KANSAS CITY, MO. — Operators are appealing to consumer interest in sweet and spicy flavors with “swicy” offerings.
Homestyle foodservice chain Cracker Barrel Old Country Store has introduced two swicy menu items: bee sting chicken tenders and the bee sting chicken sandwich. The tenders blend the company’s fried chicken tender recipe with a sweet-heat honey glaze, and the sandwich features pickles, mayo and the honey glaze on top of hand-breaded chicken and a buttermilk bun.
Massachusetts-based Dunkin’ debuted a lineup of spicy menu items created in collaboration with Mike’s Hot Honey. The company’s hot honey bacon sandwich features hot honey bacon, egg, white cheddar cheese and a brioche bun topped with Mike’s Hot Honey sauce. Also included in the line are hot honey bacon wraps and hot honey bacon.
Chick-fil-A has brought back the honey pepper pimento chicken sandwich for a limited-time. The sandwich features the brand’s chicken filet topped with pimento cheese, a honey drizzle, pickled jalapeños and a toasted bun. The company also launched a new variety of the sandwich for spice lovers using its spicy chicken filet, the spicy honey pepper pimento chicken sandwich.
“While our core products are what our guests know and love us for, we also like to keep variety and innovation top of mind,” said Allison Duncan, director of menu and packaging at Chick-fil-A. “Whether we are surprising our guests with new flavors and offerings or taking classic items and bringing them back with a twist, each menu introduction is made after listening to their needs.”