Why McDonald's Discontinued The Grilled Chicken Sandwich, According To A Former Chef

Fast food menus are an ever-changing thing, and isn't that a double-edged sword? Sure, we get to try delicious novelties that tickle our tastebuds in new ways, but we also have to say goodbye to some beloved items, not knowing if we'll ever see them again. Some McDonald's customers still miss the Grilled Chicken Sandwich, firmly believing it's among the discontinued McDonald's menu items that deserve a revival. But why did the sandwich disappear? Well, according to former McDonald's corporate chef Mike Haracz's post on TikTok, it's because it simply wasn't selling well.

Haracz shares many of his insider secrets on social media. "A lot of times there are menu items that need to meet a certain threshold to be profitable for McDonald's to keep them on the menu," he said in the video, explaining that many of the healthier options McDonald's used to have on the menu simply weren't very profitable in the past. Unfortunately, grilled chicken fell into that category.

What's more, the chain apparently realized that it didn't need the healthier menu items to draw in the customers — "If those options are not available, you're going to come in and still order the other thing," Haracz said. This sentiment might be changing in the near future, though, as the food trends have once again shifted towards health-conscious choices, placing chicken at the front and center.

McDonald's first introduced the Grilled Chicken Sandwich in 1993, and in its original iteration it was made with a skinless chicken breast, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, red onions, and an herb-based sauce. The sandwich was still on the menu by 2015 when it received a big update to feature simpler, more natural ingredients. Despite this revamp, it was ultimately nixed from the menu in 2020, due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The chain wanted to simplify the process for its employees, which is something Mike Haracz highlighted in his video as well. "The less different types of protein that they need to cook and have available at any given time, that makes things a lot easier," he said.

But it appears that despite its previous setbacks, the Grilled Chicken Sandwich could finally be returning to McDonald's lineup of chicken items. Chicken is among the fastest growing menu sections in quick service restaurants, and McDonald's is determined to grow its presence in the category by 2030. The fast food chicken market is valued at over a hundred billion dollars, so the potential to grow revenue is huge.

The chain has been testing the new Grilled Chicken Sandwich at select locations since 2025, although its commitment to this lean protein goes beyond one single returning menu item. It already began with the return of the beloved snack wraps, and in the future, McDonald's is planning to further expand the menu category, reportedly even with new Chicken McNuggets flavors.