In a twist on the original Big Mac, which first came to stores in 1968, today McDonald’s revealed that its LTO innovation, the Chicken Big Mac, will roll out on October 10.
“With the introduction of the Chicken Big Mac, we’re excited to pay homage to one of our most iconic menu items, the Big Mac, and introduce it to a whole new generation of fans,” said Tariq Hassan, chief marketing and customer experience officer at McDonald’s USA, in a statement. “By tapping into some of our fans’ biggest passions from dupe culture to live-streaming, we’re able to serve up more than just a sandwich.”
“There truly is something for everyone to enjoy in this campaign and we’re bringing experiences that will surprise and delight them, all before the Chicken Big Mac hits restaurants.”
McDonald’s secretly piloted the innovation at a Los Angeles pop-up in a one-day-only experience called McDonnell’s, according to a press release from McDonald’s. The offering, dubbed “The Chicken Sandwich,” featured the Big Mac analog along with Chain’s signatures including beef tallow fries, deep-fried apple pie, and soft serve ice cream.
The company’s marketing campaign targets social media moments and plays into a social media trend called “dupe culture,” wherein people buy cheaper versions of expensive products. Chain and McDonald’s took to Instagram to invite attendees of the “duped” pop-up experience to give their thoughts on the Chicken Big Mac disguised as the McDonnell’s sandwich.
“It’s impressive how close this is to McDonald’s,” mused one attendee.
To promote the offering, McDonald’s also teamed up with internet personality Kai Cenat to ask fans to opine whether the Chicken Big Mac can be considered a Big Mac.
The new sandwich will be available at participating U.S. McDonald’s locations while supplies last, the fast-food giant said.
The Food Institute Podcast
Restaurant results for the second quarter weren’t stellar, but people still need to eat. Are they turning to their refrigerators, or are restaurants still on the menu for consumers? Circana Senior Vice President David Portalatin joined The Food Institute Podcast to discuss the makeup of the current restaurant customer amid a rising trend of home-centricity.
