You can blame Popeyes for its fiery chicken sandwich, but it seems like every fast-food burger chain is trying to find the right chicken recipe on its menu.
McDonald’s embodies this in its McCrispy sandwiches and McCrispy Strips.
“We’ve been listening to our fans on social media and elsewhere, and they’ve made one thing clear: They want more chicken. But not just any chicken, they want juicy, dippable perfection. So, after countless taste tests, McDonald’s is ready to introduce McCrispy Strips and the all-new Creamy Chili Dip – a flavor-packed combo that’s here to stay. This marks our first permanent menu item in the U.S. since 2021 – available to all in attendance on May 5 Restaurants nationwide will be doing this by now,” the chain shared in a press release.
The move comes after a number of chicken-related failures for the chain:
Powerful wings: According to Mashed, bone-in chicken wings were introduced in the 1990s and later reintroduced, but sales were poor and the promotion failed and they were quickly withdrawn.
Chicken roll: Bite-sized chicken nuggets were introduced to compete with similar products but never gained traction and were discontinued, Quick Report reports.
Chicken McGrill/Crispy Chicken Sandwich (previous generations): As McDonald’s retooled its chicken lineup, the various premium grilled crispy chicken sandwiches from the 1990s and 2000s were eventually replaced.
Chicken Selection: A higher-quality chicken tenders that had a loyal following but was abandoned due to declining sales; the rebranded product (Buttermilk Crispy Tenders) eventually disappeared, too, CyChicken reports.
Buttermilk Crispy Chicken Tenders : The Daily Meal shared that a later version of the chicken strips returned in 2017, but was discontinued again in 2020 due to a simplified menu.
When you look at the various fast food chains I’ve profiled, chicken has always been an elusive prize. When a product comes to market, it can be a game-changer, but standing out in a crowded market has proven to be very difficult.
Now, following the success of the McCrispy line, which has become a multi-billion-dollar brand for the company, McDonald’s is returning to chicken with a wide range of new products.
It’s easy to see why McDonald’s wants to expand its chicken product line.
According to the Wall Street Journal, “Chicken remains a rising star in the fast-food industry, with chicken fast-food chains expected to grow 8.9% year-over-year through 2024, while burger companies’ sales will increase 1.4%. Chicken currently generates more than $53 billion in annual sales for U.S. poultry-focused fast-food restaurants.”
Restaurants are also grappling with rising beef prices.
“Tight beef supplies have driven beef prices to record levels, making chicken a more profitable option for restaurants and meat companies.”
McDonald’s isn’t the only company chasing chicken sales. Wendy’s recently launched “Chicken Tendys” chicken strips, followed closely by its “Saucy Nuggs” line of chicken nuggets.
“Consumers have been very clear that they want more chicken — preferably boneless, portable, and crispy. The chicken category has continued to drive growth in the industry recently, with sales at the top 500 chicken chains set to grow nearly 15% in 2024, according to Technomic,” Nation’s Restaurant News reports.
McDonald’s rarely tests multiple menu items at the same time, but that’s not the case with its potential new chicken line.
“McDonald’s is going crazy with their chicken menu and are testing some amazing-looking products,” Snackolator’s Instagram page reports. “Now they’re testing three new sandwiches — a McSpicy with spicy filet mignon (not just hot sauce), and two grilled chicken sandwiches with a deluxe sandwich and BBQ bacon!”
That’s actually just a small portion of the chicken offerings the chain is testing in limited locations.
“Then they have six new McCrispy options, including flavored and sauce options. For the glazed options, they have Sweet Chili, Teriyaki and Kickin’ BBQ, and then for the strips, they have Spicy Garlic, Sweet Asian and Garlic Parm,” he shared.
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McDonald’s is also testing something that has failed miserably (or could fail miserably) in the past.
“Then they introduced bone-in wings with McSpicy seasoning, and the return of the Big Mac dip cup,” Snackolator shared.
Unfortunately, only some of these items will make it to the national menu (and there’s no guarantee of this).
“Currently, these appear to be only being tested at a few locations in the Chicago area, but I will try to see if any other cities are testing as well,” he added.
The limited-release Chicken Big Mac has been a sales driver.McDonald’s
McDonald’s also uses the Chicken Big Mac as a global promotion.
“Germany has launched exciting marketing and full-margin menu innovations, such as the Chicken Big Mac, which set new market sales highs in its first week,” Chief Executive Officer Christopher J. Kempczinski said on the company’s second-quarter earnings call.
Chief Financial Officer Ian Borden is bullish on opportunities in the chicken sector.
“Chicken remains a significant opportunity. It is a larger global category than beef and continues to grow at a faster rate. In the second quarter, we increased chicken market share in the top ten markets. We remain on track to increase global chicken share by 100 basis points by the end of 2026, consistent with the target we shared in our end-2023 investor update,” he explained.
That’s true across multiple markets, Boden said.
Chicken was key to driving sales growth and overall market share gains in Australia during the quarter.
The market is seeing share growth for the first time in several years, thanks in part to the Hot Honey Chicken campaign featuring McCrispy and McSpicy, which combines with an existing solid foundation of value and affordability.
Chicken also helped drive McDonald’s second-quarter results in China, where it gained market share not just in the category but in QSR overall.
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This article was originally published by TheStreet on December 15, 2025, and first appeared in the Restaurant section. Click here to add TheStreet as your preferred source.
The limited-release Chicken Big Mac has been a sales driver.McDonald’s
