Latest news with #Change.org
The Hill
28 minutes ago
- Business
- The Hill
Snack Wrap unwrapped: Here's why McDonald's is bringing back a fan favorite on July 10
If McDonald's ever doubted it needed to bring back the Snack Wrap, consider this: Nine years after the fast-food powerhouse discontinued the item in the U.S., customers have continued to order it at drive-thrus. Those customers won't have to leave empty-handed for long. On Tuesday, McDonald's announced that a new version of the Snack Wrap will go on sale July 10. McDonald's invented the Snack Wrap — a tortilla full of chicken, lettuce, shredded cheese and sauce — almost two decades ago to make it easier to eat its chicken on the go. But it was too complicated for its kitchens to prepare, so the burger giant abandoned the Snack Wrap in the U.S. in 2016. The decision devastated fans like Alicia Force, a musician and administrative assistant at a high school in Missouri. Force tried to make Snack Wraps at home and sampled alternatives from Arby's and other restaurants, but nothing was the same. So she started a Facebook group with 86 members urging McDonald's to resurrect the Snack Wrap. Other loyal noshers weighed in too. A petition asking McDonald's to bring back the Snack Wrap has nearly 19,000 signatures. A TikTok video showing a U.S. food reviewer eating Snack Wraps in Ireland — where they're still sold — racked up more than 1.4 million views. It had an impact. McDonald's began teasing a Snack Wrap reappearance earlier this year. 'We listen to our fans, and the Snack Wrap's return is a testament to that,' McDonald's U.S. President Joe Erlinger told The Associated Press. But McDonald's has other reasons for the reboot. The Snack Wrap's lower price point could lure back inflation-weary customers, who have been eating fewer fast-food meals in recent months. The wraps' smaller size and tortilla casing also appeal to the health-conscious. Steve Davis, a mental health counselor in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, used to buy six grilled chicken Snack Wraps at a time and keep them in his fridge as a grab-and-go snack. 'I'm not actually a fast-food fan, but Snack Wraps felt different, like I was eating an actual 'wrap.' I felt like I was being healthier,' Davis said. Snack Wraps will also help McDonald's compete with a growing number of rivals. Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen introduced its own chicken wraps on Monday, while Burger King and Wendy's have sold them since 2023. Even the convenience store chain Wawa sells a chicken wrap. 'There's so much opportunity in the chicken category,' Erlinger said. Fast-food chicken sales are nearly twice the size of beef and are growing more quickly across the globe, Erlinger said. Reviving the Snack Wrap was a years-long process, Erlinger said. First, McDonald's wanted to develop a better fried chicken strip. After several years of testing, the Chicago-based company debuted its peppery McCrispy Strips in early May. McDonald's also had to update its Snack Wrap tools, simplify the preparation process and train workers at its 13,500 U.S. restaurants, Erlinger said. 'With this being one of our most highly anticipated menu items, we knew we had one chance to knock it out of the park. It had to be easy for crew to execute,' Erlinger said. For the U.S. comeback, McDonald's is offering fewer kinds of Snack Wraps to ensure faster service. It used to have both grilled and fried chicken options, but it's only offering fried chicken in the U.S. for now. And the relaunched Snack Wraps will only come in two flavors: Ranch or Spicy. The company used to offer additional sauces like honey mustard and sweet chili. That could disappoint some fans. Force was partial to a Snack Wrap with honey mustard sauce, for example. Davis always got grilled chicken on his Snack Wraps, and he rarely went to McDonald's after they disappeared. McDonald's continues to have a wider range of options in some other markets where Snack Wraps never went away. Canada still offers grilled or fried chicken in its Snack Wraps, for example, as well as chicken, fish and breakfast versions of full-sized wraps. McDonald's wouldn't say if it plans to add more Snack Wrap varieties in the U.S. 'We'll continue listening to our fans when it comes to menu innovations,' the company said. Snack Wraps are returning at a sluggish period for fast-food restaurants. From January through April, U.S. fast-food traffic was down 1% compared to the same period a year ago, said David Portalatin, a senior vice president and industry advisor for food service at market research firm Circana. McDonald's same-store sales – or sales at locations open at least a year – were down 3.6% in the first quarter of the year compared to the same period last year. Its same-store sales grew less than 1% in 2024. Inflation is the main culprit, Portalatin said. In the first quarter of this year, the average check at a U.S. fast-food restaurant was up 41% from the same period in 2019, he said. The higher prices have led many Americans – especially middle- to lower-income families – to eat at home instead of going out. McDonald's has tried to counter that with a limited McValue menu and increased deals. But less expensive options like a Snack Wrap may also help. The company won't say how much the Snack Wrap will cost in the U.S. because prices will vary by location. But Burger King's prices may give a clue. At a Michigan restaurant this week, Burger King charged $2.99 for its Royal Crispy Wrap, the 310-calorie equivalent of a Snack Wrap. Burger King's Royal Crispy Chicken sandwich, with a bun, a larger chicken breast and nearly twice the calories, cost $5.49. Portalatin said snack-sized options from McDonald's and others also reflect Americans' changing dining habits. More people are choosing to eat smaller meals throughout the day instead of having having breakfast, lunch and dinner at their traditional times. 'The consumer doesn't think about things in the neat buckets that we as marketers like to think about them,' Portalatin said. 'We like to say, 'This occasion is lunch and these are lunch foods.' The consumer simply says, 'I'm hungry. What time is it? Where am I?'' That was certainly true for Force, who said she has fond memories of picking up a Snack Wrap after school as a teenager. She's looking forward to making that part of her routine once more. 'Hopefully, they come back and they taste the same, and they don't break my heart again, quite frankly,' she said.
