The mac & cheese and chicken concept will be available at more than 300 locations nationwide via Deliveroo from 3 March.
It will offer a menu that includes chicken wings served with a choice of dips including Spicy Tomato & Chilli, Sweet & Smoky BBQ, and Pizzanaise, as well as buttermilk chicken tenders and a range of mac & cheese, available in a classic; mushroom; pepperoni and jalapeño; and pancetta flavours.
There will also be a selection of sides including slaw, onion rings, crispy potato bites.
Though billed as launching next month by Pizza Express, Mac & Wings, which has been created in partnership with Deliveroo, dates back to July 2020 when it was tested across 13 London-based Pizza Express restaurants as part of the high street chain’s bid to try and mitigate some of the losses caused by the Coronavirus crisis.
“The launch of Mac & Wings, our first virtual delivery brand, has been months in the making and comes at a time when consumer demand for restaurant quality food at home is higher than ever,” said Tom Hatcher, head of delivery and franchise at Pizza Express at the time.
“We’re constantly reviewing market trends and consumer insights to ensure we can stay connected with customers in new and innovative ways,”
The timing for the nationwide launch comes during a boom in the chicken, which was the best-performing fast-food category last year. The brand cites data from Meaningful Vision that shows that chicken-focused outlets are growing 6.5% year on year, with visits up 5.6%, and that chicken now accounts for 35% of fast-food menus.
“Mac & Wings is us doing chicken our way. It’s focused, flavour-first and unapologetically bold,” says Paula MacKenzie, Pizza Express CEO.
“Every part of it is built on the same uncompromising quality and taste standards our fans expect from us… just expressed through an innovative new lens.”
