McDonald's has gotten pretty stingy with limited-time offers.
A few items come back at the same time each year, like the Shamrock Shake and various seasonal flavored coffees. But the chain has largely kept its core menu the same.
Instead of adding new items, as rivals Wendy's and Restaurant Brands International's (QSR) -) Burger King do regularly, McDonald's has leaned on gimmicks. These include its "Famous Orders," where celebrities talk about what they like to eat at the chain.
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That strategy is fairly brilliant because it does not add any expense or make it harder in the kitchen. In fact, having customers request the "Famous Orders," like the BTS, Travis Scott, Cardi B and Offset meals, might speed production in the chain's kitchens because so many people order the same thing.
McDonald's has used that same philosophy with its "As Featured In Meals," which highlights orders used in TV shows or movies. In both cases, McDonald's gets a new promotion without offering any new food.
That has allowed the company to be very selective when it comes to adding new limited-time-offer menu items. McDonald's has done that — the chain recently added the Peanut Butter Crunch McFlurry nationwide — but new hot food items have been very rare.
Now, McDonald's has surprised fans by bringing back a popular version of one of its classic menu items that many thought might never return.
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McDonald's brings back Spicy Chicken McNuggets
When McDonald's introduces a new menu item, the chain must factor in how severely its production will strain its kitchens. That factor is even more important now that the company has seen so much of its business shift to digital and delivery orders.
Franchise owners don't want to add labor or equipment. That's why many limited-time offers at Wendy's and Burger King simply add a new sauce, cheese, or other topping. Doing this enables the kitchen to produce the item without making major operational changes.
McDonald's has limited kitchen space, only so much grill surface, and a fixed amount of fryers. That's why franchisees balked at the chain's All-Day Breakfast. It slowed production: If a fryer is making hash browns, it's not making french fries or Chicken McNuggets.
That's why many people thought McDonald's might never bring back Spicy Chicken McNuggets. The returning menu item has to be cooked separately from classic McNuggets, which complicates kitchen production. Nonetheless, the spicy variant of the popular menu item has made a surprise return.
"McDonald’s Spicy Chicken McNuggets are back for a limited time with a spicy breading that adds a real kick to the fan-favorite Chicken McNuggets," the chain said on its website. "Breaded in a crispy coating, flavorfully spiced with a blend of aged cayenne and chili pepper, they’re sure to get your attention."
A six-piece order comes in at 290 calories and 18 grams of fat (23% of the daily recommended total).
McDonald's bets big on innovation
While McDonald's has not been as innovative as Burger King and Wendy's when it comes to new menu items, it has outpaced its rivals in the digital space. Chief Executive Chris Kempczinski talked about that investment during his chain's second-quarter-earnings call.
"Digital for us is something that is actually, I think, a virtuous loop, where you're seeing the stronger our digital business becomes, the more that it's driving customer engagement in digital," he said. "Our app downloads, and when you compare us to anybody else in the industry, it's orders of magnitude difference, and that creates some economies of scale that become self-perpetuating over time."
McDonald's has pushed many of its deals into its app, enticing customers to download it. That has worked as the chain's digital sales have grown steadily around the world.
