McDonald's CEO Chris Kempczinski recently jumped on the social media bandwagon, participating in a "McDonald's Menu Item Tournament" to reveal his personal favorite. The victor? The Snack Wrap. A seemingly innocuous PR move, but one that raises a few eyebrows when you dig into the numbers.
The Snack Wrap Surge: Fact or Fiction?
The return of the Snack Wrap on July 10th was, according to Placer.ai, accompanied by an 11.4% increase in visits to McDonald's locations. That's a significant bump, no question. But let's put that into perspective. An 11.4% increase on a single day doesn't necessarily translate to sustained success. It's more like a sugar rush – a temporary spike fueled by nostalgia and social media buzz.
And here's the part of the analysis that I find genuinely puzzling: Franchise owners, according to reports, had previously flagged the Snack Wrap as being too time-consuming to prepare. (Some stores even defied corporate and kept selling them until 2020.) So, what changed? Did McDonald's suddenly discover a way to streamline the Snack Wrap assembly line? Or is the CEO's personal fondness for the item overriding practical concerns about efficiency and profitability? The data is, unfortunately, silent on that point.
It’s also worth considering the composition of the Snack Wrap itself. It features a McCrispy Strip, lettuce, cheese, and sauce wrapped in a tortilla. Individually, none of these components are particularly groundbreaking or unique to McDonald's. The Ranch Snack Wrap and Spicy Snack Wrap are priced at $2.99. What margin are we really looking at here?
The CEO's Taste vs. Market Trends
Kempczinski's menu preferences, while entertaining, may not be entirely aligned with broader consumer trends. He chose fries over the McCrispy and Filet-O-Fish, ultimately losing to Chicken McNuggets. While fries are a classic, the McCrispy represents McDonald's attempt to capture a larger share of the chicken sandwich market – a fiercely competitive segment dominated by Chick-fil-A and Popeyes.
The CEO's decision to elevate the Snack Wrap feels, at least from a data perspective, like a sentimental choice rather than a strategic one. The initial sales bump is undeniable, but the long-term viability of the Snack Wrap hinges on factors beyond Kempczinski's personal taste.
And this is where I want to add a personal aside: I've seen a lot of these "CEO Favorite Things" videos. They're often a carefully orchestrated attempt to humanize the brand and connect with consumers on a personal level. But sometimes, the data tells a different story.
