"Too Big a Chicken": McDonald's Partners Deem the New Menu a Failure

Some McDonald's franchisees consider the company's strategy to boost sales of crispy-skinned chicken—which is supposed to be breaded by hand before frying—to be "doomed to fail," according to BTIG analyst Peter Saleh. According to restaurant operators who spoke with the analyst, the problem lies partly in high costs and partly in the fact that the chicken carcasses are too large for this cooking method, MarketWatch reports.

“The franchisees pointed out that the poultry is too large and the meat turns out tough, and the company should consider switching to smaller birds of a different breed,” Saleh said, describing his conversation with the restaurant operators.

Franchisees also complained that installing the new deep fryers, drains, and exhaust hoods required for frying chicken could require six-figure investments, force the restaurant to close for several days, and result in additional working hours for kitchen staff. These changes, they say, will also create new food safety risks.

At the same time, some franchisees acknowledged that adding crispy chicken to the menu is the only way to keep up with rival chains Chick-fil-A and Raising Cane’s, which specialize in chicken and are popular in the U.S. However, Saleh noted that McDonald’s previous chicken offerings, with different cuts and seasonings, did not resonate with consumers. “Some franchisees pointed out that no other burger fast-food chain offers hand-breaded chicken—and for good reason; others cited Burger King’s unsuccessful experience,” he said. Burger King’s Ch’King sandwich lasted only about 15 months on the menu in 2021–2022. It was discontinued due to weak sales, operational glitches, and difficulties with preparation during night shifts, the analyst noted.

McDonald's did not respond to a request for comment. The company's stock has fallen by more than 18% since the beginning of the year.

McDonald's announced its focus on new chicken products in September as part of a new strategy that calls for approximately $8.5 billion in investments worldwide through 2036. At the time, analysts speculated that the menu would include fried chicken that would be hand-dredged in breading during preparation to create a crispy crust. The introduction of such a product would intensify the chain’s competition with Chick-fil-A and Raising Cane’s.

Thanks to this strategy, McDonald's expects to increase its share of the global fast-food chicken market by 1.5 percentage points by 2030. Currently, that share is estimated at 10–20%. By comparison, McDonald's controls about 45% of the beef burger market.

This article was AI-translated and verified by a human editor