While I’m not involved in fast food marketing or statistics, my eyes can’t deceive me — Chick-Fil-A is popular. So popular, in fact, that drive-thru lines are typically insane and hard to navigate. But it’s worth it, especially when you get that chicken sandwich in your hands. The company is closed every Sunday but still makes a huge profit. Surely other fast food companies, like McDonald’s, want to emulate that same success.
And, they’re on the right path.
At least, locations in Canada are. If you’re located in the Great White North, you’ll be able to try out not just one, but three spicy chicken sandwiches. Their release dates have staggered a bit, giving people a bit more incentive to try all three. (Even though eating all three in one day would get no judgment from me. We’ve all been there at least once.)
According to Delish, the first chicken sandwich, the Spicy Jalapeño McChicken, made its big debut at the end of January.
They claim it’s a bit like a normal McChicken, with the addition of a creamy Jalapeño sauce.
So, if you’re a fan of chicken with a kick, it’d probably make for a pretty satisfying lunch.
In other locations, a Jalapeño McChicken is something completely different. It actually contains real jalapeños.
The Canadian version seems to be slightly milder, but still delicious. But, some complained that the new sandwich wasn’t as spicy as advertised.
That’s where the two other burgers come in. This is just step one.
Phase two was the Habanero McChicken, which was released on February 12th. Just in time to spice up your Valentine’s Day.
Most fans seemed to be pretty happy with the burger. It seemed to be a step up for sure.
Just had the Habanero Mcchicken from McDonald’s and it’s hot. 🔥 damn, my mouth burns
— Gill (@supernintengill) February 20, 2019
However, McDonald’s may have severely underestimated how much their fan base likes spice.
Millennials, especially. It seems like every one of us has a favorite hot sauce that goes into everything from chili to scrambled eggs.
McDonald's seriously oversells how spicy their new McChicken's are. Tried both the Jalapeno and Habanero, and they were barely a kick. I want some damn spice, yo! Then again all fast food places that call their food spicy is almost always a damn lie.
— Space Ram 2 (@AlterGenesisOP) February 21, 2019
Others couldn’t taste the heat at all. So either we’ve all burned our tastebuds, or someone wasn’t being very liberal with the sauce.
But, one thing did happen. It got people psyched for the Ghost Pepper McChicken, which came out on February 26th.
Just ate the habanero mcchicken and it wasn’t even spicy, I’m so sad ): guess I gotta wait for the ghost pepper
— kath🎋 (@kathyxla) February 23, 2019
Fans of spicy food might want to brace themselves. This one looks pretty intense.
Canadians tested to see if they were up to the challenge. As Twitter has shown so far, it’s definitely the most extreme out of the three.
Update: We were NOT up for the challenge. 🥛 pic.twitter.com/MlC1B0H8nh
— RedFlagDeals.com (@RedFlagDeals) February 26, 2019
It even seemed to cause medical problems for a few. But in the world of spicy food, that’s weirdly a good thing.
My son just had the Ghost Pepper McChicken from @McDonaldsCanada ... he literally can't breathe #ItsThatGood
— james b 🇨🇦 (@the5bergens) February 26, 2019
Still, some fans set their expectations too high.
And for those people, you have to remember — McDonald’s was once involved in a lawsuit for making a cup of coffee too hot.
So, even though it’s probably more intense than anything else they’ve served before, it still may not be the hottest chicken around.
But it may be a great thing to try if you’re somewhat new to — and curious about — the world of ghost peppers.
Despite some fans giving them a thumbs down, they’ve created enough buzz to get other countries interested. Like, in unsurprising news, the United States.
@McDonalds I live in the states and I also like spicy and I also like McChickens... So where's my ghost pepper mcchicken?
— Neel (@NeelBirsen) February 26, 2019
These sandwiches would probably do great in the States, so McDonald’s should consider it.
And, not just in their location that offers international favorites…
I’m talking about nationwide.
please support ghost pepper mcchicken
— Wickedpedia (@wickedpedia) February 26, 2019
As for the Canadian locations, it seems like these sandwiches will only be able for a limited time.
So, if you want to taste them for yourself, you might want to hurry — and if you feel the need to ask for extra sauce, go for it.
