KANSAS CITY — New spring sandwiches are refreshing menus across North America.

McDonald’s is launching the chicken Big Mac in Canadian markets for the first time. With all the toppings of the classic Big Mac, the beef patty is swapped out for two chicken patties that have been breaded and fried.

“We know that Canadians have been hacking the Chicken Big Mac in creative ways over the years, eager to get their hands on the real thing,” said Alyssa Buetikofer, chief marketing officer, McDonald’s Canada. “To these guests, we love your passion and your hacking days are officially behind you: the Chicken Big Mac is finally here. But it’s only for a limited time, so try it while you can.” 

Sub chain Jimmy John’s debuted an Italian-inspired caprese salami pesto sandwich, which is available for a limited time. The sandwich features Genoa salami, basil pesto, balsamic glaze, olive oil, oregano, onion, mayonnaise and topped with mozzarella.

“We set out to develop a sandwich that was full of delicious Italian flavors,” said Dustin Hilinski, director of culinary innovation at Jimmy John’s. “But we also wanted to make it unique to Jimmy John’s, which starts with hand-sliced salami — because we’ve always hand-sliced our meats as that makes all the difference — and then layer the other ingredients atop our iconic, freshly baked bread to create the most satisfying sandwich.”

Kentucky Fried Chicken is bringing back its KFC Double Down for the first time in almost 10 years. The Double Down features two of KFC’s white meat filets, two slices of cheese and two pieces of hickory-smoked bacon, topped with Colonel’s real mayo or spicy sauce. After initially debuting in 2010, the Double Down sold more than 10 million sandwiches in the first month, according to the company. It was brought back for a brief time in 2014 and is making its first debut since then.

For consumers who prefer a bun, Kentucky Fried Chicken also added a bacon and cheese chicken sandwich, which features a double-breaded white meat filet, a slice of cheese, two pieces of hickory-smoked bacon, the Colonel’s real mayo and pickles on a toasted brioche bun.

“The Double Down is one of the most buzzworthy fast-food menu items ever,” said Nick Chavez, chief marketing officer at KFC US. “After nearly a decade of people begging for its return, we’re embracing the chaos, bringing back our most iconic sandwich ever for just four weeks.”

Click to view new menu items.