On Wednesday 2 February, McDonald’s is bringing the much-anticipated Chicken Big Mac to 1,300 UK restaurants. This will be followed by a full rollout on 15 March.
The burger will feature the same structure as the beef version (three-layered buns with Big Mac sauce, lettuce, mayo and cheddar cheese), but with the beef patties replaced by chicken ones. It will cost 50p more than the beef burger (£4.09 vs. £3.59), and will also have 36 more calories.
This should not be confused with the ‘Big McChicken’, a so-called secret menu item that consists of a regular big mac but the bread is replaced with chicken patties.
The original Big Mac has been on sale in the UK since 1974 - almost 50 years. Whille new to the UK, the chicken version is already available in Australia and the UAE.
This year saw the introduction of the already incredibly popular McPlant, which is the chain’s first 100% plant-based burger and part of the Mcdonald's vegan menu. There is a huge trend for vegan fast food, with KFC and Burger King also throwing their hats into the ring recently with new plant-based menu items.
The launch of their chicken burger comes amidst other menu changes being implemented by McDonald’s, including the return of the double Big Mac and mozzarella dippers. Also, last year, much to the horror of its fans, McDonald’s removed the Chicken Legend, which will return this February. The Galaxy and salted caramel flavour McFlurries are coming back too.
There is, however, a sting in the tail. The much-loved breakfast bagel and breakfast wrap are coming to an end. Due to their popularity, this is a hugely controversial decision. Acknowledging the gravity of this decision, McDonald’s shared what can only be described as an obituary on social media.
This year, we are seeing that the golden arches giveth, and they taketh away.
For more foodie news, find out a bit more about KFC's vegan burger.