San Francisco Chronicle
2 hours ago
- Business
- San Francisco Chronicle
Snack Wrap unwrapped: Here's why McDonald's is bringing back a fan favorite on July 10
If McDonald's ever doubted it needed to bring back the Snack Wrap, consider this: Nine years after the fast-food powerhouse discontinued the item in the U.S., customers have continued to order it at drive-thrus. Those customers won't have to leave empty-handed for long. On Tuesday, McDonald's announced that a new version of the Snack Wrap will go on sale July 10. McDonald's invented the Snack Wrap — a tortilla full of chicken, lettuce, shredded cheese and sauce — almost two decades ago to make it easier to eat its chicken on the go. But it was too complicated for its kitchens to prepare, so the burger giant abandoned the Snack Wrap in the U.S. in 2016. The decision devastated fans like Alicia Force, a musician and administrative assistant at a high school in Missouri. Force tried to make Snack Wraps at home and sampled alternatives from Arby's and other restaurants, but nothing was the same. So she started a Facebook group with 86 members urging McDonald's to resurrect the Snack Wrap. Other loyal noshers weighed in too. A petition asking McDonald's to bring back the Snack Wrap has nearly 19,000 signatures. A TikTok video showing a U.S. food reviewer eating Snack Wraps in Ireland — where they're still sold — racked up more than 1.4 million views. It had an impact. McDonald's began teasing a Snack Wrap reappearance earlier this year. 'We listen to our fans, and the Snack Wrap's return is a testament to that,' McDonald's U.S. President Joe Erlinger told The Associated Press. But McDonald's has other reasons for the reboot. The Snack Wrap's lower price point could lure back inflation-weary customers, who have been eating fewer fast-food meals in recent months. The wraps' smaller size and tortilla casing also appeal to the health-conscious. Steve Davis, a mental health counselor in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, used to buy six grilled chicken Snack Wraps at a time and keep them in his fridge as a grab-and-go snack. 'I'm not actually a fast-food fan, but Snack Wraps felt different, like I was eating an actual 'wrap.' I felt like I was being healthier," Davis said. Snack Wraps will also help McDonald's compete with a growing number of rivals. Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen introduced its own chicken wraps on Monday, while Burger King and Wendy's have sold them since 2023. Even the convenience store chain Wawa sells a chicken wrap. 'There's so much opportunity in the chicken category,' Erlinger said. Fast-food chicken sales are nearly twice the size of beef and are growing more quickly across the globe, Erlinger said. Reviving the Snack Wrap was a years-long process, Erlinger said. First, McDonald's wanted to develop a better fried chicken strip. After several years of testing, the Chicago-based company debuted its peppery McCrispy Strips in early May. McDonald's also had to update its Snack Wrap tools, simplify the preparation process and train workers at its 13,500 U.S. restaurants, Erlinger said. 'With this being one of our most highly anticipated menu items, we knew we had one chance to knock it out of the park. It had to be easy for crew to execute,' Erlinger said. For the U.S. comeback, McDonald's is offering fewer kinds of Snack Wraps to ensure faster service. It used to have both grilled and fried chicken options, but it's only offering fried chicken in the U.S. for now. And the relaunched Snack Wraps will only come in two flavors: Ranch or Spicy. The company used to offer additional sauces like honey mustard and sweet chili. That could disappoint some fans. Force was partial to a Snack Wrap with honey mustard sauce, for example. Davis always got grilled chicken on his Snack Wraps, and he rarely went to McDonald's after they disappeared. McDonald's continues to have a wider range of options in some other markets where Snack Wraps never went away. Canada still offers grilled or fried chicken in its Snack Wraps, for example, as well as chicken, fish and breakfast versions of full-sized wraps. McDonald's wouldn't say if it plans to add more Snack Wrap varieties in the U.S. "We'll continue listening to our fans when it comes to menu innovations," the company said. Snack Wraps are returning at a sluggish period for fast-food restaurants. From January through April, U.S. fast-food traffic was down 1% compared to the same period a year ago, said David Portalatin, a senior vice president and industry advisor for food service at market research firm Circana. McDonald's same-store sales – or sales at locations open at least a year – were down 3.6% in the first quarter of the year compared to the same period last year. Its same-store sales grew less than 1% in 2024. Inflation is the main culprit, Portalatin said. In the first quarter of this year, the average check at a U.S. fast-food restaurant was up 41% from the same period in 