Why the McWrap Is So Important to McDonald's

http://www.businessweek.com/printer/articles/132030-why-the-mcwrap-is-so-important-to-mcdonalds

by kitcar • 13 years ago

47 68 13 years ago

frankcaron4• 13 years ago

You know, between McDonalds, BK, et al and the street meat vendors around, I don't understand why all fast food vendors in the US and Canada haven't opted for Korean-style lettuce wraps. Firm, crunchy, fresh lettuce makes for such a better health-conscious sandwich vessel.

The healthiness of these wraps is hindered dramatically by the far-from-filling* carbs and empty cals of the tortillas / flatbreads, and I'd bet at scale the lettuce isn't much more expensive than the wraps.

*Corrected from complex

epistasis• 13 years ago

Im speculating, but I would think that getting lettuce of that quality and freshness would be far too big a challenge for typical US fast food chain distribution. Fluctuations in demand and short shelf life would make it very difficult for most fast food restaurants to avoid wasting a good percentage of the lettuce, I would think.

frankcaron4• 13 years ago

I suspect you're right, and generally what I figured. But then when I see street meat vendors with fresh onions and pickles every day, I question if that's really the reason.

SpikedCola• 13 years ago

As a farmer, I would replace "be too big a challenge" with "hurt their bottom line". It is surprisingly easy to find quality food if you're willing to pay a little more. It's just hard to undersell a "5lb bag of lettuce" for ~$3.88[0]

[0] http://www2.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=10179296&w...

stephengillie2• 13 years ago

The funny part about this is they could easily grow lettuce on the roofs of their restaurants. In fact, you can take a head of lettuce, use it, put the remaining stalk in water, and it may grow new roots. If it does, you can replant it and grow your own lettuce.

I have 2 friends who have done this in their kitchens before having to move the plant back into dirt. When I move to an apartment with a south-facing window, I'll definitely join them.

parasubvert• 13 years ago

It's a big risk to expose to the masses something they may be uncomfortable with. It took decades for the burrito to devolve into a wrap (substituting flour for corn tortillas, for example, to enable longer stored freshness).

For example, the "filler" in a lettuce wrap is typically rice, as much as it is a staple in countries is barely touched by some in America and Europe. Lettuce as a wrapper may seem too "salady" - Real Americans (from focus groups) want meat ..which according to the article is why the mcWrap doesn't have too many veggies inside.

They even passed on a Bulgogi beef McWrap as too niche (pretty universally yummy IMO, just not to their focus groups)

That said, I've never served a Momofuku-style Bo Ssam that wasn't loved, (pulled pork with a sugar glaze, rice, pickles, and various tangy sauces for those that havent heard) , to see it at every McDonalds actually makes sense - just requires a long education and marketing campaign to ease people into it.

antiterra• 13 years ago

It took decades for the burrito to devolve into a wrap (substituting flour for corn tortillas, for example, to enable longer stored freshness).

No, burritos have been made from flour since the start. The adoption of flour tortillas likely had more to do with it being a better crop for the Chihuahua region in the late 1800s.

r0h1n• 13 years ago

Actually, tortillas made from white flour (like the McWrap) contain "simple" carbs, not "complex" carbs.

Complex carbs, if you can get them in a wrap (through a whole-wheat tortilla for instance), are good for you.

frankcaron4• 13 years ago

You're right; corrected my mistake.

darylfritz• 13 years ago

Gluten-free diets are seen as a bit of a fad, however it's a necessity for those with Celiac's Disease or a high gluten-intolerance. I assume a lettuce wrap would be cheaper to implement than gluten-free bread. I'm surprised we don't see more of them around.

znowi• 13 years ago

Given how Big Mac is cheaper than salad, I don't think lettuce is a viable option.

benjamincburns3• 13 years ago

Look at the inputs. How much land does it take to grow a head of lettuce? How much land, including that used for feed, does it take to grow a cow?

If the farm area used to grow plants to feed the meat that goes into the Big Mac were instead used to grow vegetables, we'd have vast surpluses of vegetables. I love a good burger, but it's crazy how much meat we eat when you think about the amount of resources soaked up by meat production.

seanmcdirmid• 13 years ago

I had...a noodle wrapped egg sausage, sage, sesame...something tonight. Street food can be nice in an Asian summer.

chipsy• 13 years ago

Differences in flavor and mouth feel of lettuce wraps vs. breads poses a problem for the chains that goes beyond the material costs.

