McDonald's Is Bringing Back the Chicken Big Mac, But There's a Catch
America may be the birthplace of McDonald's, but it still misses out on some of the fast food giant's most interesting menu innovations from across the world. Most recently, Americans are experiencing menu item envy over the Chicken Big Mac, a poultry-focused take on the iconic Big Mac that has only gotten national launches outside the United States so far.
McDonald's just announced that it is planning another Chicken Big Mac launch for later this month, but Americans are in for another dose of disappointment: the release is limited to the United Kingdom and Ireland. Unfortunately, this means that fans outside these European markets will have to keep waiting to get their hands on the rare menu item.
While Americans may be disappointed to miss out on the latest Chicken Big Mac launch, the sandwich's success overseas last year is undeniable. McDonald's said that Chicken Big Mac was so popular during that first run that it sold out in mere days.
"We are excited to bring the Chicken Big Mac back to the UK and Ireland," Thomas O'Neill, head of marketing for McDonald's UK and Ireland, said in a statement. "It sold out in under a week last year so we know so many people will be as delighted as we are that it's returning this spring."
For now, fans can hope that these temporary Chicken Big Mac launches are successful enough to convince the brand to debut the menu item in America. The company did give some lucky customers in the States the chance to sample the Chicken Big Mac when it tested the product at select locations in Miami, Fla., in the summer of 2022. But McDonald's has given no indication since then that it plans to offer the sandwich nationwide, even though McDonald's restaurants in Canada debuted the Chicken Big Macs for a limited time earlier this month.
McDonald's was contacted for comment on any potential plans to release the Chicken Big Mac in the United States but did not immediately respond.
McDonald's has been focusing more and more on chicken in the last couple of years, even making it a core item of the Accelerating the Arches growth strategy it unveiled in 2020. The brand threw its hat into the chicken sandwich wars in February 2021 with the launch of the Crispy Chicken Sandwich line that was recently renamed the McCrispy. It also debuted two new limited-time McCrispy flavors earlier this month: the Bacon Ranch McCrispy and Bacon Ranch Deluxe McCrispy. This latest Chicken Big Mac launch will expand McDonald's chicken offerings even further for as long as it's available.
Because the Big Mac and Chicken Big Mac are nearly identical aside from the protein they feature, customers who can't bear to wait any longer for an official Chicken Big Mac debut can get something pretty close with a clever menu hack—and some extra money and effort. To create a DIY Chicken Big Mac, order two McChickens and a Big Mac, remove the beef patties from the Big Mac, and replace them with the chicken patties from the McChickens.
In addition to the Chicken Big Mac, McDonald's restaurants in the United Kingdom and Ireland are launching a brand-new Steakhouse Stack burger that features two beef patties, a slice of cheddar cheese, crispy onions, red onions, lettuce, and a creamy peppercorn sauce inside a toasted bun.
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