Latest news with #AmyAlarcon
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Popeyes sparks fast food war with McDonald's as snack wrap release date announced
Popeyes is unleashing its competitive side after adding Chicken Wraps to its menus this week - as McDonald's finally announced the return date of the beloved Snack Wrap. Popeyes' Chicken Wraps come with lettuce, shredded cheese, and pickles with a choice of Classic, Spicy, or Honey Mustard sauce. 'We wanted to create a Chicken Wrap that was undeniably Popeyes,' said the chain's VP of Culinary Innovation Amy Alarcon. The wraps, available for a limited time, include nearly every ingredient one sees on McDonald's beloved Snack Wraps. The McDonald's item had been a longtime fan favorite item that customers have been waiting for since its 2016 discontinuation. The item, which came with the choice of ranch or honey mustard, was made of grilled or crispy chicken, lettuce, and shredded cheese. The new McDonald's wrap, which will come with a spicy or ranch spread, is set to return at participating locations on July 10, the chain announced Tuesday. While thousands of customers have been reacting to McDonald's Snack Wraps, Popeyes has been busy hinting its intentions to beat the restaurant chain in a fast food war. McDonald's ranch or spicy-flavored Snack Wraps will be available to purchase at participating locations on July 10 Popeyes began its quest on May 30 by mimicking a cryptic X post McDonald's made in April. McDonald's wrote 'Snack wraps 0x14.2025,' making customers believe they would return on the 14th of a month this year. The chicken chain responded on May 30 with 'chicken wraps 0x.02.2025,' which signaled the item would appear in two days on June 2. Popeyes also responded to this morning's Snack Wrap announcement from McDonald's by writing '... y'all good?.' The brand poked fun at the length of the McDonald's social media announcement, writing: 'i ain't reading all that - i'm happy for u tho - or sorry that happened.' As of now, McDonald's has yet to clap back, but its fans were more than thrilled to finally learn the Snack Wrap's release date. Popeyes fans were also excited to try one of its Chicken Wraps and were intrigued by the chains' relationship. 'Popeyes and McDonalds beefing was not on my bingo card,' an X user wrote. I think Popeyes and McDonald's need a debate on the chicken wrap — Loner Skii ⛷️ (@LonerSkii) June 3, 2025 McDonald's and Popeyes chicken wraps this summer: — Public Enemies Podcast (@PublicEnemiesHQ) June 3, 2025 Social media users either rooted for McDonald's or Popeyes, while others were entertained by the disses The battle between McDonald's and Popeyes is nothing new in the fast food world. The restaurant chains challenged one another back in 2019 during the early years of the chicken sandwich wars. Popeyes had already been in a battle with Chick-fil-A over the brands' chicken sandwiches. McDonald's took it to another level by launching a Spicy BBQ Chicken Sandwich. Fast-forward five years into the future, and both restaurant chains are going head-to-head in $5 Meal Deals. McDonald's is still looking to outdo Popeyes in the chicken category and is currently working on three C-suite roles to analyze menu items in three categories: beef, chicken, and beverages and desert. While the two are competing, McDonald's and Popeyes have one thing in common: low first quarter sales this year. Popeyes' same-store sales dropped 4 percent, while McDonald's US sales fell by 3.6 percent. The restaurant chains have not let slipping sales drag them down and, like other fast food brands, are continuing to fight for top dollar.
