ATHENS, GA. — Zaxby’s is putting a Southern spin on a sandwich that is a mainstay in the Northeast. The chicken chain’s latest menu addition, the Fried Chicken Philly, is available as a limited time offer, swapping out the beef for chicken in a sandwich that includes American cheese, grilled onions and peppers, served on a hoagie roll. The menu innovation was intended to cause loyal fans of traditional cheesesteak sandwiches to do a double take. The sandwich is available for a starting price of $7.29 at participating locations with Zaxby’s grilled or fried chicken and is accented with garlic aioli.  

“Finally the Philly done right — and it took a Southern brand famous for its fried chicken to do it,” said Patrick Schwing, Zaxby’s chief marketing and strategy officer. “We’re so confident in our Fried Chicken Philly that we believe even die-hard Philadelphians will agree that it’s undeniably delicious.”

He said the rollout of the sandwich was a good-hearted jab at Philly cheesesteak lovers.  

“We know there’s a spirited debate about cheesesteaks in Philadelphia, and we wanted to have a little fun with it,” Schwing said. “We’ve been perfecting fried chicken since 1990, so our take on this classic sandwich is sure to satisfy cravings and keep people coming back for more. Stay tuned.”