McDonald's confirms it is rolling out Cheesy Bacon Fries and more bacon-centric menu items across America
- McDonald's is rolling out Cheesy Bacon Fries on January 30.
- The cheesy limited-time offer is intended to encourage customers to consider purchasing loaded fries as a snack - instead of just as a side - and to boost the number of customers visiting the chain.
- The fast-food giant is also rolling out the Big Mac Bacon and Quarter Pounder Bacon, adding bacon onto classic McDonald's burgers.
McDonald's is going all-in on bacon.
On Wednesday, the fast-food giant confirmed that it is rolling out Cheesy Bacon Fries. The cheddar-cheese-sauce-and-bacon-bits-covered fries will hit menus on January 30.
McDonald's is also rolling out the Big Mac Bacon and Quarter Pounder Bacon, which add bacon onto classic McDonald's burgers.
In December, Business Insider broke the news that McDonald's would be taking the bacon-topped dish national.
Read more: Leaked photos reveal that McDonald's is rolling out its new cheesy bacon fries across the US
Since then, analysts have been buzzing about the potential sales boost bacon could bring. The launch is intended to encourage customers to consider purchasing loaded fries as a snack - instead of just as a side - and to boost the number of customers visiting the chain, according to internal documents viewed by Business Insider.
Earlier in January, Mark Kalinowski of Kalinowski Equity Research chose McDonald's as one of his top two restaurant stocks for 2019. Kalinowski is optimistic about the fast-food giant's potential due to its same-store sales compared to rivals, international possibilities, future-centric game plan - and cheese fries.
"We are also excited to see what the nationwide (U.S.) launch of Cheesy Bacon Fries in early 2019 might do for McDonald's U.S., particularly if sales of that item turn out to be solid after initial customer trial," Kalinowski wrote.
McDonald's has long sold cheesy fries in other countries, including Spain and Canada.
The chain has tested different versions of cheese fries in the US for years, including a limited-time offer of a loaded-bacon-and-cheese basket of fries across four states in 2017. McDonald's locations in Hawaii and Northern California began selling the cheesy bacon fries in November.
Loaded fries have been a hot topic in the fast-food industry. In 2018, Taco Bell debuted nacho fries in the US, selling more than 53 million orders during the limited-time offering's original run from late January to April. Carl's Jr. and Wendy's are also among the chains that have added cheesy fries to the menu in recent years.