Marketing

Chick-fil-A sauce shortage shows power of well-connected brands

A McKinney, Texas Chick-fil-A drive-thru window employee preps a bag for pickup. (iStock)

May 18, 2021

Chicken nuggets, chicken wings and chicken sandwiches all are crazy-hot fast food items and also all depend a lot on one thing for their popularity: sauces.

This explains why the lack of plentiful sauces at one leading chicken QSR is causing such a stir among customers and the restaurant business alike.

As you've likely heard by now, Chick-fil-A is limiting customers to one serving of sauce per order at its 2,600 U.S. stores due to a shortage of the dippable and dumpable sides like the chain's Polynesian, classic, zesty Buffalo and herb ranch sauces.

As the brand told CBS news: "We are actively working to make adjustments to solve this issue quickly and apologize to our guests for any inconvenience."

The problem follows an industrywide shortage of the all-American restaurant staple of chicken wings as well as other foodservice shortages this year, including the one-time meager supply of ketchup packs.

But at New York City branding agency, MBLM, industry watchers said in the Chick-fil-A's case, the brand's overall positive perception with QSR customers is helping it through what could easily become a sticky situation on social media and elsewhere with less amicable customers.

MBLM Partner Rita Plapler said the company's Brand Intimacy COVID Study, which analyzed brands based on emotional connections during the pandemic, determined that among fast food chains, Chick-fil-A ranked No. 1 for its emotional connections with customers in an overall industry that places sixth out of 10 business sectors studied.

Chick-fil-A also ranked No. 1 in the industry analysis when it comes to connecting with a brand's overall service and performance, as well as the chain's response to the challenges presented to restaurants by the pandemic, Plapler told QSRweb in an email.

All these good feelings about the chicken chain are helping it handle the hurdle that a short supply of sauce can present with relative ease. That's worth noting for other industry players since shortages, including those for QSR chicken dipping sauces, can be expected to spread to other chains, Plapler said.

"I think it is likely to assume other brands in the fast food industry will experience similar shortages as Chick-fil-A," Plapler told QSRweb. "Being transparent (as Chick-fil-A was) and finding new ways to reward customers may help soothe the agitation of consumers who want what they want, regardless of limitations and rationing."