By Heather Haddon

Just having a crispy chicken sandwich may not be enough anymore in the fast-food business. McDonald's said Monday that it is testing hand-breaded chicken, part of a new multi-year strategic plan to upgrade its menu, service, restaurant designs and online marketing.

"The competitive landscape is changing and with it, customers' expectations," CEO Chris Kempczinski said in a company message.

McDonald's has been expanding its chicken offerings, including through snack wraps and strips, but the company believes it needs more options to succeed. Some of the industry's fastest-growing and most profitable players hand-bread their chicken in restaurants, including Chick-fil-A and Raising Cane's.

In places where McDonald's has again started selling hand-breaded wings, sandwiches and strips, like Malaysia and China, the chain said customer visits increased. McDonald's is testing hand-breaded chicken options in some Chicago locations this year.

Hand-breaded chicken generally gets better reviews than frying frozen pieces, but is more complicated to prepare. Burger King in 2022 dropped a hand-breaded chicken sandwich after it proved too difficult to make.

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June 01, 2026 14:15 ET (18:15 GMT)

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