Chili’s launches bigger chicken sandwiches, takes aim at McDonald’s value

At a one-day pop-up in Manhattan, Chili’s turned a chicken sandwich into a courtroom fight, setting up a Big Crispy “food court” next to a McDonald’s and inviting diners to hand down a verdict on camera with Court TV. The stunt was more than a joke. It was a direct challenge to the fast-food chain’s value lane, and a signal that Chili’s wants the sandwich wars to work in its favor on the floor, in the kitchen, and at the check average.

Chili’s Grill & Bar rolled out six Big Crispy chicken sandwich variations on April 14 and added the original Big Crispy and a new Spicy Big Crispy to its $10.99 3 For Me deal nationwide. That bundle already includes an entrée, fries, bottomless chips and salsa, and an unlimited fountain drink, so the new sandwiches slot into a deal built to keep guests thinking in terms of full meals, not just menu-item prices. Chili’s says the chicken breast is hand-battered and, in a Dallas-market study, measured 80% to 82% larger than McDonald’s McCrispy breaded filet.

For restaurant crews, that kind of size arms race cuts both ways. Bigger sandwiches are easy to market, but six variations mean more build training, more chances for mistakes on the line, and more pressure on cooks and managers to keep ticket times from slipping. Servers and hosts also have a new selling story to learn: Chili’s wants them to steer guests toward a value meal that looks like fast food from the outside but behaves more like a casual-dining check once chips, fries, and a drink are on the table.

The chain has been working this angle for years. It introduced 3 For Me in June 2022 at $10.99 and has used it as a core part of its traffic strategy. Chief Marketing Officer George Felix said the new chicken sandwiches continue Chili’s campaign against fast-food “shrinkflation,” while CEO Kevin Hochman said the platform was tested in 200 locations before the national launch and was inspired by the Popeyes chicken sandwich craze that reshaped the category.

McDonald’s has been defending its own value ground. On April 2, it said its expanded McValue menu would begin April 21 with more under-$3 items and a $4 breakfast meal deal, while its U.S. menu still features the McCrispy, McCrispy Deluxe, and Spicy McCrispy. Chili’s and McDonald’s did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The fight is no longer just about chicken. It is about which chain can promise more food, keep the kitchen moving, and convince guests that value still exists without feeling stripped down.