sandwiches, hamburgers, tacos, and many other dishes, or cooked, as in Chinese cuisine in which the stem becomes just as important...
, tomatoTomatoThe word "tomato" may refer to the plant or the edible, typically red, fruit which it bears. Originating in South America, the tomato was spread around the world following the Spanish colonization of the Americas, and its many varieties are now widely grown, often in greenhouses in cooler...
and baconBaconBacon is a cured meat prepared from a pig. It is first cured using large quantities of salt, either in a brine or in a dry packing; the result is fresh bacon . Fresh bacon may then be further dried for weeks or months in cold air, boiled, or smoked. Fresh and dried bacon must be cooked before eating...
Sold in the US and ItalyItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and... - The King de Pollo Picosos - a choice of jalapeñoJalapeñoThe jalapeño is a medium-sized chili pepper that has a warm, burning sensation when eaten. A mature jalapeño fruit is 2–3½ inches long and is commonly picked and consumed while still green, but occasionally it is allowed to fully ripen and turn crimson red...
, chipotleChipotleA chipotle , or chilpotle, which comes from the Nahuatl word chilpoktli meaning "smoked chili pepper" is a smoke-dried jalapeño that tends to be brown and shriveled. It is a chili used primarily in Mexican and Mexican-inspired cuisines, such as Mexican-American and Tex-Mex.Varieties of jalapeño...
or spicy cream sauce and lettuceLettuceLettuce is a temperate annual or biennial plant of the daisy family Asteraceae. It is most often grown as a leaf vegetable. It is eaten either raw, notably in salads, sandwiches, hamburgers, tacos, and many other dishes, or cooked, as in Chinese cuisine in which the stem becomes just as important...
Sold in MexicoMexicoThe United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
and the UK/Ireland, called the Spicy Royale. - The Hawaiian BK Chicken - mayonnaiseMayonnaiseMayonnaise, , often abbreviated as mayo, is a sauce. It is a stable emulsion of oil, egg yolk and either vinegar or lemon juice, with many options for embellishment with other herbs and spices. Lecithin in the egg yolk is the emulsifier. Mayonnaise varies in color but is often white, cream, or pale...
, lettuceLettuceLettuce is a temperate annual or biennial plant of the daisy family Asteraceae. It is most often grown as a leaf vegetable. It is eaten either raw, notably in salads, sandwiches, hamburgers, tacos, and many other dishes, or cooked, as in Chinese cuisine in which the stem becomes just as important...
, baconBaconBacon is a cured meat prepared from a pig. It is first cured using large quantities of salt, either in a brine or in a dry packing; the result is fresh bacon . Fresh bacon may then be further dried for weeks or months in cold air, boiled, or smoked. Fresh and dried bacon must be cooked before eating...
, American cheeseAmerican cheeseAmerican cheese is a processed cheese. It is orange, yellow, or white in color and mild in flavor, with a medium-firm consistency, and melts easily. American cheese was originally only white, but is usually now modified to yellow. In the past it was made from a blend of cheeses, most often Colby...
and pineapplePineapplePineapple is the common name for a tropical plant and its edible fruit, which is actually a multiple fruit consisting of coalesced berries. It was given the name pineapple due to its resemblance to a pine cone. The pineapple is by far the most economically important plant in the Bromeliaceae...
Sold in New ZealandNew ZealandNew Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. - Burger King Germany expanded the Long Chicken sandwich variety (non-LTO variety) to include 2 new Long Chicken sandwiches (known as the Specialty Line): The Jamaica Barbecue and the Western Barbecue. The Jamaican Barbecue is served with extra chicken breast, lettuce, mayonnaise and spicy barbecue sauce. The Western Barbecue is served with mayonnaise, lettuce, 2 large onion rings and barbecue sauce.
Available as a permanent menu option in Germany and as an LTO option in Austria and Switzerland.
Aliases and international naming
- The American Chicken Sandwich was also called the Chicken Deluxe.
- In TurkeyTurkeyTurkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, the Middle EastMiddle EastThe Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
and most of EuropeEuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
the Original Chicken is called the Chicken Royale. - In Italy, the Chicken Club variation is called the Chicken Royale Deluxe.
- In SpainSpainSpain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, GermanyGermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, the NetherlandsNetherlandsThe Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, NorwayNorwayNorway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
and AustriaAustriaAustria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
it is called the Long Chicken sandwich. - In MexicoMexicoThe United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, El SalvadorEl SalvadorEl Salvador or simply Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country and in all of Central America...
, Argentina and Chile it is called the King de Pollo (King of Chicken). - In New ZealandNew ZealandNew Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
and BrazilBrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
it is called the BK Chicken. - In AustraliaAustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
it is known as the "Chicken Royale"
Related products
- The ham and cheese sandwich - 4 pieces of ham, 2 slices of American cheese, mayonnaise, lettuce and tomato and served on the same sub-style roll. It is served either hot or cold, as specified by the customer.Sold in the US as an optional product and sold in El Salvador as a regular menu item called the King de Jambon con Queso.
- The X-tra Long cheese or Limo burger - 3 hamburger patties, 2 slices of American cheese, picklesPickled cucumberA pickled cucumber is a cucumber that has been pickled in a brine, vinegar, or other solution and left to ferment for a period of time, by either immersing the cucumbers in an acidic solution or through souring by lacto-fermentation.-Gherkin:A gherkin is not only...
, ketchupKetchupKetchup is a sweet-and-tangy condiment typically made from tomatoes, vinegar, sugar or high-fructose corn syrup and an assortment of...
and mustardMustard (condiment)Mustard is a condiment made from the seeds of a mustard plant...
and served on the same sub-style roll.
Sold in Europe and El Salvador
See also
- TenderCrispTendercrispThe TenderCrisp is a chicken sandwich sold by Burger King, an international fast-food restaurant chain. It is one of their "indulgent" products....
- TenderGrill
- BK Baguette line
- BK Big Fish
- The Angus burger (Burger King)The Angus burger (Burger King)The Angus burger is a burger sold by the international fast-food restaurant chain Burger King as an "indulgent product". It is one of their larger, adult-oriented products made with higher quality ingredients than their "standard" menu items....
Similar types of chicken sandwiches by other vendors:
- McDonald'sMcDonald'sMcDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, serving around 64 million customers daily in 119 countries. Headquartered in the United States, the company began in 1940 as a barbecue restaurant operated by the eponymous Richard and Maurice McDonald; in 1948...
McChickenMcChickenThe McChicken is a chicken sandwich sold by the international fast food chain McDonald's in many countries.-Product description:The sandwich consists of a toasted bun, breaded chicken breast meat patty, shredded lettuce, and mayonnaise.-Variants:... - McDonald's Premium lineMcDonald's Premium lineThe McDonald's Premium line is a group of products introduced by McDonald's in the early 2000s. It includes the company's larger chicken sandwiches, its salad line, and its coffee products. The sandwiches are targeted at various demographic markets, the grilled chicken sandwiches and salads are...
- Wendy's Chicken Temptations sandwiches