Why prices at fast-food restaurants like Chick-fil-A are on the rise

(CNN) – The growing popularity of crispy chicken sandwiches has left restaurants chasing a relatively rare bird.

Small chickens are now in higher demand as companies like Kentucky Fried Chicken and Chick-fil-A have come to prize the birds that weigh only about 4 lbs.

They are reportedly more tender and more flavorful than their bigger counterparts and now that demand is driving up costs for restaurant operators.

The cost for small-chicken boneless breasts has remained relatively high since January 2021, peaking at about $4.30 during the summer of 2022 before falling to about $2.50.

According to U.S. Agriculture data, the number of small chickens slaughtered weekly is down from nearly 49% of the market in 2005 to about 15% in 2023.