Burger King to launch new chicken nuggets as part of menu reinvention

Burger King is shifting its focus from burgers to chicken as it continues a multiyear effort to reinvent its menu and improve sales.

Beginning September 1, Burger King will introduce new chicken nuggets at U.S. restaurants. The company says the updated nuggets are made with all-white meat, crispier breading and an improved marinade.

The changes come after Burger King received thousands of complaints that its current nuggets were "rubbery," "dry" and "disappointing."

The new nuggets will be offered with revamped sauces, including sweet and sour, honey mustard and buffalo. Suggested prices range from $1.99 for four pieces to $7.49 for 20 pieces.

The chicken push follows Burger King's recent efforts to improve its signature Whopper. The chain recently reported an 8.5% increase in U.S. same-store sales for the latest quarter, outperforming McDonald's by the largest margin in more than a decade.

The sales growth also helped Burger King move past Wendy's to become the second-largest U.S. burger chain, according to the report.

Chicken has become an increasingly important part of the fast-food industry as beef prices have risen and more consumers look for alternatives to red meat. Restaurants including Taco Bell, McDonald's and KFC have also expanded their chicken offerings.

Burger King's entry into the chicken nugget competition comes later than some of its rivals, but analysts say the timing may not be a major disadvantage.

R.J. Hottovy, head of analytical research at Placer.ai, said new flavors, sauces and formats continue to provide opportunities for menu innovation. He also said the nuggets could help Burger King maintain its sales momentum and strengthen its value offerings because chicken is generally less expensive than beef.

The new nuggets could also help Burger King attract more families. The chain has previously highlighted the popularity of kids' meals, including a recent promotion tied to a new "Star Wars" movie.

Robert Byrne, senior director of consumer research at Technomic, said improving the nuggets could make sense for Burger King because nuggets are particularly popular with children and no major burger chain has completely dominated the category.

Nuggets can also be added to existing orders, potentially increasing the amount customers spend. Technomic data shows about 30% of customers at McDonald's and Chick-fil-A added nuggets to their orders, compared with roughly half that rate at Burger King.