McDonald’s ​UK & Ireland ​has ​announced ​an ​operational ​pilot ​for ​hand-breaded ​chicken ​across ​select ​Dublin ​locations ​from ​mid-October ​until ​February. ​

Chicken ​is ​a ​significant ​growth ​opportunity ​for ​the ​business, ​representing ​a ​category ​worth ​nearly ​$130 ​billion ​(€116 billion) across ​McDonald’s ​top ​10 ​markets. ​

In ​Ireland ​specifically, ​McDonald’s believes chicken ​represents ​a ​significant ​growth ​opportunity ​for ​the ​brand, ​and ​the ​country’s ​chicken ​leadership, ​operational ​expertise ​and ​strong ​customer ​demand ​make ​it ​an ​ideal ​market ​to ​introduce ​hand-breaded ​chicken ​to ​Europe ​and ​learn ​how ​to ​bring ​it ​to ​more ​customers.

Significant Opportunity

“This ​is ​about ​much ​more ​than ​introducing ​a ​new ​way ​of ​preparing ​chicken,” said Tim ​Kenward, ​chief ​marketing ​officer, ​McDonald’s ​UK & Ireland. ​

“We’re ​piloting ​how ​our ​restaurants ​can ​consistently ​deliver ​the ​taste, ​quality ​and ​visible ​care ​that ​customers ​increasingly ​expect, ​without ​adding ​unnecessary ​complexity ​for ​our ​teams.”

Hand-breading ​has ​already ​proven ​to ​be ​a ​significant ​opportunity ​to ​upgrade ​taste ​and ​quality ​across ​more ​than ​10,000 ​McDonald’s ​restaurants ​in ​Asia, ​where ​it ​has ​helped ​the ​brand ​become ​a ​market ​leader ​for ​great-tasting ​chicken ​and ​grow ​both ​sales ​and ​share.

Building ​on ​learnings ​from ​these ​international ​markets, ​McDonald’s ​has ​also ​been ​piloting ​the ​concept ​in ​restaurants ​near ​the ​company’s ​headquarters ​in ​the ​United ​States, ​where ​customer ​feedback ​has ​been ​strong, ​with ​double-digit ​increases ​in ​chicken ​taste ​and ​quality ​scores.

‘Ideal Market’

Ireland ​will ​now ​play ​a ​key ​role ​in ​informing ​the ​next ​phase ​of ​McDonald’s ​hand-breaded ​chicken ​journey. ​The ​operational ​pilot ​will ​test ​restaurants’ ​ability ​to ​deliver ​hand-breaded ​chicken ​menu ​offerings ​with ​minimal ​complexity ​and ​disruption ​in ​the ​kitchen, ​generating ​operational ​learnings ​that ​could ​help ​inform ​future ​menu ​innovation ​across ​the ​wider ​McDonald’s ​system.

The ​pilot ​is ​an ​example ​of ​how ​McDonald’s ​uses ​its ​global ​scale ​and ​local ​market ​insights ​to ​identify ​growth ​opportunities, ​test ​them ​rigorously ​in ​real ​restaurants ​and ​build ​the ​capabilities ​required ​to ​deliver ​them ​consistently.

“Ireland’s ​strength ​in ​chicken ​makes ​it ​the ​ideal ​market ​to ​help ​us ​understand ​what ​it ​takes ​to ​deliver ​this ​at ​scale ​and ​support ​our ​ambition ​to ​become ​the ​first ​choice ​for ​more ​customers, ​more ​often,” said Tim ​Kenward.