Latest news with #AlyssaBuetikofer
Daily Mail
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
McDonald's US fans react to new menu item
Published: | Updated: McDonald's fans take their favourite menu items very seriously and won't hesitate to let the fast food giant know when they're unhappy - as they have demonstrated with uproar over a new menu item. The crispy, peppery Chicken Selects are a firm favorite among McDonald's customers, with many declaring them to be 'elite' chicken strips. But while UK customers get to enjoy them any time, those in the US were disappointed when in 2013, the chain discontinued Chicken Selects on the menu across the pond. Recently, McDonald's introduced chicken strips again in the US - but they aren't quite what the American audience had hoped for. On May 5, the fast food giant rolled out McCrispy Strips, described as 'irresistibly craveable chicken strips made with juicy, 100% white meat, coated with crispy golden-brown breading and bursting with a bold, new black pepper flavour'. This new version comes as Alyssa Buetikofer, Chief Marketing and Customer Experience Officer at McDonald's, said the demand for chicken strips 'has been remarkable to see across the industry'. Commenting on why it's taken so long to bring chicken strips back to the US menu, she added: 'We took our time, listened to our fans and created a product we knew they would crave.' But many have taken to social media to complain that McCrispy Strips are simply no match for Chicken Selects. The most noticeable difference is the texture of the battered exterior of the chicken strips. While Chicken Selects are beloved for their seasoned, crispy coating which delivers a satisfying crunch, McCrispy Strips have a smoother, much less rugged texture - more akin to outside of a McNugget. When McDonald's announced the new chicken menu item in the US, American customers instantly became excited over the prospect that Chicken Selects may have returned. However, they are now taking to social media to complain about how different McCrispy Strips are compared to Chicken Selects - and they aren't holding back about which they prefer. Even those who thought the McCrispy Strips tasted good admitted that they would have preferred Chicken Selects. 'I just had them today and they're honestly disappointing,' one reviewer said. 'They smelled a lot like the old chicken selects while I drove home with them in the bag, but eating them… yeah, no. 'Just a bland, weirdly breaded, not-at-all crispy chicken strip! I don't understand why they're a permanent addition to the menu. I miss Chicken Selects so, so, so, so, so much!!' Customers also expressed their displeasure at the fast food chain on X, formerly Twitter. 'McDonald's really played in our face talkin' about some damn 'McCrispy Strips'... WE ASKED FOR THE CHICKEN SELECTS,' one person wrote. Another slammed McDonald's for discontinuing Chicken Selects more than a decade ago, only to bring back a different version. 'You took one of the best items off the menu and then had 12 years to come up with a replacement and this is the slop you've put out,' they said. A third quizzed: '[They're] bringing back dinosaurs, direwolves, AND THEY CAN'T BRING BACK CHICKEN SELECTS???' McDonald's has previously introduced a variation of chicken strips to its US menu in the past, in a bid to satisfy customers still upset about the loss of Chicken Selects. In 2017, the retailer added Buttermilk Crispy Tenders to the menu. These looked much more similar to Chicken Selects and were popular among customers - but they were discontinued just three years later due to the COVID pandemic. However, McDonald's is standing by its new McCrispy Strips despite the criticism. Cesar Piña, Senior Vice President and Chief Supply Chain Officer at the chain, said in a press release: 'When we introduce a new menu item like McCrispy Strips, we know we have a big promise to fulfill to meet our customer's expectations. 'From the farms we source from to how food is prepared in our restaurants, bringing new products to our fans requires collaboration across suppliers, franchisees, and company staff. 'We hold ourselves to the highest standard and aim to bring fans nothing less than greatness.'
