McDonald’s is testing chicken wings to take on fast-food rivals
For years, McDonald's dominated burgers while chains like Chick-fil-A, Popeyes, Wingstop, and Raising Cane's built loyal followings around chicken. Now the Golden Arches appear ready to push deeper into that fight.
According to reports, McDonald's is testing hand-breaded chicken wings as it looks to expand its chicken lineup and compete more directly with some of the fastest-growing names in fast food.
The company has been quietly testing bone-in fried chicken wings at select locations in the Chicago area. The wings are being sold alongside several other chicken-focused menu items, including McSpicy sandwiches, grilled chicken sandwiches, McCrispy tenders, and new chicken strip flavors.
“Customers are really demanding more for their money. It’s just that much more important to have an even better experience these days,” CEO Chris Kempczinski told Bloomberg News at the company’s Chicago headquarters.
Local reports say the wings feature a spicy breading similar to the McSpicy products sold in international markets.
McDonald’s sees major growth potential in chicken
During a recent earnings call, Kempczinski explained that the global chicken category is larger than beef and growing at roughly twice the rate. “The opportunity, the headroom for us in chicken, is really quite significant,” Kempczinski said.
That is a huge opportunity for a company that already serves millions of customers every day but still has room to grow its chicken business.
Sources: Seeking Alpha, Yahoo Finance
