McDonald's brings back Snack Wraps and turns up heat on breakfast menu

McDonald’s rolled out new menu items this week — both on Long Island and across the country —  to bring more customers back to the golden arches after foot traffic fell more than expected earlier this year.

The national fast-food giant launched new spicy versions of its signature Egg McMuffin sandwiches on Wednesday and brought back the fan favorite Snack Wrap on Thursday. Last month, the chain expanded its Daily Double burger to menus nationwide as an entree option through the end of the year.

The menu shakeup comes as McDonald’s and its fast-food rivals face rising labor and supply costs slowing customer traffic and stiffening competition from lower-cost grocers.

With inflation pressuring household budgets, especially for lower- and middle-income diners, experts said chains like McDonald’s are leaning on low-price bundles, limited-time offerings and nostalgia-driven items like the Snack Wrap to drive visits and regain momentum.

At a McDonald's in Central Islip on Wednesday, Isabella Trotto, 23, said she was excited about the return of the Snack Wrap, though she’s noticed prices creeping higher.

"I love McDonald's, but I do feel like it's gotten more pricey," said the Central Islip resident, who visits the restaurant with her boyfriend about twice a week.

McDonald’s has said recent hikes reflect higher costs for labor, food and packaging. The company estimates that menu prices have risen about 40% over the past five years — roughly in line with its operating costs.  

In a May 2024 open letter to U.S. customers, the company said its franchisees — who operate 95% of McDonald’s locations nationwide — set their own pricing. A corporate fact sheet broke down average price increases for five popular menu items between 2019 and 2024:

• Egg McMuffin: $3.49 → $4.29 (up 23%)
• Filet-O-Fish: $3.99 → $4.79 (up 20%)
• Big Mac Meal: $7.29 → $9.29 (up 27%); Big Mac only: $4.39 → $5.29 (up 21%)
• 10-piece McNuggets Meal: $7.19 → $9.19 (up 28%); Nuggets only: $4.39 → $5.29 (up 21%)
• Medium Fries: $2.29 → $3.29 (up 44%)

Michael Farella, 28, of Deer Park, another Snack Wrap loyalist, said he’s noticed the price jump but chalks it up to broader economic shifts.

"I feel like everything's getting a little pricey," he said. "But a lot of that is just inflation. I don't know how much of it is McDonald’s themselves."

Other customers have been less forgiving — opting out entirely or visiting less frequently.

 

 McDonald’s bets on nostalgia and novelty 

During its first-quarter earnings call in May, McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski acknowledged that foot traffic dropped more than expected — especially among lower-income diners.

"Low- and middle-income consumers, in particular, are being weighed down by the cumulative impact of inflation and heightened anxiety about the economic outlook," he said.

Fast food chains like McDonald’s also compete with grocery stores like Aldi, Trader Joe’s and Lidl, where it’s often easier to stretch a tight family budget, said R.J. Hottovy, head of analytical research at Placer.ai, a location analytics firm. Avoiding branded products helps those grocers keep costs down, Hottovy said, while restaurants face higher expenses across labor, food, rent and utilities — driving up menu prices and pushing some customers away.

"Especially lower-income and even middle-class consumers are cutting back," said Jeremy Bowman, a stock analyst at The Motley Fool who tracks restaurant chains.

Local franchise owners said they see the new menu push — especially the return of the Snack Wrap, gone since 2016 — as a way to re-engage diners.

“The first quarter … it was tough for pretty much everybody, and that included Long Island,” said Jonah Kaufman, who owns 10 McDonald’s restaurants across Nassau and Suffolk counties.

Since then, Kaufman said, sales have stabilized, and he expects the menu refresh to help.

“I’m very bullish and optimistic about where our business is going — even though we were off to a slow start,” he said. 

To drive traffic, McDonald’s has also leaned into marketing tie-ins like its “Minecraft Movie” campaign, which offered themed meals and in-game rewards.

"There is a demand for innovative products, or nostalgia products, among quick-service restaurants, and that tends to drive visits and repeat visits for a lot of these chains," Hottovy said.

While returning favorites like Snack Wraps often spark buzz, analysts say they’re also part of a practical effort to pull customers back during a tough stretch.

“It’s a well-used playbook,” Bowman said. “Going back to what worked in the past makes sense when you’re trying to rebuild frequency.”

Still, the underlying challenge remains.

“The background environment for quick service restaurants is difficult,” said Kristoffer Inton, a senior analyst at Morningstar Research Services. “[Foot traffic] continues to decline particularly in the U.S., and the decline has recently continued to outpace management expectations.”