It was in August when Popeyes put its chicken sandwich in select restaurants, kicking off the “sandwich wars” against competitor Chick-fil-A.
Shortly after, Popeyes announced the launch of its chicken sandwich had been so successful that they ran out. The company also stated it would eventually be making its return — but they didn’t say when.
And then it happened. The signal consumers had been waiting for. On Sunday, Popeyes tweeted: “Y’all...It’s Sunday. 🏃🏃” with a GIF of its chicken sandwich attached.
The choice to release its $3.99 sandwich on a Sunday came with strategy. It happens to be the day Chick-fil-A is closed.
Consumers described a fear of missing out on the sandwich this time around. They said they felt an urgency to get to a Popeyes as soon as they possibly could, since they were aware the sandwich had previously been scarce.
For these diners, this order comes with a certain status. They’re able to tell their friends they were able to experience said rarity, and how they felt about it.
Long lines in stores continued in the days to follow. Because of this, consumers talked even more about the sandwich. Word of mouth in real life and on the internet created a sense of excitement around Popeyes.
To learn more about the psychology behind this hype, and how restaurants can leverage it, grab a copy of our on-demand webinar, "How Restaurants Can Cut Through the Noise with Scarcity Marketing."
