KFC Doubles Down on Double Down

Remember KFC’s Double Down sandwich, the bacon and cheese between two pieces of fried chicken concoction introduced to the delight of comedians and horror of the medical establishment?  Well, it has been a smashing success.

KFC Double Down Sandwich KFC's Double Down 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. KFC says Americans are gobbling down so many Double Down sandwiches that the fast-food chain will offer the bunless, meaty sandwich longer than it had planned. Originally the sandwich — bacon and cheese surrounded by chicken filets — was to have been available through Sunday. But KFC said Wednesday that the sandwich will be available now for as long as customer demand remains high.

The Double Down came onto the market on April 12 and was supposed to have lasted about six weeks. But it tapped into Americans’ fascination with quirky food and became a viral-marketing sensation. People posted videos of themselves eating the sandwich on sites like YouTube, and celebrities like Stephen Colbert gobbled it up.

KFC said it has been one of its most successful sandwich launches ever. Later this month, KFC expects to sell its 10 millionth Double Down. They cost about $5.

Some have questioned the sandwiches’ nutritional value. The original version has 540 calories and 32 grams of fat, and 1,380 milligrams of salt. A grilled version cuts calories to 460 and fat to 23 grams, but sodium rises to 1,430 milligrams. By comparison, the Big Mac from McDonald’s has 540 calories, 29 grams of fat and 1,040 milligrams of sodium.

Among the many things that amuse me about this is that KFC years ago decided to rebrand itself by its initialism because the middle name of its original moniker, Kentucky Fried Chicken, was considered offputting in a health conscious society.  Apparently, that was a short-lived trend.

FILED UNDER: Economics and Business, Health, , ,
James Joyner
About James Joyner
James Joyner is Professor and Department Head of Security Studies at Marine Corps University's Command and Staff College. He's a former Army officer and Desert Storm veteran. Views expressed here are his own. Follow James on Twitter @DrJJoyner.

Comments

  1. Maybe it’s just a resurgence of Atkin’s dieters.

  2. john personna says:

    They are probably pulling in a lot of novelty buyers. I want one. But only one.

  3. G.A.Phillips says:

    How come they don’t serve wieners?

    http://www.weinerfacts.com/weiner/

  4. Triumph says:

    Well, it has been a smashing success.

    Curious, has anyone tried it? I don’t care about the health mumbo-jumbo. My objection is that it really sounds extraordinarily disgusting.

  5. yetanotherjohn says:

    To me this is a little like free speech. I don’t want this for myself, but I will defend the rights of others to make the choice if they want it for themselves.

    Of course Obama would probably consider this treason since eating one of these would potentially harm your health, which in turn could cost medical expenses, which with health care is a direct attack against the US, so reluctantly he would see yet another place he must make the choice for those Americans who aren’t smart enough to agree with him.

  6. Dave Schuler says:

    As H. L. Mencken is quoted as saying, no one ever went broke underestimating the taste of the American public.

  7. Curious, has anyone tried it? I don’t care about the health mumbo-jumbo. My objection is that it really sounds extraordinarily disgusting.

    That’s been the verdict from a few people I know who have tried it. Pretty salty too, apparently

  8. anjin-san says:

    “Nothing will benefit human health and increase the chances for survival of life on earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet.” —Albert Einstein

    “The human spirit is not dead. It lives on in secret. . . It has come to believe that compassion, in which all ethics must take root, can only attain its full breadth and depth if it embraces all living creatures and does not limit itself to mankind.” —Albert Schweitzer

    http://www.themeatrix.com/

  9. JKB says:

    I tried one. It was a bit messy. Taste was good but basically what you’d expect. I was struck by how filling it was. Probably could be improved by a couple slices of tomato.

    Best part it drives the food nazis crazy. We need more food like it.

  10. tom p says:

    Thr free market… it’s a beach.

    Of course Obama would probably consider this treason since eating one of these would potentially harm your health, which in turn could cost medical expenses, which with health care is a direct attack against the US, so reluctantly he would see yet another place he must make the choice for those Americans who aren’t smart enough to agree with him.

    Just out of curiousity yaj, what is your position on tobacco taxes?

  11. tom p says:

    Anybody else remember the Taco Bell “bunless hamburger” commercial? Funny as hell.

  12. G.A.Phillips says:

    “Nothing will benefit human health and increase the chances for survival of life on earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet.” —Albert Einstein

    Um, im pretty sure they started out with this in the beginning, Like in the Garden of Eden.

    “The human spirit is not dead. It lives on in secret. . . It has come to believe that compassion, in which all ethics must take root, can only attain its full breadth and depth if it embraces all living creatures and does not limit itself to mankind.” —Albert Schweitzer

    Druid poetry?

  13. Trumwill says:

    Among the many things that amuse me about this is that KFC years ago decided to rebrand itself by its initialism because the middle name of its original moniker, Kentucky Fried Chicken, was considered offputting in a health conscious society.

    Actually, I remember that though they gave “fried” as the reason for it, the real issue was with the word Kentucky. The State of Kentucky wanted licensing money.