2019, he said. The higher prices have led many Americans – especially middle- to lower-income families – to eat at home instead of going out. McDonald's has tried to counter that with a limited McValue menu and increased deals. But less expensive options like a Snack Wrap may also help. The company won't say how much the Snack Wrap will cost in the U.S. because prices will vary by location. But Burger King's prices may give a clue. At a Michigan restaurant this week, Burger King charged $2.99 for its Royal Crispy Wrap, the 310-calorie equivalent of a Snack Wrap. Burger King's Royal Crispy Chicken sandwich, with a bun, a larger chicken breast and nearly twice the calories, cost $5.49. Portalatin said snack-sized options from McDonald's and others also reflect Americans' changing dining habits. More people are choosing to eat smaller meals throughout the day instead of having having breakfast, lunch and dinner at their traditional times. 'The consumer doesn't think about things in the neat buckets that we as marketers like to think about them," Portalatin said. "We like to say, 'This occasion is lunch and these are lunch foods.' The consumer simply says, 'I'm hungry. What time is it? Where am I?'' That was certainly true for Force, who said she has fond memories of picking up a Snack Wrap after school as a teenager. She's looking forward to making that part of her routine once more. 'Hopefully, they come back and they taste the same, and they don't break my heart again, quite frankly,' she said.
Associated Press
2 hours ago
- Business
- Associated Press
Snack Wrap unwrapped: Here's why McDonald's is bringing back a fan favorite on July 10
If McDonald's ever doubted it needed to bring back the Snack Wrap, consider this: Nine years after the fast-food powerhouse discontinued the item in the U.S., customers have continued to order it at drive-thrus. Those customers won't have to leave empty-handed for long. On Tuesday, McDonald's announced that a new version of the Snack Wrap will go on sale July 10. McDonald's invented the Snack Wrap — a tortilla full of chicken, lettuce, shredded cheese and sauce — almost two decades ago to make it easier to eat its chicken on the go. But it was too complicated for its kitchens to prepare, so the burger giant abandoned the Snack Wrap in the U.S. in 2016. The decision devastated fans like Alicia Force, a musician and administrative assistant at a high school in Missouri. Force tried to make Snack Wraps at home and sampled alternatives from Arby's and other restaurants, but nothing was the same. So she started a Facebook group with 86 members urging McDonald's to resurrect the Snack Wrap. Other loyal noshers weighed in too. A petition asking McDonald's to bring back the Snack Wrap has nearly 19,000 signatures. A TikTok video showing a U.S. food reviewer eating Snack Wraps in Ireland — where they're still sold — racked up more than 1.4 million views. It had an impact. McDonald's began teasing a Snack Wrap reappearance earlier this year. 'We listen to our fans, and the Snack Wrap's return is a testament to that,' McDonald's U.S. President Joe Erlinger told The Associated Press. But McDonald's has other reasons for the reboot. The Snack Wrap's lower price point could lure back inflation-weary customers, who have been eating fewer fast-food meals in recent months. The wraps' smaller size and tortilla casing also appeal to the health-conscious. Steve Davis, a mental health counselor in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, used to buy six grilled chicken Snack Wraps at a time and keep them in his fridge as a grab-and-go snack. 'I'm not actually a fast-food fan, but Snack Wraps felt different, like I was eating an actual 'wrap.' I felt like I was being healthier,' Davis said. Snack Wraps will also help McDonald's compete with a growing number of rivals. Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen introduced its own chicken wraps on Monday, while Burger King and Wendy's have sold them since 2023. Even the convenience store chain Wawa sells a chicken wrap. 'There's so much opportunity in the chicken category,' Erlinger said. Fast-food chicken sales are nearly twice the size of beef and are growing more quickly across the globe, Erlinger said. Reviving the Snack Wrap was a years-long process, Erlinger said. First, McDonald's wanted to develop a better fried chicken strip. After several years of testing, the Chicago-based company debuted its peppery McCrispy Strips in early May. McDonald's also had to update its Snack Wrap tools, simplify the preparation process and train workers at its 13,500 U.S. restaurants, Erlinger said. 