Burger King and Wendy's are trying to start the chicken wrap wars. But their messy meals made us yearn for the return of McDonald's iconic snack wraps.

Nancy LunaSep 13, 2023, 15:53 IST

Nancy Luna, Insider restaurants correspondent, reviews Burger King and Wendy's chicken wraps.Nancy Luna/Burger King

McDonald's removed snack wraps from the menu in 2016 because they were too complicated to make.
Wendy's and Burger King launched this year copycats of the iconic McDonald's chicken wraps.

McDonald's restaurants in the US ditched snack wraps in 2016. Seven years later, the burger chain's arch rivals, Burger King and Wendy's, are filling the chicken wrap gap with their own versions.

Burger King debuted three snack-wrap-style chicken wraps in August, while Wendy's debuted a grilled chicken ranch wrap in March. Both chains poked at McDonald's when Insider asked about their motivation for debuting the wraps.

Burger King told Insider its BK Royal Crispy Wraps provide menu options that customers "can't get anywhere else."

Wendy's was less subtle. "We're always listening to our fans, and we knew our fans were looking for lighter and more portable menu items that were anything but McBland."

I set out to see if these wraps would fill the void left by the McDonald's snack wrap. Here's what I discovered.

Beating the McDonald's snack wrap is a big challenge. The wrap was developed by McDonald's chef Dan Coudreaut, a fine-dining chef who trained at the Culinary Institute of America.

McDonald's chef Dan Coudreaut in 2016, the year McDonald's cut the snack wrap from the menu.Associated Press

Beating the McDonald's snack wrap is a big challenge. The wrap was developed by McDonald's chef Dan Coudreaut, a fine-dining chef who trained at the Culinary Institute of America.

After 10 years in the US, McDonald's discontinued snack wraps from the menu because they were too complicated to make.

Heidi Klum promotes snack wraps.Getty Images

Wendy's and Burger King introduced chicken wraps this year. Burger King said its wraps, shown here, meet consumer desire for more snackable menu choices.

Burger King's wrapsBurger King

As I picked up each wrap, they unraveled. They were cold to the touch and looked nothing like the photo.

The paper wrapper was the only thing holding the wraps together.Nancy Luna/Insider

Each wrap had a piece of fried chicken that looked like it had been smashed and cut in half.

The inside of the wrap.Nancy Luna/Insider

The classic chicken wrap was bland. Nothing special.

Burger King's classic chicken wrap.Nancy Luna/Insider

The honey mustard wrap was drowning in dressing.

While the classic wrap needed more sauce, the honey mustard wrap was drowning in dressing.Nancy Luna/Insider

The spicy wrap slowly burned my palate. Still, it was the best of the three.

The spicy wrapNancy Luna/Insider

I didn't like them. But Burger King said the chain is receiving positive feedback from customers who enjoy the small size and "great value" of the wraps. More wraps might be on the way.

I would not recommend eating these while driving.Nancy Luna/Insider

I didn't like them. But Burger King said the chain is receiving positive feedback from customers who enjoy the small size and "great value" of the wraps. More wraps might be on the way.

Next stop Wendy's, which debuted the grilled chicken ranch wrap in March. I was immediately shocked by its size. It looked like a burrito, not a portable snack.

The wrap was huge.Nancy Luna/Insider

But, as soon as I took the first bite, my palate took a step back in time. The flavors were identical to the McDonald's snack wrap.

The flavors of Wendy's wrap are identical to the McDonald's wrap.Nancy Luna/Insider

I doubt McDonald's has any plans to resurrect the snack wraps. But they might consider it because they would beat Wendy's and Burger King in any chicken wrap battle.

The long-lost McDonald's wrapGetty

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Burger King and Wendy's are trying to start the chicken wrap wars. But their messy meals made us yearn for the return of McDonald's iconic snack wraps.

Beating the McDonald's snack wrap is a big challenge. The wrap was developed by McDonald's chef Dan Coudreaut, a fine-dining chef who trained at the Culinary Institute of America.

After 10 years in the US, McDonald's discontinued snack wraps from the menu because they were too complicated to make.

Wendy's and Burger King introduced chicken wraps this year. Burger King said its wraps, shown here, meet consumer desire for more snackable menu choices.

As I picked up each wrap, they unraveled. They were cold to the touch and looked nothing like the photo.

Each wrap had a piece of fried chicken that looked like it had been smashed and cut in half.

The classic chicken wrap was bland. Nothing special.

The honey mustard wrap was drowning in dressing.

The spicy wrap slowly burned my palate. Still, it was the best of the three.

I didn't like them. But Burger King said the chain is receiving positive feedback from customers who enjoy the small size and "great value" of the wraps. More wraps might be on the way.

Next stop Wendy's, which debuted the grilled chicken ranch wrap in March. I was immediately shocked by its size. It looked like a burrito, not a portable snack.

But, as soon as I took the first bite, my palate took a step back in time. The flavors were identical to the McDonald's snack wrap.

I doubt McDonald's has any plans to resurrect the snack wraps. But they might consider it because they would beat Wendy's and Burger King in any chicken wrap battle.