If you look at the ingredients of the typical hamburger bun sold at a supermarket, you'll notice that it's actually doubling as a delivery mechanism for additional sodium and soybean oil - it's very influential on the taste and texture of the sandwich. And when you remove the bun from the burger, you have a meat patty which tastes like any meat that's been fried or grilled. So because the bun allows the chains to distinguish themselves further, it's part of their brand identity, as well.

cpursley• 13 years ago

I just can't wait until they bring out a falafel wrap. Their new premium mcwraps are actually pretty good for something on the run and I'm not even a big fast-food fan.

nighthawk24• 13 years ago

"the product of years of research and testing"

All that to catch up with a Mexican Taco which predates the arrival of Europeans in Mexico?

pyre• 13 years ago

That's a little unfair. I'm pretty sure that there were no 'restaurant chains' with the size of McDonald's in Mexico prior to the arrival of Europeans. The 'years of research and testing,' includes a lot of consideration of storage, distribution, preparation, etc issues.

panacea• 13 years ago

Interesting that they highlighted the Big Mac and the Sausage & Egg Muffin as core products.

Nothing else really tempts me. The Big Mac for when I want a (guilt inducing) lunch, and the muffin for the best breakfast hangover go-to I know of.

But then I remember that the awesome fries and coke supplement the appeal of the Big Mac, and the hash brown and juice are the same for the muffin.

Everything else seems tailored to crafting a menu that funnels people into keeping those two products on people's mental radars as permitted breakfast and lunch options.

a3n• 13 years ago

You can get the sandwich by itself, instead of part of a sandwich/potato/drink package. I always do.

Already__Taken• 13 years ago

Breakfast hangover cure is the vanilla milkshake.

stephengillie2• 13 years ago

Or a shot (not a full can, just a shot) of cheap beer. :)

rickdale2• 13 years ago

The problem McDonalds has is that no matter how 'healthy' a meal they put together, anyone that pays attention to their health and what they eat, would not consider McDonalds a healthy meal. On the other spectrum, the type of people going to fast food every day think of Subway as a healthy choice and therefore when most people choose McDonalds, its not for a healthy food choice, but more for the indulgence. So while the McWrap might be a significant addition to McDonalds menu, the Double Cheeseburger, French Fries and Big Macs will continue to reign supreme.

-EDIT- For those arguing that they can eat healthy at McDonalds, I really strongly recommend reconsidering your nutrition plan. I didn't want to go there with this comment, I was trying to make the point that a healthy dieter won't opt for McDonalds, but people have seemed to want to argue that they can and apparently do eat healthy at McDonalds. Thats cool with me, but if you have fitness/bodyweight goals to achieve, best to stick with food directly from the farm. In addition, when you get your nutrition right, you feel good, and that feeling is addictive. If you are scrambling to McDonalds and then ordering a 'healthy choice', there is better way.

And thats my two cents.

MichaelApproved3• 13 years ago

I pay attention to what I eat and consider some options at McDonalds healthy. Their grilled chicken sandwich and salads are great options. I also like healthy choices from Subway.

I hear arguments like yours all the time but they're never backed up with actual data. It's just generic fast food bashing. Many fast food places have healthy choices along side unhealthy choices. The options are there.

rickdale2• 13 years ago

I have to disagree. If you pay attention to pesticides, or organic stuff then you are just out of luck at a McDonalds. That 'healthy' chicken breast is actually really low quality chicken. You say you pay attention to your health by choosing the 'healthy' options at McDonalds, but realistically thats not all that healthy, especially for me.

Everyones genetics allow them to eat differently. If McDonalds is healthy and working for you, great. If you want to try something different, figure out where the meat and vegetables are coming from before you put it in your mouth. Might seem extreme, but actually its logical.

Also, my point wasn't the lack of healthy options at a fast food joint (ironic), but is that generally people don't go there to eat healthy. Remember, you are what you eat. Even the most in shape people know there is no such thing as exercising yourself into shape without a good diet.

Side note: I live in a world where processed foods are the devil and pretty cook and subsist off of 1 meal per day. I am the extreme. But I used to be on the opposite side of the spectrum, picking a fast food place daily for lunch and stuff. Lost over 50lbs and bf under 15 for the first time in my life. I went from almost diabetic to completely healthy, "with a strong heart".

Also, a shout out to fatburningman.com because that site will teach you some honest fitness, life and health skills.

shin_lao• 13 years ago

The sauce is generally too loaded in calories to make McDonald's healthy. But if you like it, you don't have to feel guilty. ;)

derleth4• 13 years ago

anyone that pays attention to their health and what they eat, would not consider McDonalds a healthy meal

Which is, at best, half-true. Health can only be determined as fitness for purpose and it's possible that a McDonald's meal is fit for a certain purpose. Nothing magically makes McDonald's food evil, even if it's rarely fit for a purpose most First World people have.

tptacek3• 13 years ago

Wait, "fresher, seemingly healthier offerings from competitors such as Five Guys"?

rdl3• 13 years ago

The meat isn't frozen, and to the extent Five Guys is a downmarket In n Out minus religion, they serve relatively "unadulterated" if otherwise unhealthy burgers/shakes/fries.

frankcaron4• 13 years ago

They also have a lettuce wrap option (burger sans bun).

