Mom's Touch fried chicken sandwich. Photo by Matt Miller.

Let’s talk about fast food history for a second. More specifically, let’s talk about the chicken sandwich. It will be pretty hard for a lot of people to believe that in the grand scheme of fast-food history, the chicken sandwich is a relatively new idea.

The first fast-food chicken sandwich supposedly hit the market in 1961 (although there is debate about the origin of the idea to put chicken on bread), when a Georgia restaurant owner in a suburb outside of Atlanta named Samuel Truett Cathy used a special pressure fryer (designed by Colonel Sanders) to fry a boneless chicken breast. The filet of chicken cooked in about the same amount of time as a McDonald’s hamburger, so Cathy put the boneless fried chicken on a hamburger bun, slathered it in mayonnaise, and called the sandwich (and his business), Chick-fil-A.

While the Colonel did come up with the idea for the pressure fryer, KFC didn’t dip its toes into the boneless chicken sandwich game until 1980, at about the same time McDonald’s introduced its fried chicken sandwich.

It wasn’t until almost 40 years later in 2019 that Popeyes introduced its fried chicken sandwich that was so popular it caused unrest, assault, and at least one fatal stabbing.

Now, let’s look at something new: The ultra-popular Mom’s Touch Chicken & Sandwiches with 1,300 locations worldwide has just opened their newest location right here in Long Beach.

Located at 6191 Atlantic Ave., the Korean-based Mom’s Touch chain has been licensed by WaBa Grill and is putting out chicken sandwiches that are going to give some of the reigning fast-food chicken sandwich giants a run for their money.

An audible crunch can be heard as you bite into one of the chicken sandwiches, topped with mayo, lettuce, pickle, and tomato, nestled in a slightly sweet brioche bun. It’s no wonder these chicken sandwiches are a hit around the world.

Photo by Matt Miller.

The chicken is never frozen, and each piece is hand-battered to ensure the personal touch.

The three sandwiches include: The Original, The Creamy Garlic sandwich, and the spicy Fuego topped with sweet and spicy pepper sauce.

To celebrate its opening, Mom’s Touch will be offering specials Monday through Thursday for the next couple of weeks. There’s a buy one free, get one free offer for these crunchy, moist sandwiches, making it the perfect time to give them a try. (Be sure to let them know you’re there for the special offer. I didn’t mention it, and I wasn’t offered my second sandwich.)

  • Feb. 23-24: Kicking it off with “Sandwich Week,” guests can enjoy ‘Buy One, Get One’ on all Mom’s Touch sandwiches.
  • Feb. 28 – March 3: Mom’s Touch will celebrate “Chicken Fingers Week” where guests will receive two free chicken fingers with the purchase of any entrée.
  • March 7 – 10: “Wing Week” will round out the trio of promotions when guests can enjoy two free Mom’s Original wings with the purchase of any entrée.

Mom’s Touch is at 6191 Atlantic Ave., Long Beach.

Cost: $

Four people can eat for under $40

Vibe: Fast Food

Go-to Dish: Fuego Sandwich

Drinks: Soft drinks.