Long John Silver’s has entered the fried-chicken business. The fast-food seafood chain has launched new Crispy Battered Wings, fried chicken wings battered in its signature batter, at a suggested price of three for $1.99. The wings come with a choice of dipping sauces, including Ranch with Old Bay, Ranch, Baja Sauce, and Sweet Chili. They are a limited-time menu item available now at participating locations chain-wide.
The launch arrives as the fall football season gets underway, and the company has bundled the wings into a new Game Day Platter. That platter includes six wings, six battered shrimp, fried pickles, two sides, and two hushpuppies. It is a full meal, but it is also a statement: a seafood chain is now selling fried chicken.
The Cheesecake Factory Pumpkin Cheesecake is also a seasonal dessert for the fall. It is sold at Long John Silver’s locations as a seasonal item.
The Wings at a Glance
The Crispy Battered Wings are fried chicken wings battered in the chain’s signature batter. The suggested price of three for $1.99 is the cost for the wings.
The dipping sauces are the real draw. The standard Ranch is joined by Ranch with Old Bay, Baja Sauce, and Sweet Chili. The Ranch with Old Bay is the odd one out: a chicken wing dipping sauce that includes a seafood seasoning. It is a strange combination, and it is the kind of strange combination that makes people do a double take.
The Ranch with Old Bay Sauce
The Ranch with Old Bay is the strangest part of the menu. Old Bay is a seafood seasoning. Putting it in a Ranch sauce for chicken wings is a deliberate choice.
The chain is not hiding the combination. It is putting it on the menu as a primary option. That is a bold move for a seafood chain.
The Game Day Platter
The Game Day Platter is a larger offering. It includes six wings, six battered shrimp, fried pickles, two sides, and two hushpuppies. That is a lot of food.
The platter is designed for sharing. The wings, shrimp, pickles, sides, and hushpuppies all come together in one meal. It is a full plate of fried food, which is exactly what a football-watching crowd wants.
The Photo and the Brand
The photo accompanying the announcement comes via Long John Silver’s. The photo is a standard promotional shot, the kind of image a fast-food chain uses to show what the product looks like.
The photo does not tell us anything about how the wings taste. It tells us what they look like and what they are called. It is a visual confirmation of the product.
The photo is also a reminder that this is a limited-time item. The photo will be dated, and it will be replaced when the wings are gone.
The Cheesecake Factory Connection
The Cheesecake Factory Pumpkin Cheesecake is a seasonal dessert. It is sold at Long John Silver’s locations as a seasonal item.
The cheesecake is a pumpkin cheesecake, which is a fall staple. It is the kind of dessert that people want when the weather turns colder.
The cheesecake is a separate item from the wings. It is not included in the Game Day Platter. It is a dessert, and it is a seasonal dessert.
The Football Season Timing
The launch is timed to the fall football season. The Game Day Platter is designed for football-watching crowds. Six wings, six shrimp, fried pickles, two sides, and two hushpuppies is a lot of food for a game.
The timing is smart. Football season is a long stretch, and the platter gives the chain something to offer for the duration.
The Limited-Time Factor
The Crispy Battered Wings are a limited-time menu item. That means they will not be on the menu forever. Customers who want to try them should act soon.
The Game Day Platter is also a limited-time item. It is available now at participating locations chain-wide.
The limited-time offer is a standard move for fast-food chains. It creates urgency for customers. It also limits the investment for the chain.
Our Take on the Launch
This launch is a bold move for Long John Silver’s. The company is known for seafood, not for fried chicken. But the wings are a real product, and they are being sold as a limited-time menu item.
The Old Bay Ranch sauce is the strangest part of the menu. It is a seafood seasoning in a chicken wing sauce. It is the kind of combination that people will talk about.
The chain is betting that customers will try something new. The price is low enough to be a no-risk purchase. The promotion is timed to football season, which is a busy time for fast-food chains.
| Item | Price | Availability |
|---|---|---|
| Crispy Battered Wings (3 pieces) | $1.99 | Limited-time, chain-wide |
| Game Day Platter | Not stated | Limited-time, chain-wide |
| Cheesecake Factory Pumpkin Cheesecake | Not stated | Seasonal, chain-wide |
The launch is a gamble. A seafood chain selling fried chicken is a strange thing. But it is a limited-time offer, and the price is low enough to be worth trying. The Old Bay Ranch sauce is the strangest part of the menu, and it is the kind of combination that people will talk about.
Source material: “Long John Silver's Launches New Crispy Battered Wings,” Brand Eating.
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