logo
Fan-favorite McDonald's item returns to menus at Pennsylvania locations. Here's when

Fan-favorite McDonald's item returns to menus at Pennsylvania locations. Here's when

Yahoo2 days ago

(WTAJ) — After nearly a decade, a fan-favorite item is coming back to McDonald's, including right here in Pennsylvania.
The McDonald's snack wrap debuted in 2006 and was taken off a number of menus in 2016. Some locations kept hold of it until 2020 when McDonald's made a huge shift due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In May, McDonald's launched their new McCrispy strips, touting them as a permanent fixture on all McDonald's menus across the country. The announcement brought the inevitable outcry for the return of the Snack Wrap.
Taco Bell fans can now make two of the chain's most popular menu items at home
McDonald's announced the return of the snack wrap to fanfare across social media. Now, we know it will officially launch on July 10 at participating locations.
Those locations include the greater Johnstown and Altoona area, McDonald's confirmed.
The snack wraps will be available in their classic ranch, which debuted originally in 2006, and a new spicy version, complete with a habanero kick. Both come with lettuce and shredded cheese.
The return of chicken strips and snack wraps isn't surprising. McDonald's, much like other brands, are trying to compete with each other in a flooded market where you can grab something to eat almost anywhere you look.Recently, Taco Bell got into the chicken game with their tortilla-coated chicken nuggets, however, no one took America by storm with chicken the way Popeye's did when they got into the chicken sandwich game, causing long lines and numerous fights among the fanbase.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Communicator spotlight: Josh Earnest of United Airlines
Communicator spotlight: Josh Earnest of United Airlines

Axios

time28 minutes ago

  • Axios

Communicator spotlight: Josh Earnest of United Airlines

As United Airlines' executive vice president of communications and advertising, Josh Earnest is responsible for sharing how the airline differs from its competitors. Why it matters: Much of the job is spent protecting the brand amid ongoing crises — from COIVD-19 groundings, to the Boeing quality control issues, to the recent air traffic challenges at Newark Liberty International Airport, one of United's hubs. What he's saying: Travelers have to relinquish control to the airline that's getting them from point A to point B, which "makes the association that fliers have with our brand all the more important," Earnest told Axios. Flyers pay attention to how the airlines communicate during a crisis "because they see their own personal stake in it," he said. "When people are sitting on that plane, they are feeling out of control. When you're sitting on an airplane, sometimes you don't even have access to WiFi — although we're doing a lot to try to fix that — and you're arriving whenever we decide to arrive. Hopefully your bags will make it, but we're the ones looking out for them. And you're certainly counting on United to keep you safe." State of play: United operates nearly 70% of the flights at Newark, which means the airline has a huge stake in the recent flight disruptions caused by air traffic control issues. "A lot of the challenges at Newark are totally outside of the control of United Airlines. We're talking about air traffic controllers, state and local regulators at the New York and New Jersey Port Authority, federal regulators at the FAA and the Department of Transportation, and the air traffic controllers union," he said. Yes, but: While things might be outside of United's control, its brand is impacted, and it is "not an option for us to sit on the sidelines," Earnest said. "That's why we have worked both to engage with government regulators, to try to come up with policy solutions that could solve the problem, but also why we've been really out in front in communicating with the public and with our customers about what is being done to make it more reliable." Most recently, United slashed ticket prices for Newark-based flights and partnered with JetBlue to allow for more flight options out of nearby Kennedy International Airport. Catch up quick: Before joining United, Earnest spent more than two decades in politics, most recently serving as White House press secretary for the Obama administration. Zoom in: Earnest sits on the executive team, reporting to United president Brett Hart. He oversees a team of about 140 people who are responsible for the airline's global communications, advertising and community engagement strategies. The team structure "allows us to integrate the creative, paid efforts with our aggressive, proactive earned efforts," he said. "There's no enterprise that can rely on one channel of communication, and it just means that there's a higher premium placed on a well-integrated communication strategy." "We will often use notes to our employees to drive news coverage. If you think about it, it used to be the other way. We would worry that notes we're sending to our employees could get out. And what do we do to try to prevent that? ... Now we like the benefit of the public seeing that we're transparently communicating with our employees about what's happening."

