McDonald’s is adding chicken strips to its menu. This move aims to boost its chicken market share and bring more customers through the doors, executives said on Monday’s Q4 2024 earnings call.
The chain’s traffic had been recovering thanks to its $5 Meal Deal. But progress took a hit late last year due to an E. coli outbreak linked to contaminated onions on Quarter Pounders. U.S. comparable sales were down 1.4% in Q4.
CEO Chris Kempczinski said they’ll focus on both value deals and full-priced items to recover sales. Along with chicken strips, McDonald’s plans to bring snackwraps back to U.S. menus.
“We see a big opportunity in chicken,” Kempczinski said. “We believe we can gain another point of chicken market share by the end of 2026.”
The Chicken Big Mac will also return as a limited-time offer (LTO) to drive traffic. Kempczinski didn’t reveal exact dates for the new items, but analysts predict chicken strips could launch in late April, with snackwraps following in June or July.
Menu innovation is just part of the strategy. The brand will continue promoting its value platform. Before the outbreak, the $5 Meal Deal and a Buy One, Add One for $1 offer had been driving sales growth.
While value deals are key, Kempczinski said they’ll mix them with creative marketing to keep things fresh. “Our core menu remains at the heart of our business,” he added.
CFO Ian Borden highlighted full-margin items like the Chicken Big Mac as crucial for boosting sales. He mentioned the success of the Grinch Meal in Canada, which generated 30 million social media impressions.
Despite focusing on full-price items, Kempczinski praised the $5 Meal Deal’s impact. “It’s great value, and it’s driving additional purchases,” he said. “The average check for the $5 Meal Deal in the U.S. is north of $10.”