McDonald’s is adding its first new permanent addition to its menu in four years

Chicken has quickly become the fast-food menu item of choice for American consumers, putting McDonald’s in a tough spot.

Chicken revenue at McDonald’s fell behind the explosive sales at Raising Cane’s, Wingstop and other chicken-centric chains, as well as new entrants like Taco Bell, which all sell crispy chicken tenders and nuggets.

So McDonald’s revealed Thursday that it will bring back its eagerly anticipated chicken strips following a five-year disappearance.

Beginning May 5, the chain will start selling McCrispy Strips, which are all-white chicken tenders coated in crispy, golden-brown breading. The tenders are an extension of the chain’s crispy chicken sandwich, its last permanent menu item, which McDonald’s began selling in 2021 after a Popeyes version exploded in popularity.

McDonald’s is also adding a new, Creamy Chili dip. The tenders will be served in three or four pieces, along with other sauces, including barbecue, spicy buffalo and ranch dressing.

Chicken strips were pulled from McDonald’s menus in 2020, at the height of the pandemic, in a broader revamp of its menu aimed at simplifying operations.

However, they’ve been requested by fans, and McDonald’s on Thursday announced their return.

“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,” Alyssa Buetikofer, chief marketing and customer experience officer at McDonald’s, said in a press release.

Adding chicken tenders means McDonald’s is one step closer to the return of the Snack Wrap – another fan-demanded item expected to be rolled out this year – because it uses the same chicken tender for its filling.

The return of McCrispy Strips could provide a boost for McDonald’s. The chain has struggled financially over the past year because customers see its prices as too high, which has even forced it to add a new value menu. McDonald’s reports earnings on May 1.