McDonald's is out with a new addition to its menu, the Spicy Premium Chicken Sandwich, and is giving consumers a chance to sample the product.

The new sandwich, which rolled out last month in 13,700 U.S. McDonald's restaurants, features a crispy chicken sandwich with jalapeno, cayenne pepper and other spices on a honey wheat roll with lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise.

To kick off the launch, McDonald's is rolling out a Spicy Hot Tour in 14 select cities to help promote the sandwich.

As part of the tour, street teams will hand out coupons and samples of the Spicy Chicken Sandwich and other promotional giveaways. Teams will also hand out Spicy T-Shirts, Hats, iPod Nano covers and "be our guests cards" for a complimentary sandwich to induce trial, said Gayle Franger, director of marketing, McDonald's USA.

Tour locations include Philadelphia, Detroit, Washington, DC, Charlotte, NC, Daytona, FL, Miami, Houston, Dallas, Phoenix, San Diego and Los Angeles. The tour ends in San Francisco Feb. 27.

Starting Feb 9-12, consumers can receive a free sample of the new sandwich from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. local time at participating restaurants nationwide. Drive-thru customers will receive a coupon for a free medium drink and medium order of fries with the purchase of a Spicy Chicken Premium Sandwich. Price and participation may vary.

In addition, McDonald's will offer coupons via an FSI dropped national in major newspapers on Feb. 12 on three offers:

• Buy a Spicy Premium Chicken Sandwich and receive a free 21-ounce drink and a four-ounce order of fries.
• Buy any Premium Chicken Sandwich and receive a free 21-ounce drink and a four-ounce order of fries.
• Buy a three-piece Chicken Selects and receive a free 21-ounce drink and a four- ounce order of fries.

"Sampling this product is extremely important as it generates trial of the product by delivering a sample of our new Spicy Premium Chicken Sandwich into the hands of our customers versus relying on them to bring in a coupon," Franger. "It also strategically touches customers and meets the needs of those customers who are spicy food lovers and it proves that McDonald's can deliver on a bold, hot, spicy profile.

TV spots, print ads, radio spots and print ads support. GMR, Milwaukee, handles the tour.

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