FOOD NEWS
Why Dark Meat Isn't Used For Restaurant Chicken Sandwiches
By John Segura
In the United States, white meat tends to be the preferred part of chicken, and fast-food restaurants have been trying to meet that demand, especially with chicken sandwiches.
White meat is preferred in chicken sandwiches due to past public health concerns and the history of the poultry industry in America.
The current poultry industry was established in the 1920s using broilers. This mode of production was pushed heavily in the 1950s and 1960s.
Due to the popularity of white meat, the industry promoted these birds heavily, and producers used broilers for their lower cost, perceived value, and higher breast yield.
Some rising demand for white meat stemmed from health concerns, especially over red meat and heart disease, which gained greater traction in the '70s.
Although dark meat offers many nutritional benefits, shoppers never stopped listening to the warnings, and chicken breast sandwiches still reign supreme.
The chicken industry has tried to push for a dark meat trend, but since the best chicken sandwiches in America typically use breast meat, it has had little success.