'With this being one of our most highly anticipated menu items, we knew we had one chance to knock it out of the park. It had to be easy for crew to execute,' Erlinger said. For the U.S. comeback, McDonald's is offering fewer kinds of Snack Wraps to ensure faster service. It used to have both grilled and fried chicken options, but it's only offering fried chicken in the U.S. for now. And the relaunched Snack Wraps will only come in two flavors: Ranch or Spicy. The company used to offer additional sauces like honey mustard and sweet chili. That could disappoint some fans. Force was partial to a Snack Wrap with honey mustard sauce, for example. Davis always got grilled chicken on his Snack Wraps, and he rarely went to McDonald's after they disappeared. McDonald's continues to have a wider range of options in some other markets where Snack Wraps never went away. Canada still offers grilled or fried chicken in its Snack Wraps, for example, as well as chicken, fish and breakfast versions of full-sized wraps. McDonald's wouldn't say if it plans to add more Snack Wrap varieties in the U.S. 'We'll continue listening to our fans when it comes to menu innovations,' the company said. Snack Wraps are returning at a sluggish period for fast-food restaurants. From January through April, U.S. fast-food traffic was down 1% compared to the same period a year ago, said David Portalatin, a senior vice president and industry advisor for food service at market research firm Circana. McDonald's same-store sales – or sales at locations open at least a year – were down 3.6% in the first quarter of the year compared to the same period last year. Its same-store sales grew less than 1% in 2024. Inflation is the main culprit, Portalatin said. In the first quarter of this year, the average check at a U.S. fast-food restaurant was up 41% from the same period in 2019, he said. The higher prices have led many Americans – especially middle- to lower-income families – to eat at home instead of going out. McDonald's has tried to counter that with a limited McValue menu and increased deals. But less expensive options like a Snack Wrap may also help. The company won't say how much the Snack Wrap will cost in the U.S. because prices will vary by location. But Burger King's prices may give a clue. At a Michigan restaurant this week, Burger King charged $2.99 for its Royal Crispy Wrap, the 310-calorie equivalent of a Snack Wrap. Burger King's Royal Crispy Chicken sandwich, with a bun, a larger chicken breast and nearly twice the calories, cost $5.49. Portalatin said snack-sized options from McDonald's and others also reflect Americans' changing dining habits. More people are choosing to eat smaller meals throughout the day instead of having having breakfast, lunch and dinner at their traditional times. 'The consumer doesn't think about things in the neat buckets that we as marketers like to think about them,' Portalatin said. 'We like to say, 'This occasion is lunch and these are lunch foods.' The consumer simply says, 'I'm hungry. What time is it? Where am I?'' That was certainly true for Force, who said she has fond memories of picking up a Snack Wrap after school as a teenager. She's looking forward to making that part of her routine once more. 'Hopefully, they come back and they taste the same, and they don't break my heart again, quite frankly,' she said.
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
A Second Member of the Manson Family Was Recommended for Parole
A Second Member of the Manson Family Was Recommended for Parole - Again originally appeared on L.A. Mag. Charles Manson follower Patricia Krenwinkel, 77, who was among the people convicted of a murderous rampage that left seven Angelenos dead in the summer of 1969, could be released on parole upon the recommendation the California parole 77, the state's longest-serving female inmate, could become the the second member of the notoriously violent killer cult that went on a bloody crime spree that terrorized Los Angeles to be released, something that is being vehemently opposed by her victims' family members. She was convicted in the brutal slaying of Leno and Rosemary LaBianca, a grocery store owner and his wife whose grisly deaths bookended the infamous Manson Family rampage that took that also took the life of actress Sharon Tate (pregnant at the time with Roman Polanski's baby) as well as celebrity hairstylist Jay Sebring; coffee heiress Abigail Folger; Folger's boyfriend, Wojciech Frykowski; and Steven Parent, a friend of the estate's sister Debra described Kreneinkel's actions in the slayings, how she personally carved the word "WAR" into Leno LaBianca's belly with a carving knife and decorated the walls of his family's home with political messages like "Death to Pigs" written in the blood of her victims in a petition. "She has admitted that was not a direct order from Charles Manson or anyone else- it was her own idea," Tate wrote in the petition that urges California residents to demand that Governor Gavin Newsom keep Krenwinkel, now known as prisoner CDC# W-0831, behind bars. "For years this woman laughed about the murders in court and showed absolutely no remorse at all. She admits she was not on drugs the nights of the murders and committed them to ignite a race war." Those murders came just one night after Manson Family members Krenwinkel, then 