Daily Mail
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
McDonald's US fans in uproar over new menu item that can't compare to 'superior' original version
McDonald's fans take their favourite menu items very seriously and won't hesitate to let the fast food giant know when they're unhappy - as they have demonstrated with uproar over a new menu item. The crispy, peppery Chicken Selects are a firm favourite among McDonald's customers, with many declaring them to be 'elite' chicken strips. But while UK customers get to enjoy them any time, those in the US were disappointed when in 2013, the chain discontinued Chicken Selects on the menu across the pond. Recently, McDonald's introduced chicken strips again in the US - but they aren't quite what the American audience had hoped for. On May 5, the fast food giant rolled out McCrispy Strips, described as 'irresistibly craveable chicken strips made with juicy, 100% white meat, coated with crispy golden-brown breading and bursting with a bold, new black pepper flavour'. This new version comes as Alyssa Buetikofer, Chief Marketing and Customer Experience Officer at McDonald's, said the demand for chicken strips 'has been remarkable to see across the industry'. Commenting on why it's taken so long to bring chicken strips back to the US menu, she added: 'We took our time, listened to our fans and created a product we knew they would crave.' But many have taken to social media to complain that McCrispy Strips are simply no match for Chicken Selects. The most noticeable difference is the texture of the battered exterior of the chicken strips. While Chicken Selects are beloved for their seasoned, crispy coating which delivers a satisfying crunch, McCrispy Strips have a smoother, much less rugged texture - more akin to outside of a McNugget. When McDonald's announced the new chicken menu item in the US, American customers instantly became excited over the prospect that Chicken Selects may have returned. However, they are now taking to social media to complain about how different McCrispy Strips are compared to Chicken Selects - and they aren't holding back about which they prefer. On Reddit, one user said: 'All they had to do was bring back Chicken Selects and that would've made everyone happy.' Another wrote: 'Select strips were clearly superior. McCrispy Strips 2/10'.' A third added: 'I thought foolishly like someone else said they were the Chicken Select strips. Absolutely disgusting.' Even those who thought the McCrispy Strips tasted good admitted that they would have preferred Chicken Selects. 'I just had them today and they're honestly disappointing,' one reviewer said. 'They smelled a lot like the old chicken selects while I drove home with them in the bag, but eating them… yeah, no. 'Just a bland, weirdly breaded, not-at-all crispy chicken strip! I don't understand why they're a permanent addition to the menu. I miss Chicken Selects so, so, so, so, so much!!' Customers also expressed their displeasure at the fast food chain on X, formerly Twitter. 'McDonald's really played in our face talkin' about some damn 'McCrispy Strips'... WE ASKED FOR THE CHICKEN SELECTS,' one person wrote. Another slammed McDonald's for discontinuing Chicken Selects more than a decade ago, only to bring back a different version. 'You took one of the best items off the menu and then had 12 years to come up with a replacement and this is the slop you've put out,' they said. A third quizzed: '[They're] bringing back dinosaurs, direwolves, AND THEY CAN'T BRING BACK CHICKEN SELECTS???' McDonald's has previously introduced a variation of chicken strips to its US menu in the past, in a bid to satisfy customers still upset about the loss of Chicken Selects. Fans are demanding that McDonald's bring back Chicken Selects to the US menu In 2017, the retailer added Buttermilk Crispy Tenders to the menu. These looked much more similar to Chicken Selects and were popular among customers - but they were discontinued just three years later due to the COVID pandemic. However, McDonald's is standing by its new McCrispy Strips despite the criticism. Cesar Piña, Senior Vice President and Chief Supply Chain Officer at the chain, said in a press release: 'When we introduce a new menu item like McCrispy Strips, we know we have a big promise to fulfill to meet our customer's expectations. 'From the farms we source from to how food is prepared in our restaurants, bringing new products to our fans requires collaboration across suppliers, franchisees, and company staff. 'We hold ourselves to the highest standard and aim to bring fans nothing less than greatness.'
Miami Herald
06-05-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
McDonald's teases first new permanent menu item since 2021. Here's what to know
National McDonald's teases first new permanent menu item since 2021. Here's what to know McDonald's is expanding its permanent menu with a new offering. Photo by McDonald's USA McDonald's is taking another run at chicken fingers, with plans to make them a mainstay. Customers can get their first bites of the new McCrispy Strips on May 5 at participating restaurants nationwide, marking McDonald's first new permanent menu item in four years. The finger food, made with white meat chicken and a crispy coating, comes with a new creamy chili sauce for dipping, according to an April 24 news release. McDonald's McCrispy Strips can be paired with the new creamy chili dip, or another signature dipping sauce. Photo by McDonald's USA They're available in three- or four-piece orders and can be paired with existing dipping sauces including creamy ranch and spicy buffalo, McDonald's said. Pricing information wasn't immediately available. 'The demand for chicken strips has been remarkable to see across the industry, so we knew we had to deliver something so craveable that it was worth the wait,' Alyssa Buetikofer, chief marketing and customer experience officer at McDonald's, said in the release. 'And the best part is we're just getting started,' she said. This isn't McDonald's first take on classic chicken tenders. The burger giant once offered Chicken Selects but dropped them from U.S. menus back in 2013, Reuters reported. Buttermilk Crispy Tenders, a variant of its predecessor, were introduced four years later and quietly discontinued again in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Business Insider. News of the chicken tenders' return prompted a flurry of comparisons from fans. McDonald's is adding chicken tenders to the menu called 'McCrispy Strips'… I wonder if these will be as good as the Chicken Selects they had many many years ago. — KBrew (@kbrewFL) April 24, 2025 Ok I might have to try them McCrispy Strips, it's giving chicken selects from back day — EMarie(@emarieb__) April 23, 2025 They're all made differently and taste different. There was the chicken selects, the buttermilk crispy tenders, and now it's mccrispy strips — (@xjenl0) April 24, 2025 Chicken selects > mccrispy strips — Max Julian (@LilJuMadeDaBeat) April 23, 2025 The McCrispy Strips and creamy chili dip can be ordered on the McDonald's app, in-restaurant, at the drive thru and online, the fast-food chain said. Find your nearest McDonald's here. Tanasia Kenney Sun Herald Go to X Email this person Tanasia is a National Real-Time reporter based in Atlanta. She covers news out of Georgia, Mississippi and the Southeast with a focus on food, retail and consumer reporting. She's an alumna of Kennesaw State University and joined McClatchy in 2020.
