CHICAGO, Illinois: McDonald's is bringing back its much-loved Snack Wrap in the U.S. starting July 10.

The wrap, which includes chicken, lettuce, cheese, and sauce inside a tortilla, was removed from U.S. menus in 2016 because it was too time-consuming for kitchen staff to make. However, even nine years later, some customers still try to order it at drive-thrus.

The Snack Wrap was first introduced nearly 20 years ago to give customers an easy way to enjoy McDonald's chicken. Many fans were upset when it was discontinued. Alicia Force, a musician and school assistant in Missouri, even created a Facebook group with 86 members to push McDonald's to bring it back. Others signed an online petition with nearly 19,000 names or watched videos of people enjoying Snack Wraps in countries like Ireland, where they were never removed from the menu.

McDonald's U.S. President Joe Erlinger said the company listened to its fans and is happy to bring the wrap back. But fan demand isn't the only reason for its return. The Snack Wrap is smaller and more affordable, which may attract customers who are spending less due to inflation. It's also appealing to those looking for lighter meal options.

Steve Davis, a mental health counselor in Florida, said he used to buy six grilled chicken Snack Wraps at once to keep in his fridge. He's not a big fast-food eater but felt the wraps were healthier than burgers.

McDonald's also faces rising competition. Popeyes introduced chicken wraps recently, and both Burger King and Wendy's have had their versions since 2023. Even convenience stores like Wawa are selling wraps. According to Erlinger, chicken is now almost twice as popular as beef in fast food and is growing even faster.

To bring the Snack Wrap back, McDonald's first needed a better chicken strip. After years of testing, it launched the peppery McCrispy Strip in May. The company also had to improve tools, simplify kitchen prep, and train workers at its 13,500 U.S. locations. Erlinger said it was essential to make the wrap easy to prepare because of the high demand.

For now, McDonald's is keeping things simple. Only fried chicken Snack Wraps will be available, and customers can choose from two flavors: Ranch or Spicy. Options like grilled chicken, honey mustard, or sweet chili sauce are not returning yet. This may disappoint fans like Force, who loved the honey mustard version, and Davis, who preferred grilled chicken.

In some countries, McDonald's still offers more wrap choices. In Canada, for example, wraps come with grilled or fried chicken, and there are also fish and breakfast versions. McDonald's has not said whether it will expand its options in the U.S. in the future.

The return comes at a difficult time for fast food. From January to April, U.S. fast-food visits dropped one percent from the same time last year. McDonald's sales also fell 3.6 percent in the first quarter of 2025. Rising prices are a big reason. The average fast-food bill is now 41 percent higher than in 2019.

Cheaper snacks like the Snack Wrap may help bring customers back. Though McDonald's hasn't shared the U.S. price, Burger King's similar wrap costs US$2.99.

Food expert David Portalatin said more people are now eating smaller meals throughout the day instead of three big ones. "Consumers just want something quick when they're hungry," he said.

Force agrees. As a teen, she loved grabbing a Snack Wrap after school. "Hopefully, they come back, and they taste the same, and they don't break my heart again, quite frankly," she said.