A few months ago I was very excited to find that a new Chick-fil-A was opening close to my house. Before that, the closest one was a good hour drive away in a part of Kansas City that I rarely visited. I remember when that store first opened, and several my friends told me how they waited in line for hours just to be one of the first to get a sandwich. At that time I had never been to one of the restaurants, and didn't understand all of the hype. It seemed to me that they were crazy fans - sort of like those Star Wars fans who used to camp out overnight in line just to see the movie. While I am still not a super fan, and I won't be standing in line anytime soon, I am in awe of their brand presence and the fact that they can inspire that kind of following.

Shortly after I found out that the new store was opening, I got a package I had ordered from Amazon with coupons to try the new Southern Fried Chicken Sandwich from McDonald's. Then the billboards went up, and then the commercials came out, and then I started paying attention to what was going on. I marveled at the fact McDonald's was blatantly ripping off the signature Chick-fil-A sandwich. Their new sandwiches completely matched the Chick-fil-A origninal, right down to the two pickles included on each one. I even found this blog where a New York City resident compared the two sandwiches side by side and in blind taste tests.

This brings up the question, does it really make sense for one company to copy the successful practices or products of another company?

This New York Times article directly addresses this question. In it, the author cites the example of the value menu. After Taco Bell launched their value menu, the other quick serve restaurants followed suit, thereby increasing sales accross the board.

But, is copying a business practice the same as copying a signature product?

I would argue no.

McDonalds' entry into the market seems more like an act of desparation than a smart business move. The company has been fighting a bad rap in the past several years with Fast Food Nation and Super Size Me garnering so much attention. In response, the company revamped their entire menu to include healthier options for their patrons and as recently as last year were hanging their hat on that decision. They even had a "Jared" come out of the woodwork citing an 86 lb weight loss after eating only McDonald's food from their new menu. So, why are they suddenly moving away from their new focus of healthier eating into a fried chicken sandwich that boasts 17 grams of fat? Or better yet, do they really think that taking blind stabs in the dark will win them over the same following that Chick-fil-A has been so successful in building?

Erika has a BA and a BS in business administration with a focus in Marketing from Truman State University in Kirksville, Mo. She also holds an MBA from Rockhurst University in Kansas City, Mo. Before joining BIGSHOT, she gained her marketing experience through positions at other advertising agencies and in the non-profit sector. Learn more about Erika.

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