After the steak, the focus was on the roll. Fifteen to 20 varieties of rolls were considered. More sandwiches were made and tested. “There were tons of rolls,” said Link.
Finally, McDonald’s decided, for the first time, to use a potato roll for one of its sandwiches. The bread is roasted with a creamy butter, dispensed through new heaters that are being installed in restaurants.
“It’s sweet and buttery, a very good addition to chicken salty,” said Linda VanGosen, head of US menu strategy at McDonald’s.
Last but not least, the two pickles came. “I learned a lot about pickles,” Link said with a laugh, explaining that the crushed pickles McDonald’s uses means more crisp and more pickle flavor on the sandwich.
Instead of the cardboard boxes McDonald’s uses for most of its sandwiches, the original crispy chicken sandwich and the spicy version will be served in an aluminum sachet.
By the end of 2019, the new chicken sandwich was being tested in restaurants in Houston and Knoxville, Tenn. After successful tests, plans were made to launch the sandwiches last summer. But those plans were put aside when the coronavirus pandemic spread across the country and franchise owners were focused on keeping doors open and employees safe.
“Our attention needed to be on serving our customers,” said VanGosen. “It just wasn’t the right time to launch.”
Mr. Link said it would be worth waiting for the sandwich.
“I am very passionate about chicken. As I am from the South, I eat a lot of chicken ”, he said. “I wanted a sandwich that, when I ate that sandwich, I wanted to take another bite.”