I tried McDonald’s new McCrispy Strips — I’m not surprised they’re dividing customers

Amid reports McDonald’s is having a tough time selling the new chicken strips, Caitlin Hornik volunteered to taste test the fast food chain’s first permanent menu addition in about four years.

I tried McDonald’s new McCrispy Strips — and I’m not overly impressed.

Described by the fast food chain as “juicy, 100 percent white meat, coated with crispy golden-brown breading and bursting with a bold, new black pepper flavor,” the McCrispy Strips debuted in McDonald’s locations nationwide May 5. To complement the strips, McDonald’s introduced Creamy Chili Dip, described as a “savory, sweet, and tangy sauce.”

However, analysis from Loop Capital suggests that customers aren’t satisfied with the new offering, which hasn’t performed as well as the fast food chain was anticipating. The report stated that while analysts “hoped the superior taste profile of the new chicken strips would overcome the product’s appearance,” they’ve “received predominantly negative customer feedback to date,” Barron’s reported.

On social media, too, reactions to the strips were divided. “Ya tried them, they were terrible,” one person wrote on X while another agreed: “I won’t crave them, that's for sure.”

But others had more favorable opinions. “They are such an upgrade over McNuggets, and the sauce is delicious. It’s my new choice,” someone else shared as another wrote: “The McCrispy Strips didn’t disappoint yesterday good job McDonalds.”

McDonald's McCrispy strips (Caitlin Hornik/The Independent)

The strips can be purchased solo in a three or four-piece box with two dipping sauces, or as part of a meal including fries and a beverage. They retail for about $5 or $6, depending on location and more than double that if making it a meal. A three-piece purchased in New York City cost $8 with tax.

McCrispy Strips were introduced as a precursor to the return of the beloved McDonald’s Snack Wrap.

Growing up, I ate my fair share of Snack Wraps. First introduced to the McDonald’s menu in 2006, the wrap consisted of either a grilled or crispy chicken strip (known then as Chicken Selects), lettuce, shredded cheese, and ranch or honey mustard inside a tortilla. The Snack Wrap was so popular when it launched that it was credited with boosting the chain’s sales — which is likely what the chain is hoping for when the wrap returns to menus nationwide July 10.

After trying the McCrispy Strips, I can say with certainty that if McDonald’s is planning to use them in Snack Wraps instead of bringing back Chicken Selects, there’s cause for concern.

The new McDonald's Snack Wrap will debut July 10 (McDonald's)

Lovers of the old-school Chicken Selects hoping for a replacement will be disappointed to know the McCrispy Strips are quite different. Whereas Chicken Selects had a light, crispy, crunchy breading, the McCrispy Strips fall a bit flat. They’re thin but lacking any real crunch or crispiness — and they’re tough to bite into. I was actually shocked by how hard it was to take a full bite out of one of the strips.

The flavor itself wasn’t terrible. It tasted like chicken seasoned with black pepper, not too far off from the McDonald’s description. But it was definitely lacking its namesake crispiness.

McDonald's McCrispy Strips came in a very greasy-looking box (Caitlin Hornik/The Independent)

Presentation-wise, the box containing the strips was covered in grease and oil; not the most appetizing look.

At first glance, the strips themselves didn’t look terrible, but my tune changed when I picked one up and it jiggled around like a fish out of water. Rubbery was the word that came to mind; a strange and, frankly, unappetizing adjective for something claiming to be, well, crispy.

The McCrispy Strips also reminded me of another fast food chain — Burger King. Two of the three McCrispy Strips in my order looked like Burger King Chicken Fries, another fast food menu item I remember going crazy for as a kid. So if McDonald’s was hoping for a nostalgia factor, they’ve achieved it.

The accompanying Creamy Chili Dip tasted like sweet and sour sauce from a Chinese restaurant — also not my favorite. It had a kick from the red pepper, but tasted too sweet and had an odd aftertaste.

Overall, it’s easy to see why McDonald’s is struggling to sell the McCrispy Strips. They’re just not as good as Chicken Selects. Despite tasting better than I anticipated, they don’t hold a candle to their predecessor.