McDonald's has launched a pilot scheme in Ireland testing hand-breaded chicken, available at select locations in Dublin from mid-October to February. The trial includes hand-breaded versions of existing favourites such as McCrispy products, the Snack Wrap, Tikka, Sweet Chilli and BBQ wraps, salads, and McCrispy Strips.
Pilot details and availability
The scheme is running at a limited number of restaurants, with locations in Dublin and nearby areas. Available now are Belgard Road in Tallaght and 50-51 O'Connell Street. From October 20, additional sites include Tallaght Town Centre, The Mill Shopping Centre in Clondalkin, and Blanchards Town Centre. From November 3, Petit's Supermarket in Arklow and Naas Road join, followed by Citywest drive-thru and 62 Upper O'Connell Street from November 10.
McDonald's says hand-breading is a 'tangible demonstration of food prepared with care' that will 'deliver crunch, texture, and juiciness'. The chain also notes chicken is an area of 'significant growth opportunity' and that Ireland will play a key role in shaping the next phase of its chicken strategy.
Potential wider rollout
If the pilot succeeds, hand-breaded chicken could be introduced more widely across Europe. McDonald's has already offered hand-breaded chicken in Asia at more than 10,000 restaurants, and the concept is being tested in the US, where customer feedback has reportedly been 'strong'.
At the McDonald's Worldwide Convention 2026, Gary He, author of McAtlas, described the hand-breaded chicken stall as 'popular' and the chicken itself as 'superb', adding: 'The crunch was unreal, and the spice mix was definitely at a Southeast Asian level.'
Concerns from staff and customers
Social media reactions have been mixed. Some McDonald's workers commented on a post by @masseygroupmcdonalds that their restaurants lacked both staff and space for a hand-breading station. One user wrote: 'My tiny cramped a** McDonald's don't got space for that,' while another said: 'Employees are already struggling.' A third person, who works in fast food but not at McDonald's, responded: 'I'm p***ed off for y'all.'
Others have expressed disappointment over the removal of grilled chicken from the menu earlier this year and have asked for its return. Tim Kenward, McDonald's UK and Ireland's chief marketing officer, said: 'This is about much more than introducing a new way of preparing chicken. 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.' He added: '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.'
