SCOTT DETROW, HOST:
This summer, two fast food chains have had something of a beef, though not over beef. One day apart, both Popeyes and McDonald's launched menu items that involve chicken surrounded by a tortilla. And Popeyes took exception to this in the form of a satirical AI-generated dis track taking aim at Ronald McDonald.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
AI-GENERATED VOICE: (As character, rapping) Breaded, then it's battered. Yeah, I know our chicken's got you shook.
(As character, rapping) You can bite our wraps, but know the recipe is different. Food be tasting funny when the clown is in the kitchen.
DETROW: Yes, you are hearing a rap about chicken wraps. This follows the renaissance of the chicken Caesar wrap earlier this year after a social media recipe went viral.
A few years ago, we talked to Jonathan Maze about the chicken sandwich wars. He is the editor-in-chief of Restaurant Business Magazine. We have asked him back to get into chicken wraps. Jonathan, good to talk to you again.
JONATHAN MAZE: Nice talking to you again.
DETROW: Let's start with this. How serious are these rap wars right now? Is this really something that every national chain is in on, or is this something that's just getting buzz online?
MAZE: There sure are a bunch of restaurant chains serving chicken wrap sandwiches right now, absolutely. And it's really one of the weirder trends that I think that I've seen.
DETROW: Why weird?
MAZE: It's just such a niche product.
DETROW: Like, was fast food always this reactive and competitive and head-to-head and trend-based, or is this a new development?
MAZE: Yes and no. I mean, it's always been competitive in the restaurant business. I think right now, the intensity and the speed that we see with these things is much more elevated. If you go to last year, there was a record number of limited-time offers at restaurant chains.
DETROW: And I assume this is something consumers want? - 'cause I see the pro and the con, and I have felt really sad when I get attached to something, and it's gone. There was a great pimento cheese sandwich...
MAZE: For sure (ph).
DETROW: ...At Chick-fil-A, and it just went away, and it's never come back.
MAZE: Really, what you're seeing today is the impact of social media on the restaurant business. That's why we're seeing so many limited-time offers. People will start clamoring for an item on social media or certain items that just gain popularity, you know, like Dubai chocolate, for instance. And now you see Dubai chocolate items all over the place - places like Shake Shack and whatnot. And this is legitimately a social media creation.
DETROW: Lastly, we talked a couple years ago about the huge boom in chicken sandwiches. Has that faded? Are those chicken sandwiches being pushed off the menu for things like this, or is there still a big market spot for them?
MAZE: Oh, no, no, no. Chicken is hot. Chicken is really, really, really hot right now. This is just really where the fast food world is going. So no, it hasn't really died down. I mean, you know, I'm waiting for the day somebody serves a chicken smoothie.
DETROW: If that happens, we'll call you back. That is editor-in-chief of Restaurant Business Magazine, Jonathan Maze. Thanks for talking chicken with us.
MAZE: No problem. Thanks for having me. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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