KFC Double Down: New Sandwich Replaces Bun With Chicken [VIDEO]

Watch this story: KFC’s New Sandwich Replaces Bun With Chicken

First came boneless wings. Now KFC wants you to chow down on a sandwich that uses (what else?) chicken for the bun.

The KFC Double Down, which launches Monday, is essentially a sandwich with two chicken filets taking the place of bread slices. In between are two pieces of bacon, melted slices of Monterey Jack and Pepper Jack cheese and a zesty sauce.

How much will it cost? About $5 and 540 calories (460 for the grilled version), putting it on caloric par with fast-food standards like the McDonald’s Big Mac or a large order of french fries at Burger King.

But calories aren’t everything. Nutritionists caution that consumers also should pay attention to the sandwich’s salt and fat.

The Double Down has 1,380 milligrams of sodium (1,430 milligrams grilled). That’s close to the American Heart Association’s recommendation that adults eat less than 1,500 milligrams of sodium per day.

“This is not a healthy choice,” said Walter Willett, chairman of the nutrition department at the Harvard School of Public Health.

While Willett said eliminating the white bread is a good thing to do, “what really sets this product apart is the incredible amount of sodium in one sandwich.”

Elisa Zied, a registered dietitian and spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association, said the 32 grams of fat is about half the total fat most Americans should be getting in an entire day. She also was concerned about the saturated fat content.

KFC’s timing with the Double Down — which will be available through mid-May — may seem odd when many fast-food restaurants are promoting healthier menu items to please an increasingly health conscious public.

KFC’s parent company, Yum Brands Inc., has committed to placing calorie counts on menu boards at corporate-owned restaurants nationwide by Jan. 1, 2011. A recently passed federal law eventually will require all chain restaurants to do so.

 But the company said the chicken-as-bun concept tested so well in selected markets last year they decided to introduce it nationwide for a limited time. KFC spokesman Rick Maynard noted that “more indulgent” sandwiches like the Double Down share menu space with lower-calorie options.

“That’s one of the things that make our restaurants popular,” he said. “We have something for everyone.” First came boneless wings. Now KFC wants you to chow down on a sandwich that uses (what else?) chicken for the bun.

The KFC Double Down, which launches Monday, is essentially a sandwich with two chicken filets taking the place of bread slices. In between are two pieces of bacon, melted slices of Monterey Jack and Pepper Jack cheese and a zesty sauce.

How much will it cost? About $5 and 540 calories (460 for the grilled version), putting it on caloric par with fast-food standards like the McDonald’s Big Mac or a large order of french fries at Burger King.

But calories aren’t everything. Nutritionists caution that consumers also should pay attention to the sandwich’s salt and fat.

The Double Down has 1,380 milligrams of sodium (1,430 milligrams grilled). That’s close to the American Heart Association’s recommendation that adults eat less than 1,500 milligrams of sodium per day.

“This is not a healthy choice,” said Walter Willett, chairman of the nutrition department at the Harvard School of Public Health.

While Willett said eliminating the white bread is a good thing to do, “what really sets this product apart is the incredible amount of sodium in one sandwich.”

Elisa Zied, a registered dietitian and spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association, said the 32 grams of fat is about half the total fat most Americans should be getting in an entire day. She also was concerned about the saturated fat content.

KFC’s timing with the Double Down — which will be available through mid-May — may seem odd when many fast-food restaurants are promoting healthier menu items to please an increasingly health conscious public.

KFC’s parent company, Yum Brands Inc., has committed to placing calorie counts on menu boards at corporate-owned restaurants nationwide by Jan. 1, 2011. A recently passed federal law eventually will require all chain restaurants to do so.

But the company said the chicken-as-bun concept tested so well in selected markets last year they decided to introduce it nationwide for a limited time. KFC spokesman Rick Maynard noted that “more indulgent” sandwiches like the Double Down share menu space with lower-calorie options.

“That’s one of the things that make our restaurants popular,” he said. “We have something for everyone.”

KFC wants to fill potholes in your city

KFC wants to fill potholes in your city. 
 
But there is a catch: instead of streets full of tire chewing craters, your streets will be filled with KFC logos, at least temporarily.
 
To promote its freshly prepared fried chicken, KFC is sponsoring “freshly filled up” potholes in up to five major cities in the United States.
 
KFC has sent offers to mayors nationwide asking them to describe the bad shape their city’s streets are in. Four of those cities will be chosen and KFC will pay for materials and labor to have potholes filled in those cities. KFC already began filling potholes this week in its hometown of Louisville, Kentucky.
 
A spokesman for KFC would not say how much it will cost to fill the potholes. But the offer comes as cash-strapped cities are looking for ways to save costs.
 
“Budgets are tight for cities across the country, and finding funding for needed road repairs is a continuing challenge,”  Louisville Mayor Jerry Abramson said in a news release.
 
Some of the filled potholes will also be stenciled with a logo that says they were “re-freshed by KFC.” The spokesman said the stenciling will be done with nonpermanent spray chalk, so they will eventually go away.

Read more: Pothole filling that’s finger-lickin’ good