US fast-food restaurant chain A&W has unveiled its new Spicy Piri-Piri Buddy Burger, a limited-time offering with a choice of chicken, beef or a potato patty, in Canada.

The new burger features piri-piri sauce, whole-leaf lettuce and slices of tomato and red onion.

Customers can choose a 100% breaded chicken breast, a 1.6oz grass-fed beef patty or a crispy hash brown patty, all served on a toasted bun.

A&W Canada menu development director Karan Suri stated: “This hack was happening organically at A&Ws all across Canada. It was a no-brainer for us to develop a recipe that complements our guests' love for a potato patty substitute and adds a nice flavour kick to it.

“This is an exciting opportunity to introduce a new menu item that reflects the diversity of our guests. Our take on a spicy piri-piri sauce that is zesty, spicy and addictive is designed to satisfy more of our guests' cravings for spice and to suit their dietary preferences. I can't wait for Canadians to try it.”

The Spicy Piri-Piri Potato Buddy Burger marks A&W's first Buddy Burger to feature a crispy hash brown as the main ingredient.

The innovation stems from community-driven menu hacks, which are popular among A&W employees and guests, particularly within the South-Asian community.

A&W noted that by substituting the traditional beef patty with a crispy hash brown and adding the spiciest sauce available, the Potato Buddy Burger offers a taste of familiar home-cooked flavours.

Spicy Piri-Piri Buddy Burger is available for C$3.99 at A&W locations across Canada for a limited time.

A&W Canada restaurant franchisee Priya Dhillon said: “For years, A&W employees and guests (predominantly from the South-Asian community) have been quietly making this menu hack for themselves.

“Its popularity was clear to me during a meeting with Ontario operators, where every one of them knew the exact same menu hack recipe because of how many guests were ordering it.”

In July 2023, A&W launched three frozen lemonades in Canada for the summer season.