The Major Fast Food Chain That's Bringing Back Chicken Strips In 2025

It's been a tumultuous few years for Ronald McDonald and his fast food empire, from a deadly 2024 E.coli outbreak linked to its Quarter Pounders to price hikes that made customers see red as they stared at the Golden Arches. But a recent McDonald's Q4 2024 earnings call is giving devout, albeit beaten down, Mickey D's fans something to look forward to in the future. On the call, Chris Kempczinski, the chairman and chief executive officer of McDonald's, stated: "We're excited about the significant opportunity we see within our chicken portfolio and see the potential to add another point of chicken market share by the end of 2026." 

Translation: Get ready to see a lot more chicken items on the McDonald's menu. Quite possibly the most exciting thing to come from the call is Kempczinski's announcement that America's most popular fast food chain is going to launch a "new chicken strip offering." McDonald's initially introduced its chicken strips – or Chicken Selects, as they were called — in 2002, and kept the tenders on the menu until 2013, when they were unceremoniously cut from the lineup. 

Two years later, McDonald's brought back the Chicken Selects much to the excitement of patrons everywhere (as evidenced by all the social media buzz), but this limited-time deal didn't last and the chicken strips disappeared from the menu once more. Needless to say, it's been quite a roller coaster for fans of McDonald's Chicken Selects and it's quite understandable why some people find the vague "chicken strip offering" language to sound suspect.

While the reasoning behind the twists and turns of the Chicken Selects saga is unclear, there is another returning chicken-based menu item that has a more concise narrative: The McDonald's Snack Wrap. Similar to the Chicken Selects — which have been missing in action since 2015 – the wrap, which featured cheese, lettuce, ranch, and your choice of crispy or grilled chicken wrapped in a tortilla, has not been on permanent menus since 2016, even though fans have been clamoring for it. After a few years of frustration and mystery over the Snack Wrap's disappearance, a chef close to the matter took to TikTok to explain that "operational complexity" was the possible reason McDonald's doesn't keep Snack Wraps on its permanent menu.

But the Snack Wrap's return was teased in late 2023. And, on the same earnings call, Chris Kempczinski indicated that the Snack Wrap is indeed coming back, although he wouldn't specify when. It's clear that, by bringing back these fan favorites, McDonald's is trying to turn over a new leaf with its wavering customer base. Although the chain is known for setting the pace in the fast food world, it seems that McDonald's is taking a page out of the book of popular chicken-based chains like Chick-fil-A and Raising Cane's to try to win back the hearts of American fast food eaters. If the launch and success of its new chicken-based sandwich, the Bacon Cajun Ranch McCrispy, is any indicator, this is a smart move for the pioneering fast food chain.