Yahoo
26-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
McDonald's chicken strips mark first permanent menu addition in 4 years
This story was originally published on Restaurant Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Restaurant Dive newsletter. McDonald's is adding chicken strips, called McCrispy Strips, to its permanent menu on May 5, the brand said Thursday in a press release. The chicken strips are McDonald's first major addition to its U.S. core menu since 2021. This is the chain's first significant menu launch since it formed its restaurant experience teams, including a chicken menu division, in March. McDonald's chicken strip offering could help insulate the Golden Arches from the competitive threat posed by chicken QSRs. Fast food as a whole has embraced chicken as a major sales driver. McDonald's new restaurant experience teams include a branch solely dedicated to chicken product development, alongside divisions targeting beef products and dessert/beverage innovation. Rival Wendy's is also looking to chicken as a menu innovation priority, and the fastest-growing major chains in terms of sales, according to Circana, are chicken chains like Wingstop and Raising Cane's. 'The demand for chicken strips has been remarkable to see across the industry, so we knew we had to deliver something so craveable that it was worth the wait,' Alyssa Buetikofer, McDonald's chief marketing and customer experience officer, said in a statement. Cesar Piña, the chain's senior vice president and chief supply chain officer, said McDonald's has worked to ensure adequate supply of the menu item. 'Bringing new products to our fans requires collaboration across suppliers, franchisees, and company staff. We hold ourselves to the highest standard and aim to bring fans nothing less than greatness,' Piña said. The Golden Arches is also adding a new permanent dipping sauce, called Creamy Chili Dip, to accompany its chicken strips. McDonald's will sell the strips in three- or four-piece orders. McDonald's needs a win in culinary novelty, as the success of its Chicken Big Mac promotion and $5 Meal Deal last year was erased by a consumer pullback after an E. Coli outbreak linked to contaminated onions on Quarter Pounders. Recommended Reading McDonald's creates 'restaurant experience' team to sharpen menu innovation Sign in to access your portfolio
Forbes
25-04-2025
- Business
- Forbes
McCrispy Strips Mark A New Era For McDonald's Everyday Menu
McDonald's McCrispy Strips White meat lovers, your time has come. McDonald's is bringing their McCrispy Strips back to the menu this May. And the white meat, breaded strips will be a permanent fixture on McDonald's menus nationwide. It's the first such change to American menus in four years, since the chain permanently installed the McCrispy Chicken Sandwich in 2021. "Since stepping into my new role as a leader of the U.S. business this year, I've been excited for fans to get to experience our additional chicken offerings," Alyssa Buetikofer, Chief Marketing and Customer Experience Officer at McDonald's, shared in a statement. "The demand for chicken strips has been remarkable to see across the industry, so we knew we had to deliver something so craveable that it was worth the wait. We took our time, listened to our fans and created a product we knew they would crave. And the best part is we're just getting started.' To pair with the McCrispy chicken strips, a brand-new creamy chili dip, designed to be savory, sweet and tangy sauce and unlock the full flavor potential of the dippable chicken tenders. A McDonald's McCrispy Strips Meal And when McDonald's unleashes a new sauce stateside, fans go wild. In 2023, McDonald's added three new sauce options: the restaurant's first-ever breakfast inspired sauce, Sweet & Spicy Jam Sauce, McDonald's Mambo Sauce, and a fan-favorite new dippable Big Mac Sauce as condiment options with any order. McCrispy Strips will be available starting on Monday, May 5 in three- or four-piece boxes, served with one or two Creamy Chili Dip sauce cups, respectively. "When we introduce a new menu item like McCrispy Strips, we know we have a big promise to fulfill to meet our customer's expectations,' said Cesar Piña, Senior Vice President and Chief Supply Chain Officer at McDonald's. 'From the farms we source from to how food is prepared in our restaurants, bringing new products to our fans requires collaboration across suppliers, franchisees, and company staff. We hold ourselves to the highest standard and aim to bring fans nothing less than greatness.' Chicken is the product fast food restaurants want to lean into in 2025. As the cost of beef continues to rise, chicken is a more affordable option for consumers looking for fast food at a moderate price. McDonald's most recent earnings call, in October 2024, noted that menu items featuring chicken were a big draw for customers, and thus could improve a franchise's profitability. McDonald's is far from the only quick service restaurant brand to lean into chicken offerings. Taco Bell's chicken nuggets In 2024, Taco Bell debuts its Cantina Chicken Menu, which focused on chicken-focused foods like the Cantina Chicken Burrito, Cantina Chicken Quesadilla and Cantina Chicken Soft Taco. Taco Bell also resurrected Crispy Chicken Nuggets, made with all-white meat chicken, zesty jalapeño buttermilk seasoning, and tortilla chip breading, a cast-off from 2021 menus, now available nationwide. The menu additions may also be helpful for longstanding American brands to compete with America's fastest-growing QSR category: Frid chicken chains. Research from the Food Institute shows that chicken chains including Raising Cane's, Dave's Hot Chicken, Super Chix, Urban Bird Chicken, Church's Chicken, and several more are seeing 4.3% growth in guest visits, while other fast food chains average between 1.3% and 2.4% growth. Bird flu, be damned, Americans want their crunchy chicken.