3 days ago
- Business
Popeyes launches new Chicken Wraps: What to know
Popeyes has added a flavorful new category to its menu. On Monday, the popular fried chicken chain announced the launch of its new Chicken Wraps, which boast the "same legendary Louisiana flavor with a whole new twist." "Whether you're cruising through errands, road tripping or hopping between meetings, Popeyes is bringing their signature crunch that you crave in a grab-and-go style that's big on flavor and easy on the wallet," the company stated in a June 2 press release. Described as "generously sized," the wraps are now available to order at participating locations nationwide, as well as through the Popeyes app and website, for a limited time while supplies last. Priced at $3.99 each, the wraps come in three bold flavor options. "Each one is packed with a Popeyes hand-breaded and battered chicken tender, crisp lettuce, shredded cheese, crunchy pickles and topped with your choice of a Classic, Spicy or Honey Mustard spread, all tucked into a soft, warm tortilla inspired by our famous biscuits," the company stated. According to chef Amy Alarcon, VP of culinary innovation at Popeyes, the new wraps are all about portability and signature flavor. "With our new Chicken Wraps, we've taken our iconic chicken tenders and wrapped them in something completely new, bringing all that craveable crunch in a fresh, portable way," Alarcon said in a statement included with the release. "We wanted to create a Chicken Wrap that was undeniably Popeyes. Infusing the flavors from our famous biscuit into our wraps was the perfect way to ensure our signature flavors shined through." Popeyes also rolled out a refreshing summer beverage lineup, featuring new Blueberry Lemonade and Teas. "Building on the hype of Popeyes viral Pickle Lemonade, this new berry-infused offering includes Blueberry Lemonade (Chilled or Frozen), Blueberry Cane Sweet Tea and Blueberry Unsweet Tea," the company said in its press release Monday. The announcement comes as McDonald's prepares to bring back its fan-favorite Snack Wrap this summer. The returning item -- featuring a chicken strip, shredded lettuce, cheese, and sauce wrapped in a flour tortilla -- is set to become a permanent menu offering at McDonald's restaurants nationwide starting July 10, the chain confirmed to ABC News on Tuesday. "From countless social media posts to full-fledged petitions, they never gave up on their favorite menu item," McDonald's said in a statement, referring to fans of the Snack Wrap. "They're the ones who inspired us to make its return to the menu happen."
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Popeyes throws shade at McDonald's after releasing Chicken Wraps to compete with Snack Wrap: ‘…Y'all good?'
Popeyes announced a new menu item on Monday to rival McDonald's Snack Wrap, which is returning next month. The latter shared an emotional note on X Tuesday over the comeback of its fan-favourite item, which was discontinued in 2016. In response to the unusually long post by its competitor, the fried chicken chain had a hilarious reaction. After months of speculation, McDonald's finally revealed that Snack Wrap will return to its menu on July 10. First introduced in 2006, the popular item features one of McDonald's new McCrispy chicken strips, topped with lettuce and shredded cheese, all wrapped in a soft flour tortilla, according to the company. McDonald's commemorated the return of Snack Wrap with a lengthy post, thanking customers for their unwavering support in achieving this feat. 'I don't usually do this, and i didn't run this by brian from legal (sorry brian). but i have something to say. not as mcdonald's but as the person behind the mcdonald's account,' the fast-food chain wrote on X. 'Yes, i could post about the Snack Wrap, tease you with tweets like 'bring back ___' (knowing exactly what you'd say), and even manifest for its return. but i couldn't bring it back,' McDonald's went on, adding, 'You know who could bring it back? YOU,' while addressing its loyal customers. The company continued to say, 'YOU commented under every post. YOU made petitions. YOU asked for it back in the DRIVE THRU!? YOU tweeted every day for 100 days straight. YOU rallied. you organized. and i saw it all. thanks to you, the Snack Wrap will be back,' before thanking fans for creating a 'movement so powerful that you finally won.' While McDonald's fans were touched by its heartfelt announcement, Popeyes took a hilarious dig at its competitor. In response to the former's post, the latter shared a screenshot of messages, which read, 'I ain't reading all that. I'm happy for u tho (sic). Or sorry that happened.' '…y'all good?' Popeyes asked. In a news release published Monday, Chef Amy Alarcon, VP of Culinary Innovation at Popeyes, said, 'With our new Chicken Wraps, we've taken our iconic chicken tenders and wrapped them in something completely new, bringing all that craveable crunch in a fresh, portable way.' 'We wanted to create a Chicken Wrap that was undeniably Popeyes. Infusing the flavors from our famous biscuit into our wraps was the perfect way to ensure our signature flavors shined through,' Alarcon added. The new Chicken Wraps will be available at participating restaurants nationwide for a limited time, the company said.
