THE STREET – McDonald’s has a new version of the iconic sandwich and it’s coming to North America, but not the chain’s home market of the United States (at least not yet).
McDonald’s has actually had a Chicken Big Mac since 2017 when the fried chicken take on the classic first appeared on menus in Australia.
It later made its way to the United Kingdom but was removed after about 10 days due to what McDonald’s called “incredible demand” for the sandwich. It also was eventually removed from Australian menus but made a return in January 2022.
The Chicken Big Mac, however, has only made a cameo in the U.S. as it was briefly tested in some Miami locations last summer. Now, the new take on the classic sandwich will be joining the chain’s menu in Canada beginning March 7, Brand Eating reported.
“Available for a limited time, the Chicken Big Mac is basically a Big Mac but with crispy-fried, seasoned chicken patties in place of beef patties. As such it offers the two chicken patties, Big Mac sauce, lettuce, processed cheddar cheese, and pickles on a toasted, sesame seed bun,” the website shared.
Why No Chicken Big Mac in the U.S.?
Currently, the classic Big Mac is the only version of the iconic sandwich that appears on U.S. menus. In the past, the chain has offered the smaller, Mac Junior and the Grand Mac (a Big Mac that used bigger burger patties) in its home market.
The chain has not commented on its plans to eventually release the Chicken Big Mac in the United States. The holdup could be supply chain issues as chicken has been at historically high prices until fairly recently.
McDonald’s CEO Christopher J. Kempczinski made it clear during the chain’s fourth-quarter earnings call that the company’s biggest brands have been driving its success.
“The strength of our brand goes beyond the Golden Arches themselves … “
