Chicken Dinner Candy Bar: History, Packaging & Facts
Please leave a review or any memories of this snack in the comments at the end of this post.
Snack History Nostalgia Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Picture this. A chicken dinner in a candy bar. Say what! Ok, so the truth is it didn’t really contain a full chicken dinner but the chicken dinner candy bar was most definitely an influential candy bar with a unique story and history.
Talk about making a statement. That’s exactly what the chicken dinner candy bar did. Let’s dive a bit deeper!
| Chicken Dinner Candy Bar | Facts |
|---|---|
| Introduced | 1923 |
| Manufacturer | Sperry Candy Company |
| Candy Type | Chocolate-covered nut roll |
| Original Price | 10 cents at launch, later reduced to 5 cents |
| Still Available | No, discontinued in 1962 |
| Country of Origin | United States |
| Parent Company | Pearson's Candy Company (acquired Sperry in 1962) |
| Notable Recognition | Named one of Time Magazine's top 13 most influential candy bars (2014), ranked #6 |
History
The Chicken Dinner candy bar was originally made by the Sperry Candy Company. This company was later acquired by Pearson’s. The thing is, we have so little detail about the exact history of the candy bar.
We know that the very name has a very interesting background. The timing of this candy bar coming out was not a coincidence. It was so profound at the time that they even had chicken dinner candy trucks that were associated with the brand.
In the time that the Chicken Dinner candy bar came out, there were thousands of other candy bars that also tried to take the world by storm. This particular idea came to fruition in 1923 and was one of the most popular 1920s candy. What’s even more unique is the bar does not even contain chicken.
Chicken dinner candy bars are like chocolate-covered nut rolls. You’ve seen others like them through the years. The Sperry Candy Company advertised the bar as expensive high-grade candy. It cost about 10 cents when it first came out.
They definitely took a unique and different approach with this candy bar. It was truly just a candy bar, with plenty of nutty goodness. However, it was called chicken dinner and the labels and packaging even showed pictures of chicken or a chicken dinner on them.
Their design really just had to do with getting people’s attention and they were quite successful in that feat. They stood out from the crowd, which is what appears to really be the intent behind this candy anyway. They marketed the bar much like the name, calling it distinctly different.
What is more interesting is this bar actually came out well before the Great Depression. Chicken dinners were something people were struggling to have. It was about 6 years before the Great Depression. However, in some accounts you see people tying this candy bar to the Great Depression.
There are stories that say the candy bar was released as a play on words during the time that President Hoover made the statement “a chicken in every pot”. The truth is the bar was out long before those years, although it certainly makes sense to pair them together.
The candy bar was marketed during that timeframe and was quite successful. Sperry Candy Company even dropped the price of the bar at the time considering the times they were in. It was then that the candy bar and the wrapper that sported a whole chicken kind of became a bit symbolic.
They ran with it. In the following years, the candy company put a lot of effort into advertising the candy bar. It was a pick me up to some. They created billboards and ran ads all over the place. This is when they also created their truck fleet. Each truck was made to look like a chicken and painted with the logo and price on the side.
Some accounts tell us that they even made the trucks sound like a chicken when the horn was honked. These trucks traveled all over the United States sharing the Chicken Dinner Candy bar at 5 cents a pop.
The bar was considered to be nutritious thanks to the nuts and simple overall creation. It had a high level of protein. It was clever, it was bold, and it was quite effective for a lot of years.
In 1962, almost 40 years after its beginning, the Chicken Dinner candy bar came to an end. Sperry Candy Company was sold to Pearson’s and Pearson’s ceased production of this candy bar.
That term “winner, winner chicken dinner” sure brings on a whole new meaning when you consider the history behind this candy bar.
In an article from Time Magazine in 2014, they called the Chicken Dinner candy bar one of the top 13 most influential candy bars of all time. It was listed as number 6. In fact, Time gives this candy bar the credit for making a path for candy bars like Luna or Clif that are popular now.
Chicken Dinner Candy Bar Timeline
- 1923 — Sperry Candy Company introduces the Chicken Dinner candy bar
- 1929 — Great Depression begins; Sperry drops price to 5 cents
- 1929 — Bar gains symbolic status tied to economic hardship era
- 1930s — Chicken-shaped promotional trucks deployed across United States
- 1930s — Major billboard and nationwide advertising campaigns launched
- 1962 — Sperry Candy Company sold to Pearson's; bar discontinued
- 2014 — Time Magazine ranks bar #6 among 13 most influential candy bars
Chicken Dinner Candy Bar vs Pearson's Nut Roll
| Feature | Chicken Dinner Candy Bar | Pearson's Nut Roll |
|---|---|---|
| Candy Type | Chocolate-covered nut roll | Caramel and peanut log bar |
| Introduced | 1923 | 1920s |
| Manufacturer | Sperry Candy Company | Pearson's Candy Company |
| Still Available | No, discontinued 1962 | Yes, still in production |
| Protein Focus | Yes, marketed as nutritious and high protein | Yes, peanut-based high protein content |
| Price Range | Originally 5–10 cents | Approximately $1–$2 modern retail |
| Availability | Unavailable, collector and nostalgia interest only | Widely available across the United States |
When Was Chicken Dinner Candy Bar Invented?
