Chick-fil-A to add spicy fried chicken sandwich

Its core chicken sandwich, invented by founder Truett Cathy, has helped gain Chick-fil-A a loyal following of customers and attracted copy-cats in the industry. McDonald’s, the world’s largest fast-food chain, launched last year a Southern style chicken sandwich that bears a strong resemblance to the Chick-fil-A sandwich.

Chick-fil-A, though, has been wary of adding another fried chicken sandwich to its menu even as competing fast-food outlets, such as Wendy’s and Burger King, have put spicy chicken offerings in their line-ups.

Chick-fil-A follows a philosophy of “menu permanence” in which it shies from adding and removing items from the menu for fear of disappointing customers.

In an interview earlier this year, Woody Faulk, Chick-fil-A’s vice president of brand development, said customers in test markets were responding well to the new sandwich. The chain has been testing the spicy chicken sandwich in Baltimore, Jacksonville, Fla., and California.

Chick-fil-A spokesman Don Perry declined to provide a specific timeframe for when the sandwich could arrive at stores nationwide. Those details are still being worked out, a company spokesman said.