Fort Lauderdale, FL - While Arby's is best known for delivering delicious roast beef, recent systemwide numbers indicate that more and more customers are visiting Arby's for great chicken, too.
During the last two years, the number of pounds of chicken consumed in the system indicate a definite increase in the popularity and sales of Arby's quality Select Chicken menu. From 1995 to 1996, the Arby's system experienced a 47 percent increase in the pounds of chicken consumed, from 15,310,000 to 22,450,000. From 1995 to 1997, the number of pounds of chicken consumed increased 74 percent, to 26,700,000.
“We can mark where the change began,” said Jeff Spotz, President of Arby's Purchasing Cooperative. “In August 1996, the system began 'The Secret's Out' marketing campaign, which was designed to heighten customer awareness of Arby's chicken offerings. We launched the campaign as Arby's having a 'secret' of high-quality chicken products that was just waiting to be revealed. It looks like it was successful. While demand for our signature roast beef sandwiches has remained consistently strong, chicken consumption has soared.”
The products that have benefited the most from this dramatic increase are Arby's chicken fillet sandwiches and Chicken Fingers. During 1997, the Arby's system consumed 10,310,000 pounds of chicken fillets versus 4,900,000 pounds during 1995 -- a 110 percent increase. Chicken Fingers also increased more than 100 percent from 1995 to 1997.
“Arby's has always strived to deliver the best in high-quality, quick-service meals, whether it is our signature roast beef sandwiches, our wide variety of potato products or our excellent chicken sandwiches,” said Roland Smith, President and CEO of Triarc Restaurant Group, franchisor of the Arby's brand. “These indicators show that we are meeting a recognized demand for a chicken menu that is diverse, well-prepared and delicious. No one else in the industry produces sandwiches of Arby's caliber and variety. Our Select Chicken menu alone features the Chicken Cordon Bleu, Chicken Bacon 'N Swiss and Chicken Roast Club. The numbers speak for themselves.”
Arby's marketing arm, AFA Service Corporation, has produced star-studded television spots as part of its Select Chicken menu marketing campaign. Some of the TV ads feature the voice of singer Barry White, who claims only he and Arby's chicken sandwiches can guarantee “true satisfaction.”
“We believe so much in the high quality of our chicken that we're saying to chicken sandwich lovers everywhere that at Arby's it's 'Love at First Bite' or your money back,” said AFA President Lloyd Fritzmeier. “Nobody in the industry has taken this bold a stance with chicken.”
So as Barry White so aptly puts it in one of Arby's newest commercials -- “Cluck, cluck, baby,” -- Arby's is not just roast beef any more.
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