On February 12 2022 - less than two weeks after McDonald's launched its chicken version of the trademark Big Mac - the fast food giant was forced to issue an alert to all customers.
"Well, that escalated quickly," they said. "Your love for the limited edition Chicken Big Mac knew no bounds and it’s sold out almost everywhere."
Initially, McDonald's had planned for its new offering to remain on the menu until March 15 2022. But in a mere 10 days, they had run dry of Chicken Big Macs across the country.
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While the UK has an appetite for outlets like McDonald's, scenes like this are not commonplace. So I was surprised last week when there was an outpouring of love as McDonald's announced the return of its sell-out burger.
One Twitter user said: "The Chicken Big Mac is revolutionary. It should stay on the McDonald’s menu." A second added: "Chicken Big Mac is back in Maccies. OH BOY BEEN WAITING FOR THIS ONE."
Unashamedly influenced, I journeyed to my local McDonald's drive-thru and ordered this apparently transformative £4.49 burger.
Now, this would be a good time to 'fess up - I am not a neutral observer here. I love McDonald's. So much so, I've never once stepped foot inside a Burger King or KFC.
It's fair to say therefore, given the pedestal I'd put McDonald's on, I had high expectations for the Chicken Big Mac.
The burger promises to deliver consumers two "deliciously crispy" coated chicken patties, a slice of cheese, lettuce, pickles and "tasty" Big Mac sauce - and on first impressions, it looked impressive.
But as the saying goes, the proof is in the pudding - and this is where things started to go downhill. Unlike the original Big Mac, the chicken version had no real flavour.
In my opinion, the issue lies in the three-tiered bread bun combined with fried chicken. Unlike, beef; which has its own aroma, taste and texture, chicken, unless seasoned, is bland.
The five layers of beige are redeemed by the tanginess of the pickles and onion of the Big Mac sauce - although my burger appeared to be lacking in this department.
Ultimately, I found the Chicken Big Mac underwhelming and no great addition to the menu. Instead, I'd recommend chicken fans opt for the Selects or McCrispy, both of which offer a zingy and altogether more pleasant taste.
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