Dive Brief:
- Wingstop is launching Bar Tender, a sauce and chicken tender-focused pop-up bar in New York City, to promote 12 sauce flavors for its chicken tenders, the chain announced on Monday.
- Priority access to the pop-up concept will be available April 10 and 11, according to the press release.
- Chicken tenders are having a moment in the QSR industry, with KFC launching a similar sauce-and-tenders location late last year and McDonald’s pledging to bring the menu item back as a traffic-driving measure later this year.
Dive Insight:
Wingstop added crispy chicken tenders to its menu earlier this year, according to a press release, with the idea that they would serve specifically as a vehicle for sauce. The fast casual chain is serving the same 12 sauce flavors throughout its system, and Wingstop is linking the pop-up with its core menu.
Consumers can replicate the Bar Tender experience at home by ordering a 15-piece crispy tenders on Wingstop.com, according to the press release.
Using a pop-up concept to promote a menu item is far from a new strategy — McDonald’s tried it with the Chicken Big Mac last year. But a New York City pop-up takes advantage of the size and prominence of that city’s dining scene.
Wingstop’s marketing and menu innovation helped push the brand to dramatic growth in 2024, when comparable sales increased 36.8%, according to the press release. That growth made it a standout even in the strong-performing fast casual and chicken segments.
