Popeyes takes a dig at McDonald's with newest menu item

McDonald’s had been teasing the return of its discontinued Snack Wraps (or something like them) since 2023, and eventually confirmed that the cult-favorite item would be back on menus sometime this year after being removed from the national menu in 2016.

But perhaps McDonald’s waited a bit too long, because Popeyes has cracked the mystifying secret behind wrapping a piece of fried chicken in a tortilla.

On Monday, Popeyes debuted three varieties of its new Chicken Wraps, which consist of chicken tenders, lettuce, shredded cheese, pickles and sauce (classic, spicy or honey mustard) wrapped up in a biscuit-flavored tortilla. All three are currently available at participating Popeyes locations nationwide.

“With our new Chicken Wraps, we’ve taken our iconic chicken tenders and wrapped them in something completely new, bringing all that craveable crunch in a fresh, portable way,” chef Amy Alarcon, the vice president of culinary innovation at Popeyes, said in a statement included with a press release.

On Monday, Popeyes debuted its Chicken Wraps, which bear a bit of a similarity to a former McDonald’s offering. (Popeyes)

Popeyes, however, is likely aware that this idea isn’t exactly “completely new,” having recently needled McDonald’s about the latter’s long-awaited Snack Wraps, which were similarly composed of chicken, a soft tortilla, lettuce, cheese and a choice of sauce. In an X post shared on Friday, the people behind the Popeyes account appeared to troll McDonald’s for only providing a vague timeframe for the return of their wraps.

Indeed, McDonald’s has been a bit coy about the release date. In a message shared to social media in April, McDonald’s confirmed that Snack Wraps would be returning on the 14th of the month — but they didn’t say which month.

The fast-food chain has yet to publicly set a release date. As recently as Monday, McDonald’s has simply told fans to “stay tuned” to the McDonald’s social media channels for more information.

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In the meantime, anyone looking to deliver a piece of fried chicken into their system by way of a tortilla vessel can visit participating Popeyes restaurants. But they’re only available for a limited time, according to Popeyes.

“[T]hey’re here for a good time, not a long time, so get ‘em while they’re hot,” the company says.