Popeyes, Chick-fil-A and Wendy's are duking it out online (and in the real world) trying to prove which fast-food chain has the best fried chicken sandwich.
Now, a new food fight may be brewing around a different classic comfort dish.
Earlier this month, Chick-fil-A added mac and cheese to its permanent menu. KFC swiftly followed, launching its new Mac & Cheese Bowls. Now, Boston Market is entering the ring by offering mac-and-cheese lovers the dream of a lifetime — a 2,000-pound supply of the ooey, gooey dish.
Unlike KFC and Chick-fil-A, Boston Market is more of a fast-casual restaurant than a fast food place. Plus, it's had mac and cheese on the menu for a long time so the marketing team knew they had to do something larger than life to ruffle a few feathers.
To score a literal ton of mac and cheese, customers first need to sign up for Boston Market’s new Rotisserie Rewards program, which is available via the Boston Market mobile app for iOS and Android or online at BostonMarket.com. The more you spend at Boston Market, the more points you'll get, plus there are ways to get bonus perks along the way.
The very first person to hit 10,000 points will take home the giant mac and cheese giveaway, but there are smaller treats available for fewer points, such as a free small side or a dessert for 30 points.
The big prize winner will get one ton (that’s 2,000 pounds!) of any Boston Market side, which could be mac and cheese or, for those who may be lactose intolerant, mashed potatoes or sweet potatoes. The grand prize will be distributed as a single serving once a day until the winner is served a ton of food, or as a giant bowl of the side all at once so you can ... swim in it?
So is a big battle over mac and cheese actually imminent?
“Look, there’s no beef between us or any of our competitors. Just rotisserie chicken," Frances Allen, Boston Market's CEO, said to TODAY via email. "We know our mac and cheese will always devour the competition, which is why we’re throwing it down, rotini style at Boston Market — and all in good fun, of course. In the ‘mac and cheese wars,’ ours will always stand alone and victorious, and to celebrate that victory, we want to reward one lucky fan and new Rotisserie Rewards member in a pretty massive way.”
Unfortunately for lovers of comfort food, it may take quite a while to reach that 10,000-point goal. Customers earn one point for every $1 spent so, special promotions aside, you basically have to spend $10,000 at Boston Market to get the big prize.
Oh well, at least it's good set goals in life.