• by Teresa Buyikian , October 15, 2024

Move on over, chicken sandwich wars—it’s tender time.

KFC has upped its chicken game by launching its “new” Original Recipe and accompanying Original Recipe Tenders, and subsequently challenging the other chicken chains with a new ad campaign, warning “competitors better suit up.”

The Kentucky chicken chain argues in the announcement that its “new Original Recipe Tenders are not like other chicken tenders,” as they are double hand-breaded with KFC’s secret blend of 11 herbs and spices.

The :60 and :30 ads, seen here, from agency Highdive, are running on national network TV, as well as online and on social platforms.

The ads are set in a quasi-medieval-esque battleground with KFC buckets serving as drums and sporks as ammo strewn across “warriors” (KFC employees). The leader addresses the troops, noting “You have fought heroically in the chicken sandwich wars,” while hilarious scenes show other fallen chicken QSR employees lying across a past battleground, wounded by the aforementioned sporks and drink straws. He declares that the Chicken Sandwich Wars are over and announces that the Tender Battle has begun.

In addition to the TV effort, KFC is taking the battle to the streets (and the doorsteps of its competitors) with pop-ups giving out free tenders on Oct. 17 in the “carefully selected cities of (wink, wink) Baton Rouge, New Orleans and Atlanta.” (Of course, Popeyes is based in New Orleans, Chick-fil-A, Atlanta and Raising Cane's, Baton Rouge.)

To commemorate the Tender launch, the chain has a new $5 Original Recipe Tenders Box meal deal, with three Original Recipe Tenders, Secret Recipe Fries and two of KFC’s signature sauces. KFC has also added Cherry Pie Poppers, which are pastry crust filled with cherry pie filling, to the dessert menu.

Groups can get in on the Tender deals with a Tenders + Nuggets Family Meal Deal for $24.99, which is available exclusively on KFC.com and on the KFC app. Beginning Oct. 19, KFC begins its 13 Days of Daily Deals  for Halloween through Thursday, Oct. 31, where KFC Rewards members receive exclusive discounts.