A Jumbo-Sized Chicken Sandwich Is On Its Way To Select McDonald's Menus

Seemingly to prove that bigger might just be better, McDonald's has unleashed a massive new chicken sandwich at select locations across the country. According to a press release shared with Daily Meal, the chain's Grand McChicken has made its debut in cities around California, including Sacramento, Bakersfield, Fresno, and Chico, as well as Reno, Nevada. Customers in these cities may want to make their way to their local outpost if they're interested in sampling the fast food behemoth's latest upsized offering, as it will only be available at these locations for a limited time.

The Grand McChicken is a spin on the chain's original McChicken sandwich, which features a fried and breaded chicken patty topped with mayonnaise and lettuce and served between a toasted bun. The new sandwich will feature the same ingredients, albeit with a much larger chicken patty (one that extends past the bun), to cater to its hungriest fans. The Grand McChicken can be ordered in-store, on the McDonald's app, or via the drive-thru, provided you're located in one of the cities where the new menu option is being tested.

Like many other fast food restaurants, McDonald's often releases new meals and menu items to select test markets to see how the menu option will fare. Along with avoiding the frustration of launching a product nationally only to see it fizzle out, test markets allow establishments to tweak their products to ensure the best chance of success if launched nationally.

While there's no guarantee that the Grand McChicken will make its way to other cities, a favorable response in the test markets definitely increases the odds. On the other hand, a poor showing can prevent items from being added to a national menu. For instance, McDonald's McPlant Burger (which features Beyond Meat) has had a disheartening start in test markets throughout Texas and California. As a result, the chain is holding off on a national launch, although the meatless sandwich could make its way to other test markets. Will the Grand McChicken suffer the same fate? It's too early to say, but the appeal of crispy fried chicken sandwiches is hard for many people to ignore — especially when said chicken is substantially sized.