This nutritious and delicious candy bar was first produced in 1923 by Sperry Candy Company. Sperry truly went all out when it came to maximizing this candy bar. It was almost like no other campaign we have ever seen.
You can find tons of stories about the chicken trucks that traveled the US and even the advertising campaigns used elsewhere.
The truth is this candy bar had absolutely nothing to do with a chicken dinner. It was made to have a good amount of protein. It’s a simple nut roll that is coated in chocolate. They marketed it as candy made good. While it was still candy, they focused on good qualities that were important to the people.
The candy bar came out several years before the Great Depression. It lasted against thousands of opponents and crazy candy bars and lived a long 40 years.
Logo
Who Owns Chicken Dinner Candy Bar?
The Chicken Dinner Candy Bar was always owned by Sperry Candy Company. This company went all out to make a definitive statement with their bar. It was all about drawing attention and they most certainly did just that.
After nearly 40 years of production of this candy bar alone, Sperry Candy Company was sold to Pearson’s. That is where the legacy ended. Pearson’s ceased this candy bar right away and it was never produced or sold under the Pearson name.
We’re unsure what led to the closure of production. There simply isn’t much to go off of as far as why they chose to discontinue the bar at that time. However, this certainly doesn’t negate the history made in those 40 years.
How Did Chicken Dinner Candy Bar Get its Name?
Most candy bars have an interesting story behind the name. Or at least many of the older candy bars with unique histories. This candy bar certainly has a unique history but the name of the candy bar really has nothing to do with the bar itself.
They named the bar chicken dinner candy bar simply as a play to catch the attention of people. And it worked. The bar had absolutely nothing to do with chicken or a chicken dinner. It certainly couldn’t really replace a chicken dinner, although it was packed with protein.
The timing is interesting because it was in the market during the Depression. However, it was there before the Depression and also there after the fact.
The company chose the name for marketing. They truly just wanted to stand apart so they chose a name that would do so. It became a huge deal for the 40 years it was in production.
Pictures
Conclusion
When it comes to the candy bars of old, Chicken Dinner candy bar certainly stands apart. It had a long run and some really fun stories behind the concept. You see far more advertising that really stuck to the name than with just about any other candy bar. Just consider the fleet of chicken trucks!
This bar was named one of the most influential candy bars in history for a reason. It certainly earned its place among the ranks.
Frequently Asked Questions about Chicken Dinner Candy Bar
Does the Chicken Dinner candy bar actually contain chicken?
No, the Chicken Dinner candy bar contains no chicken whatsoever. It is a chocolate-covered nut roll that was marketed for its protein content and simple, wholesome ingredients. The name and chicken-themed packaging were purely a marketing strategy designed to grab attention and stand out from thousands of competing candy bars at the time.
Why was the Chicken Dinner candy bar given that name?
The name was chosen as a bold attention-grabbing marketing move to differentiate the bar from its many competitors. While some accounts link the name to President Hoover's famous phrase 'a chicken in every pot,' the bar actually debuted in 1923, well before that era of the Great Depression. The Sperry Candy Company leaned into the name fully, featuring chicken imagery on packaging and even deploying chicken-shaped promotional trucks.
When was the Chicken Dinner candy bar discontinued?
The Chicken Dinner candy bar was discontinued in 1962, nearly 40 years after it was first introduced in 1923. Its end came when the Sperry Candy Company was sold to Pearson's Candy Company, which chose not to continue production of the bar. This marked the conclusion of one of the more uniquely marketed candy bars in American confectionery history.
How was the Chicken Dinner candy bar marketed?
The Sperry Candy Company ran an exceptionally creative and extensive marketing campaign for this bar. They created billboards, ran widespread advertisements, and famously deployed a fleet of trucks designed to look like chickens, painted with the logo and price, which traveled across the United States. Some accounts even claim the trucks were rigged to cluck like a chicken when the horn was honked, making the campaign truly unforgettable.
Why is the Chicken Dinner candy bar considered historically significant?
In 2014, Time Magazine named the Chicken Dinner candy bar one of the top 13 most influential candy bars of all time, ranking it at number 6. Time credited the bar with helping pave the way for modern protein- and nutrition-focused snack bars like Luna and Clif bars. Its bold, novelty-driven branding and nutritional marketing approach were ahead of their time and left a lasting imprint on the candy and snack industry.
My grandmother once was asked to feed and house army recruits near Camp Breckinridge. One of the men was brazen enough to tell her she would serve them a fried chicken dinner for Sunday. When the men sat down at the table, each plate contained one Chicken Dinner candy bar.
Any interest in an old chicken dinner sign
November 21, 2023
My Daddy always told the story of getting off the ship in New York Harbor and first seeing the ad for a five cent chicken dinner. As a brand new immigrant, he was pretty impressed with prices here in America. . . till he discovered what this “dinner” actually was. 🙂
I have and am restoring one of the chicken dinner trucks. Only know of 2 others still around.
Could I have ever heard a Chicken Dinner candy bar jingle?