The Fast Food Fave That Started As A Limited-Time Offer In The '90s And Stuck

Fast food chicken sandwiches are commonplace these days. Some are more well-known and tastier than others (Chick-fil-A, Popeyes), while others are pretty bland and boring (McDonald's, Sonic). Take a look at our rankings of fast food chicken sandwiches to see which ones stand out more than others. While the chicken sandwich has been on fast food menus for quite a while, a relative newcomer to menus gives this classic sandwich a twist. That's the spicy chicken sandwich.

While you might think spots like Chick-fil-A, Popeyes, and KFC might have originated this fast food favorite, that's actually not true. The spicy chicken sandwich craze started in 2019, but one chain was way ahead of its time in creating this menu staple. And that chain would be Wendy's.

In 1995, Wendy's became the first major fast food chain to offer a spicy chicken sandwich — and it was an instant hit. Customers loved the sandwich so much that Wendy's transitioned it to the permanent menu in September 1996. So, long before the Nashville hot chicken craze and the fast food chicken sandwich wars, Wendy's saw an opportunity to tweak a standard menu item — and the rest, as they say, is history. The sandwich is now the chain's top-selling chicken sandwich.

Wendy's spicy chicken sandwich isn't overly complicated. Made with chicken breast, it comes with lettuce, tomato, and mayonnaise. That's it. But it's the fiery seasoning that is supposed to make the sandwich shine. Wendy's says the seasoning includes a blend of eight spices and peppers that includes black pepper, chili pepper, and mustard seed.

While Wendy's might have the OG spicy chicken sandwich, being the first doesn't always mean being the best. And, for the most part, reviews on the current iteration of this classic seem to indicate that the sandwich isn't what it once was. Business Insider liked the spice level, but thought the chicken itself was dry — and the accoutrements were just sad. The sandwich they received had limp lettuce, a sad tomato, and an overwhelming amount of mayo. Ultimately, they concluded the review by saying, "Wendy's may be a first mover in the spicy-chicken-sandwich category, but it hasn't kept up with the times. And it shows. This was a fuddy-duddy of a chicken sandwich dressed to look hip and cool. It isn't."

As we always say, results may vary by location. One spot might be on point with its spicy chicken sandwiches, while another might have serious quality issues. That's not uncommon for a fast food chain like Wendy's that has nearly 6,000 locations in the U.S. While even if it's true that Wendy's spicy chicken sandwich quality has dipped over the years, we can still appreciate the chain's ingenuity in bringing this now fast food staple to menus way back in the 1990s.