Nothing makes me more upset than learning that my favorite food or TV show has been discontinued. It's that unsettling feeling that people who didn't get a chance to try the discontinued product will never understand its greatness, and never will. Although (unfortunately) this applies to many aspects of my life, I'm specifically talking about the moment (circa 2013) when McDonald's decided to take the magnificent Chicken Selects off its menu.
However, my faith in Mickey D's has been restored. Sources tell us that McD's is testing Buttermilk Chicken Tenders, and it sounds a lot like the Chicken Selects we're all still mourning.
In a fast food world dominated by burgers, fries, and chicken, McDonald's is surely a leader of the pack. However, with competitors like Wendy's and Burger King releasing new chicken products, Mickey D's had to make moves.
“The introduction of the Buttermilk Crispy Tenders is part of McDonald’s efforts to continue our food journey by listening to our customers,” said Chef Michael Haracz, manager of culinary innovation at McDonald's USA, in a press release. “We know people love chicken tenders, and we are committed to creating great tasting food with quality ingredients and testing new innovations for our customers.
He's right about that. McDonald's began testing it's Buttermilk Chicken Tenders, coupled with a new signature sauce titled, "slightly tangy and sweet". This addition is aimed to be a play on the Buttermilk Chicken Sandwich which boosted sales in a sluggish 2015 fast food market, and quickly became one of McD's most popular items, according to CNBC.
McDonald's has been revamping its image by re-engineering menu items to be less processed and overall healthier. These new tender additions are made with 100% white meat and no artificial flavors, colors, preservatives, or MSG. Whoa, that sounds clean.
However, there is a catch; because Mickey D's is testing the chicken tenders in 138 restaurants in Charlotte, North Carolina. So it looks like I'll be making a trip down south. Although one Twitter user wasn't a fan...
And of course, Wendy's is on that roasting spree.
But I'm not convinced. I have faith in McDonald's Buttermilk Chicken Tenders. Now I just need to know how these compare to Chicken Selects.