The Chicken Big Mac Is Here: McDonald’s Taps Into the National Chicken Craze

How do fast-food restaurants drive sales and win market share? 

To stay competitive, McDonald's must keep up with national food and lifestyle trends, launching menu items that align with current consumer preferences.

Accordingly, McDonald's is introducing the Chicken Big Mac in the U.S.—a move that could prove to be genius!

The Chicken Big Mac will be available to American customers starting October 10, 2024. It is a chicken-based alternative to the iconic Big Mac. While this sandwich has already seen success in other countries, including the United Kingdom and Japan, as well as in select U.S. test markets like Miami, this will mark the first nationwide launch.

The sandwich features two crispy chicken patties along with the classic Big Mac toppings: pickles, lettuce, onions, American cheese, and the signature Big Mac sauce, all inside a sesame seed bun. This release is part of McDonald’s broader strategy to refresh its menu amid shifting consumer tastes.

The timing of the Chicken Big Mac's U.S. debut aligns with a growing consumer preference for chicken-based fast food, which has gained significant traction over the past decade. In 2019, the fast food industry was shaken when Chick-fil-A surged ahead of Wendy’s, Burger King, Taco Bell, and Subway to become the third-largest restaurant chain. On average, a non-mall franchised Chick-fil-A restaurant generates $8.7 million in annual sales. For comparison, a typical franchised McDonald's location that has been open for at least a year sees around $3.7 million in annual sales.

Consumers are turning to chicken for reasons of both cost and health. Chicken is generally less expensive than beef, and its price is less prone to volatility. As inflation continues to rise in the U.S., the demand for more affordable protein options is crucial.

Additionally, some health experts consider chicken a lighter, lower-calorie option compared to beef. (Though it’s up to you to decide whether fried chicken with special sauce is truly healthier than a burger!)

McDonald’s is no stranger to chicken-based successes, with items like the McChicken and Chicken McNuggets already being fan favorites. The company hopes the Chicken Big Mac will tap into the growing demand for chicken while appealing to customers looking for beef alternatives.

One more thing…for successful growth, the Chicken Big Mac has to:

1: Taste good

2: Be marketed effectively to the right target audience

In recent months fast food chains have dropped new, trending food items that tasted bad and sales did not surge.  Look at food influencer howkkeveats’s viral Del Taco birria taco review.

Additionally, Wendy’s recently released a breakfast burrito and decided to promote the burrito on the Morning Brew podcast. However, an ad for a fast-food breakfast burrito felt out of place on a podcast where the main audience is health-conscious young professionals. Not surprisingly, the Wendy’s breakfast burrito promotion by MBD’s hosts, Neal Freyman and Toby Howell felt highly inorganic.

For the McChicken, time will tell!

Share if you think the McChicken with supercharge growth or become a stunt that burns out.