Miami Herald
3 days ago
- Business
- Miami Herald
McDonald's teases return of fan favorite after nearly a decade. ‘Ultimate comeback'
The McDonald's snack wrap is staging a comeback nearly 10 years in the making. The beloved wrap will return to menus Thursday, July 10, the fast-food giant announced June 3. 'The snack wrap is back,' Joe Erlinger, president of McDonald's USA, said in a video. 'It's because you've sounded off. We've heard you, we've listened.' The chain didn't say if the wraps will return as a limited-time item, or if they're here to stay. McClatchy News reached out to McDonald's for more information June 3 and was awaiting a response. The news comes nearly a decade after snack wraps were discontinued at U.S. restaurants in 2016, prompting multiple petitions and pleas for their return. The on-the-go snack featured customers' choice of a grilled or crispy chicken strip, lettuce, cheese and sauce in a flour tortilla. McDonald's announcement also comes one day after rival Popeyes launched its own chicken wrap, a first for the fried chicken chain. 'We wanted to create a Chicken Wrap that was undeniably Popeyes,' chef Amy Alarcon, vice president of culinary innovation at Popeyes, said in a news release. 'Infusing the flavors from our famous biscuit into our wraps was the perfect way to ensure our signature flavors shined through.' McDonald's had hinted at the snack wrap's return in recent months with an initial launch date of '0x.14.2025.' In May, it rolled out the new McCrispy Strips, giving fans another sign that the beloved snack was headed back to menus. Before it was officially phased out, some McDonald's franchisees complained about the prep work associated with the wrap: 'They took too long for workers to make, from steaming the tortillas to cutting chicken and folding the ingredients up to fit in the cardboard boxes,' Business Insider reported at the time. News of the snack wrap's return prompted a flurry of reactions online: 'Fans never gave up on the Snack Wrap, inspiring the ultimate comeback,' McDonald's said on its website. Pricing information wasn't immediately available. Find your nearest McDonald's here.
Axios
3 days ago
- Business
- Axios
McDonald's, Popeyes gear up for chicken sandwich war's new battle: wraps
A new battle is cooking in the fast-food industry's Chicken Sandwich Wars — wraps instead of rolls. Why it matters: Reviving fan-favorite items, or featuring new releases, can help restaurants drive sales and bring consumers back. The big picture: Popeyes took the first shot Monday when it released three new chicken wraps. McDonald's said Tuesday that its snack wrap will return in July, months after teasing the popular item's comeback. Wendy's Grilled Chicken Ranch Wrap debuted in March 2023, and Burger King launched its BK Royal Crispy Wraps in August 2023. Context: Popeyes started the sandwich wars in 2019. McDonald's was considered a late entrant, with the fast-food giant promising more chicken items since before the McCrispy Sandwich debuted in 2021. Its new chicken strips launched this May and are a key ingredient in the wraps. Popeyes Chicken Wraps now available Zoom in: Popeyes released three wraps Monday at participating restaurants nationwide, which are available for a limited time. Each has a Popeyes chicken tender with lettuce, shredded cheese and pickles with choice of a Classic, Spicy or Honey Mustard spread. The Chicken Wraps are normally $3.99 each, but prices can vary. What they're saying: "We wanted to create a Chicken Wrap that was undeniably Popeyes," said Amy Alarcon, the company's vice president of culinary innovation, in a statement. "Infusing the flavors from our famous biscuit into our wraps was the perfect way to ensure our signature flavors shined through," Alarcon said. McDonald's Snack Wrap return date Flashback: The original McDonald's Snack Wrap debuted in 2006 and was discontinued in 2016. Fans have been pleading in social posts and petitions for McDonald's to bring the Snack Wrap back for years. What's next: After months of hints, McDonald's said Tuesday the Snack Wrap will come back starting July 10 as a permanent menu item. The fast-food giant also launched a new website which it calls the "content hub for the most anticipated menu item of the decade." McDonald's U.S. President Joe Erlinger had a short statement about the wrap Tuesday: "It's back." The intrigue: The new Snack Wrap will be available in two flavors — spicy and ranch.
