McDonald's has recently added some new items onto its menu, including potato waffles, some new McFlurrys and its first new permanent chicken burger in 15 years. However, the new additions mean some customer favourites have been knocked off the menu, such as the popular Chicken Legend.
The McCrispy's arrival was announced last week, exciting McDonald's fans. At a star-studded launch in Stratford it won over celebrities such as Maya Jama and Leigh Francis.
It is also being joined on the new menu by the BBQ Bacon Stack and Twirl and Mars McFlurrys. Nacho Cheese Bites will also be available from the end of the month.
READ MORE: 6 McDonald's items which are being cut from the menu
To see if the fast-food chain's menu has been improved by the changes, Manchester Evening News reporter Bethan Shufflebotham went along to test out some of the new foods on offer. She was impressed by the new McCrispy, but loved the potato waffles even more.
The potato waffles are on the breakfast menu, whereas the McCrispy is on the daytime menu. So in order to try both, Bethan arrived at 10.55am a her local branch.
She first placed an order for the £1.39 potato waffles on the touch screen, and then, as the clock struck 11am, she joined the queue for the till to order a McCrispy meal with a Fanta for £6.49. The burger on its own would cost £4.99.
Bethan also asked for the new Twirl McFlurry but was told the machine wasn't working yet and she'd have to wait 20 minutes. Determined to fulfil her task of testing the new items, she decided to try the food she had already ordered and would then return for the sweet drink.
First to be tested were the potato waffles. Bethan said they were larger than she expected and "good value for money". The side dish contains three crisply waffles, which seems generous given their size and low price.
The reporter said: "The waffles themselves are thick, with a gorgeously golden coating that offers a satisfying crunch as you bite into them. Their insides are light and flavoursome, albeit they are a little bit greasy - but it’s the perfect ‘hangover cure’ amount of grease.
"Nostalgic and delicious, the potato waffles are, frankly, incredible and I’m praying that they’ll be a permanent menu item. They’re such a great option for people who aren’t a huge fan of hash browns, and are well worth getting out of bed early for. They’re beautiful, carby windows of deliciousness."
Next, she bit into the McCrispy, the chain's first new permanent chicken burger in 15 years. She was excited to try it as it's described as McDonald's "crispiest, crunchiest chicken burger".
It comes in a yellow box and is made from 100% chicken breast fillet, which is topped with lettuce and mayo. A four-inch glazed bun makes it one of the more visually appealing items on the menu.
Bethan describes it as "far superior" to the cheaper Mayo Chicken. She says: "Marinated in black pepper and cayenne, it’s got a bit of a kick to it, but not enough to put a Korma-orderer off. Not only that, but the bun balances any heat with its sweet nutty toasted flavour, making it a really enjoyable and filling meal. Having had the potato waffles prior, I couldn’t finish the last bite, despite being desperate to polish it off."
On its own the burger is £4.99, or costs £6.49 as part of an extra-value meal. The Mayo Chicken is just 99p, but is "pretty bland and far smaller by comparison".
The reporter says a friend of hers described the McCrispy as "a massive Chicken Select encased in bread". Three Chicken Selects are £3.29, with puts the price of the new chicken burger in perspective.
Bethan then went back to order her £1.69 Twirl McFlurry - there's also a smaller version for £1.19. She describes the dessert as "heavenly", made with smooth dairy ice cream, swirled together with pieces of Cadbury's Twirl and Milk Chocolate sauce.
She added: "The McFlurry was a welcome change from the usual flavours. I really like that McDonald’s changes their limited edition flavour every six weeks or so to keep it fresh. It’s exciting to see the McCrispy made a permanent addition to the menu, but it was the potato waffles that totally blew me away. I really hope they’re here for good."
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