Trump and Xi Hold First Call in Months
Trump and Xi Hold First Call in Months

Yahoo

time30 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Trump and Xi Hold First Call in Months

Chinese President Xi Jinping is seen at the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum in Hanoi on April 15, 2025. Credit - Athit Perawongmetha—POOL/AFP via Getty Images) Trump and Xi Hold First Call in Months, Setting Stage For More Trade Talks President Donald Trump spoke with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Thursday as tariff negotiations between the world's two largest economies have stalled in recent weeks. The call lasted about 90 minutes and focused 'almost entirely on trade,' Trump said in a social media post Thursday morning. Talks had been expected to take place this week after representatives from both countries met in Geneva last month and agreed to temporarily pause the trade war. China's official Xinhua News Agency said the call took place at Trump's request. Trump said a follow-up trade meeting would be held soon, and that both he and Xi had invited each other for official state visits. Trump said one day earlier that it was difficult to reach a deal with Xi: 'I like President XI of China, always have, and always will, but he is VERY TOUGH, AND EXTREMELY HARD TO MAKE A DEAL WITH!!!,' Trump wrote on Truth Social on Wednesday. The call was likely the first time they spoke since Trump took office in January. However, in an April interview with TIME, Trump claimed that Xi had already called him—which Chinese officials disputed. Trade negotiations between the two leaders had stalled after both countries agreed on May 12 to temporarily lower tariffs, with Trump dropping his 145% tariffs on Chinese goods to 30% for 90 days, and Xi easing its levies from 125% to 10%. But the Trump Administration has accused China of reneging on the terms by curbing exports of rare earth minerals used by American manufacturers. China has rejected that charge, saying its export controls apply globally and are not targeted at the United States. In response, the Trump Administration has proposed revoking visas for some Chinese students and issuing new export controls on advanced technologies such as jet engine components and A.I. chips. 'China, perhaps not surprisingly to some, HAS TOTALLY VIOLATED ITS AGREEMENT WITH US,' Trump wrote on Truth Social last week. 'So much for being Mr. NICE GUY!' Trump has made reducing America's dependency on Chinese manufacturing a cornerstone of his second-term agenda. Xi, facing a sluggish post-COVID economy and persistent pressures from a real estate slowdown, is pushing to secure China's dominance in future technologies like electric vehicles and artificial intelligence. The United States ran a $295 billion trade deficit with China in 2024, according to U.S. Census Bureau data, a figure Trump frequently cites as evidence of unfair trade practices. His Administration maintains that only top-level talks can break the current deadlock. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent recently said that a leader-to-leader exchange was essential to restart negotiations in earnest. Write to Nik Popli at

Truckload's path to equilibrium
Truckload's path to equilibrium

Yahoo

time35 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Truckload's path to equilibrium

