Chick-fil-A Is Launching a Brand New Type of Restaurant
Chicken may be in short supply all over the country, but that won't stop Chick-fil-A from launching a brand new virtual restaurant later this year that focuses on . . . even more chicken items!
According to Nation's Restaurant News, the chain will introduce a delivery-only brand called Little Blue Menu in Nashville before the end of the year, while Atlanta will get access to the pilot program in 2022. Little Blue, which was named after the original menu at the very first Chick-fil-A location, will be serving classic Chick-fil-A items like the famous chicken sandwich, as well as items in new categories: chicken wings, roasted chicken, and salads.
The company filed a trademark application for the name Outfox Wings on May 4, Business Insider reported. A spokesperson confirmed this will be the name for their new wing brand available from the Little Blue Menu, but there are currently no plans for wings to be served at existing Chick-fil-A locations.
It's still unclear whether the chain will use its existing kitchens or outsource the food preparation to a ghost kitchen.
Virtual restaurants have skyrocketed in popularity during the pandemic. Over the course of the last year, several big-name brands added delivery-only chicken wing menus under different names.
Chili's parent company launched Just Wings last year, a virtual concept offering delivery-only wings from more than 1,000 Chili's and Maggiano's kitchens. The wings, which are only available via DoorDash, are poised to grow into a $150-million-a-year business.
Similarly, Applebee's launched Neighborhood Wings by Applebee's on GrubHub, and fast-casual BBQ chain Smokey Bones opened The Wing Experience virtual concept at all of its 60+ locations.
Even chains that consider wings a little off-brand have taken the leap. Fazoli's, which is better known for pasta, is jumping on the wings wagon with Wingville, a newly rebranded virtual wing concept they've added to 60 of their locations.
It'll be interesting to see how Chick-fil-A's wings compare to the rest of the competition, and the brand will hopefully be over their sauce shortage by then. For more, check out Chick-fil-A's Latest Menu Discontinuation Is Frustrating Customers, and don't forget to sign up for our newsletter to get the latest restaurant news delivered straight to your inbox.
