Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen added a permanent Signature Sauce, which combines bell pepper, celery and onion flavors with garlic and hot sauce, in a Louisiana-inspired mixture, the brand said in a Monday press release. Popeyes said the sauce was its first Signature dipping sauce.
“A signature sauce is a monumental moment for our brand, and one we approached with care, knowing it had the potential to become an iconic part of our menu,” Amy Alarcon, Popeyes vice president of culinary innovation, said in a statement. “It’s incredibly unique and ownable to our Cajun roots.”
To promote trial of the Signature Sauce, Popeyes also launched a Chicken Dipper limited-time offer, which consists of thin strips of white meat battered with Popeyes signature mixture. The Dippers are priced at $4.99 and Popeyes is positioning them as a snacking option, joining its new wraps as many QSR brands turn to snacking dayparts as a way to create new occasions.
The Signature Sauce comes in a rounded cup, instead of the rectangular containers the brand uses for its other sauces, allowing for easier dipping.
Dave’s Hot Chicken and Raising Cane’s, two fast-growing fried chicken competitors both serve their branded signature sauces in rounded dipping sauce cups.
The QSR chicken space is a point of sharp competition at the moment, as chicken-only brands like Chick-fil-A, Popeyes and Raising Cane’s compete to capture consumer demand.
Legacy brands with bigger menus, such as Wendy’s and McDonald’s, have both turned to chicken as a front for menu innovation. McDonald’s launched its own Crispy Chicken strips earlier this year, complete with a sauce designed to accompany them. Wendy’s added sauce-marinated nuggets to its menus last summer.