The U.S. truckload market has undergone significant transformation since the COVID-19 pandemic, with the industry experiencing dramatic swings in capacity, demand and pricing. In the aftermath of the pandemic, the truckload market found itself awash in excess capacity. This oversupply stemmed from a combination of factors, including the entry of new carriers during the pandemic-era freight boom and subsequent softening of demand as consumer spending patterns normalized. The oversupply situation was further complicated by volatile trade policies, with tariff rhetoric accelerating in early 2025 and creating uncertainty in import patterns. As market conditions deteriorated, thousands of small- and midsize trucking carriers faced unsustainable economics, leading to widespread business failures and market exits. This natural, if painful, adjustment mechanism began to rebalance the supply-demand equation that had tilted heavily in shippers' favor during the post-COVID era. The exodus of carriers was driven by significant cost pressures. Publicly traded freight brokerage RXO noted in its quarterly market report that 'the average cost to operate a truck is 34% higher over the past decade but absolute spot rates are largely the same as they were in 2014.' This economic reality made it increasingly difficult for carriers to maintain profitability, particularly smaller operators without the scale or financial resources to weather prolonged market weakness. According to RXO, the truckload market 'has remained relatively calm' with spot rates continuing to step higher despite disruption from rapidly changing tariff policies. The market has followed a trend – largely in place since 2023 – of soft freight demand, reductions in carrier capacity and gradually stabilizing situation created what RXO described as 'a difficult landscape for carriers,' with many 'running with unsustainable unit economics.' This harsh operating environment accelerated the pace of carrier exits, despite 'a couple of atypical months of operating authority growth in March and April.' By mid-2025, the prolonged exodus of carriers finally brought the market closer to equilibrium. As RXO observed in its quarterly forecast, 'We're as close to equilibrium, in terms of carrier supply and shipper demand, as we've been in over two years.' The broker noted that 'relatively speaking, the capacity situation is much more fragile than at this time last year.' This newfound balance began manifesting in key market indicators. The national average Outbound Tender Rejection Index, which measures the percentage of tendered loads rejected by carriers, climbed to 6.67% by June 2025 – reaching the threshold where rejections start putting inflationary pressure on spot rates. Most enterprise shippers prefer to maintain tender acceptance percentages in the upper 90s, meaning many were already experiencing problematic service levels. The data showed significant improvement in rate trends as well. TL spot rates (excluding fuel) were up 9.1% year over year in the first quarter of 2025, following an 11.6% growth rate during the fourth quarter of 2024. Contractual rates also increased 1.4% year over year in the first quarter – the first annual increase since the end of 2022.A notable development in the recovering market has been the emergence of significant regional disparities. By June 2025, tender rejection rates for truckload shipments originating in the Southeast surpassed 10% – marking the first time in nearly three years they reached that level. In contrast, rejection rates for freight departing the West Coast remained well below the national average and were the lowest among the seven major U.S. regions. This contrast was particularly striking given the focus on imports and Southern California ports that handle the bulk of U.S. container traffic. While tender volumes out of the Southeast were down 6% year over year, West Coast volumes declined 14% annually, suggesting that demand alone wasn't driving the regional disparity. Part of the explanation lies in intermodal transportation patterns. Much of the long-haul freight demand from the West shifted to rail, with intermodal capturing a large share from the truckload sector. Loaded container volumes moving by rail out of Los Angeles remained up year over year, even as they dipped alongside declining import levels. Meanwhile, long-haul tender volumes out of Los Angeles dropped 26% annually. The Outbound Tender Rejection Index measures the percentage of truckload tenders rejected by carriers and serves as an indicator of the relative balance of supply and demand in the truckload market. (Chart: SONAR. To learn more about SONAR, click here.) By June 2025, the 'interior' markets of Atlanta, Chicago and Dallas showed the tightest capacity conditions among major freight centers. Atlanta's outbound tender rejection rate reached 8.89%, continuing an upward trend that began in late February. Chicago's rejection rate stood at 7.07%, while Dallas reported 6.86% – all above the national average. The market trajectory for truckload rates remains 'inflationary,' according to RXO, though trade policy presents a significant wild card. The 3PL classified the early part of 2025 as 'still primarily a shippers' market' but noted that 'with a continued difficult landscape for carriers, and (in many cases) decreasing 2025 contract rates setting in, it could set the stage for volatility later in 2025.' The broader trend for 2025 calls for more carrier exits and high operating costs to keep upward pressure on rates. RXO pointed to the possibility of a more material uptick in rates if trade tensions calm ahead of peak season and carrier exits become more pronounced. In that scenario, 'contract rates and routing guides set in the softer market of 2024 may not survive a tighter market late in 2025, when the spot market will likely become more lucrative than the contract market.' Transportation prices were forecast to be significantly higher a year from now, with industry respondents returning a reading of 75 for the pricing outlook in the Logistics Managers' Index. There is a growing consensus that 'the worst-case scenarios associated with potential tariffs will not come to pass,' and 2026 could reflect a more robust transportation recovery, barring a macroeconomic U.S. truckload market has traveled a difficult road since the pandemic, moving from extreme oversupply to a more balanced state through the painful but necessary process of carrier exits. This gradual market healing has finally restored equilibrium between supply and demand, enabling carriers to regain pricing power as evidenced by rising tender rejection rates and strengthening spot market conditions. The market remains sensitive to external shocks, particularly trade policy developments and potential economic headwinds. However, the significant reduction in truckload capacity over the past year has made the market more responsive to even modest demand changes. As one analyst noted, 'a significant reduction in truckload capacity over the past year has made the market more vulnerable. Even with a somewhat bearish outlook for demand, the truckload sector appears increasingly reactive — and poised for volatility.' The post Truckload's path to equilibrium appeared first on FreightWaves. Sign in to access your portfolio

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store