21, along with Charles 'Tex' Watson, Susan Atkins, and Linda Kasabian killed Tate and the others in a house on Cielo Drive in Benedict Canyon. Krenwinkel testified that she chased Folger down and stabbed her so many times her hand throbbed. The governor noted in his parole reversal that "Krenwinkel or one or more of her crime partners tied ropes around the necks of Mr. Sebring and Ms. Tate and her two crime partners stabbed them repeatedly, killing them. Ms. Tate was eight months pregnant when she was killed. The group wrote 'pig' in blood on the front door before fleeing," Newsom wrote. Manson, the governor noted, told Krenwinkel to do something 'witchy,' so she used blood to write 'Death to Pigs,' 'Rise,' and 'Healter [sic] Skelter' on the walls. The bodies and the grisly scene were found by the victims' son. Krenwinkel was granted parole on May 26, 2022, but the decision was reversed by Newsom on October 14, 2022, citing her horrific crimes and the continued threat she would pose to society if released. In all, the Parole Board has conducted 16 hearings for Krenwinkel since she became eligible for parole in 1977 after her death penalty sentence was deemed unconstitutional. But the elderly murderer might have a better chance at release now that her former Manson family sister is out on the streets. Her attorney, Keith Wattley told Los Angeles in a statement that his client "is living proof of both redemption and rehabilitation." Wattley said that she has spent 56 years in prison without "a single disciplinary infraction," and insists nine psychological evaluations suggest she is not longer a danger. to society." In July 2023, to the surprise of virtually everyone, her fellow Manson family follower Leslie Van Houten, one of the most notorious killers in the history of Southern California, a woman who for the past five decades has been known as prisoner number W-13378 was released. Van Houten was not at the Tate murders, but joined the gang for a second round of mayhem, this time in Los Feliz, where cult leader Charles Manson randomly chose the LaBiancas as their next victims. According to court records, Watson attacked Leno LaBianca with a bayonet, the two women went after his wife, Rosemary. Van Houten pulled a pillowcase over her head and wrapped a lamp cord around her neck while Krenwinkel plunged a knife so deep into her collarbone that it bent the died in prison in 2009. Manson died in prison in 2017 at the age of 83. Watson, 79, remains in a prison in Los Angeles County. Kasbian, who became the prosecution's lead witness and testified against Manson, died in 2023. It remains unclear where Van Houten is living now. The most recent recommendation by the Parole Board is not a done deal for Krenwinkel. The board's legal division has up to 120 days to finalize the decision, and then Newsom has 30 days to review and potentially reverse it. His office has not commented on the recommendation. This story was originally reported by L.A. Mag on Jun 3, 2025, where it first appeared.
South Wales Argus
15 hours ago
- Health
- South Wales Argus
Letter demands better pancreatic cancer detection in Wales
The letter, signed by more than 59,000 people, was handed over on behalf of a dad who died four weeks after his diagnosis. Pancreatic Cancer UK joined forces with Plaid Cymru's deputy Senedd leader, Delyth Jewell MS, and Isla Gear, a Scottish campaigner whose brother, Tam Barker, died from pancreatic cancer at the age of 47. Mr Barker's diagnosis came too late and he died, leaving behind a 12-year-old son. Since then, Ms Gear has been fighting for earlier detection of the disease, and her petition on received 200,000 signatures. Ms Jewell said: "Pancreatic cancer still robs too many people of their loved ones. "Five hundred people will likely be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer every year in Wales, but 300 of them will be diagnosed at a late stage. "It's these cruelly late diagnosis rates that we have to tackle because we have to find new ways of offering hope to the people it affects. "My grandmother died of pancreatic cancer more than 20 years ago. "The pain she went through was devastating to my family, and I want to do everything I can to prevent other families from having to face that kind of ordeal. "I don't want anyone to have to go through what she went through, or what my mother went through in losing her like that." The letter calls for the Welsh Government to invest in regular monitoring for those at high risk, support the development of new detection tests, and urge the UK Government to allocate at least £35 million annually for 20 years for research. Currently, there are no early detection tests, and 80 per cent of patients are not diagnosed until the cancer is at an advanced stage. Isla Gear, 38, said: "While he was in hospital Tam said he never wanted anyone else to go through this. "By uniting, I hope to raise even more awareness and secure change for everyone facing pancreatic cancer in the future."
