The clock is ticking — or maybe it’s chicking. McDonald’s Snack Wraps, a chicken-tortilla entree that’s been missing from US locations of the Golden Arches, returns to the huge fast-food chain on Thursday at 10:30 a.m. local time (if you want to be the first in line). A recent analysis by VegasInsider.com found that the Snack Wrap was by far the most searched for discontinued McDonald’s menu item of 2025.
On Tuesday, I tried out the very similar chicken snack wraps at Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, another fast-food franchise that’s jumped on the snack wrap bandwagon. In fact, it was Popeyes’ announcement of their own snack wraps that possibly nudged McDonald’s to announce Thursday as its own release.
I tried a Popeyes Classic Wrap, which tucks a chicken tender into a flour tortilla and adds cheese, (sad little) pickle slices and lettuce. And while I’m not a Snack Wrap obsessive, I have to say I was impressed. The fresh chicken melded with the soft tortilla and made for a tasty meal. Chicken is Popeyes’ specialty, so it remains to be seen if McDonald’s can compete.
Snack Wrap fever
McDonald’s Snack Wraps first came out in 2006, and were meant to be a chicken item that would appeal to drive-thru customers. There are different versions, but the basic one includes white-meat chicken strips known as McCrispy Strips wrapped in a flour tortilla with cheese and lettuce with either ranch, honey mustard or salsa. McCrispy Strips are a reworked version of a chicken item formerly known as Chicken Selects.
Zach Ciampa, who regularly covers new food releases under the social-media handle Snach With Zach, said there’s been an intense fan base out there for the wraps.
“Regarding McDonald’s Snack Wrap, it’s by far the most requested item I’ve ever seen my audience ask or demand to come back,” he told CNET. “Not just the most requested in recent memory, but the most requested of all time. And that’s not limited to McDonald’s.”
Read more: Review: McDonald’s Minecraft Meals Feature The Hottest Nugget Sauce Ever
Ciampa said the only similar fast-food items that come close to the same level of interest are Dairy Queen’s S’mores Blizzard and Taco Bell’s Caramel Apple Empanada, both of which have made recent returns.
McDonald’s is riding a viral wave. The fast-food chain’s Minecraft Happy Meals and adult Minecraft Meals hit restaurants on April 1 and sold out quickly.
What you need to know about Snack Wraps
Release date and time: The Snack Wraps should be at participating McDonald’s on Thursday beginning at 10:30 a.m. local time. You can order on the McDonald’s app, in restaurants, or in drive-thrus.
Price: Snack Wraps are priced at $3 apiece.
Varieties: You can order a Snack Wrap in Spicy, which features a habanero-pepper kick, or Ranch, which features a burst of cool ranch sauce.