count3• 13 years ago

Calling Five Guys a 'downmarket' anything is silly. They're probably the most expensive / up market fast food burger place out there. And they don't do shakes (at least here on the East Coast, where they started). Burgers, dogs, and fries (well, and some 'veggie' versions of sandwich).

cm20122• 13 years ago

Well, if you ignore calories, fat, and salt, I guess.

mechanical_fish• 13 years ago

Branding is powerful magic.

cm20122• 13 years ago

The consultant at the end critical of McDonald's focus on variety is really thinking wrong for McDonalds. Chipotle and Five Guys of course should focus - they have to take a niche market to compete with the bug guys. McDonalds as the market leader has to go for variety if they want to keep growing sales.

a-priori• 13 years ago

The most interesting part about this, to me, is this:

"After lengthy discussions with produce suppliers around the country, Coudreaut managed to add one new ingredient to the McDonald’s arsenal: the English cucumber. That might not seem like a big change, but when the chain added sliced apples to its menu, it immediately became one of the largest buyers of apples in the country. The company had to build up reserves of edamame before it introduced its Asian salad. Coudreaut would like to add guacamole one day. Who knows what that would do to the avocado supply?"

It's mind-blowing that McDonald's works on a large enough scale that introducing a vegetable to their menu means that they needed to be concerned about exhausting the supply of that vegetable.

tptacek3• 13 years ago

I got to that part and felt like the article had become an allegory about our field; I was simultaneously saddened at the idea of being a professional cook in a kitchen where goat cheese was too "niche" and enthralled at the idea of problem-solving food in an setting where the decision to use guacamole might exhaust the global supply of avocados. It made me think about the choice between working at, say, Google and a startup.

Ecio782• 13 years ago

I don't eat too often @ MacDonald's and I'm not in the US, so correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't cucumber already present inside i.e. a BigMac? I don't like cucumbers (and neither my wife) and I remember every time taking a small slice out from the burger

jrnkntl• 13 years ago

Technically yes, but we're talking about pickles[1] in a big mac. And a property of pickled cucumber is that they can be conserved for much and much longer, therefore easier in the 'hit' on global supply and also way cheaper.

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pickled_cucumber

mikro2nd• 13 years ago

The most telling comment? "[H]is goal is to change people’s perceptions about McDonald’s food not being real"

Not "His goal is to change McDonalds food into something real". Just all about perception/spin.

arkitaip• 13 years ago

Well, it is marketing after all...

derleth4• 13 years ago

It is real. It may not serve your goals, however.

lesslaw• 13 years ago

See also "Healthy looking hair", "Younger looking skin" etc. etc.

Amadou• 13 years ago

Normally I don't believe in making these kinds of posts but - I've never heard of the McWrap before. Is it really "summer blockbuster" level of advertising? Have I been able to insulate myself that well from such things with ad-block and watching pirated tv shows (which have the ads excised)? Or was that hyperbole in the article?

btucker• 13 years ago

Here around Boston, they've done tons of advertising on the trains & busses. That's how I had heard of it.

ygmelnikova• 13 years ago

Seeing more and more of these so called 'news articles' that are clearly well placed, long copy marketing. Didn't feel like you we're being sold, did you? But I'll bet you want to try a McWrap!

derekp7• 13 years ago

You mean kind of like http://www.paulgraham.com/submarine.html ?

zipop• 13 years ago

I think their real problem is preservatives.

derleth4• 13 years ago

Do you have any evidence of this?

seivan• 13 years ago

I am still waiting for a high fat, low carb addition to their menu.

benjamincburns3• 13 years ago

If you have Hardees in your area, check out the low carb thick burger. Sometimes it's not posted on the menu, but it's there if you ask. It's essentially the "frisco" with the large outer leaves of a head of iceburg used as the bread. Though if you actually want it to be low carb, order it without the ketchup. Be warned, though. It's salty as hell and whether or not it's edible as a sandwich depends on how accustom the person is to making it.

MrDOS2• 13 years ago

As a Canadian, I find the cost difference startling. The article talks about the wraps being expensive at $4, which sounded reasonable to me, being on par with the cost of their salad offerings north of the 49th. Then in the next sentence, they refer to the “$4 Angus Third Pounder burger”, which was actually $7 here. I had no idea there was such a divergence in pricing.

rayiner• 13 years ago

Chipotle has totally replaced McDonalds for me (though obviously it doesn't play in the same price range). If you can afford $8 for lunch, why would you want pre-fab food when you can get freshly sliced chicken you can see being grilled right behind the prep station?

tptacek3• 13 years ago

Worth mentioning that while Chipotle campaigns based on a farm-to-table ethos, McDonalds is also pushing suppliers towards humane sourcing.

That said: I'll feed Chipotle to my kids, and we actively avoid McDonalds.

Fun fact about Chipotle: all their pork and (I think?) beef is cooked sous-vide in a central kitchen in Chicago.

BryantD• 13 years ago

This is a pure publicity piece. McDonald's had a chicken wrap on the menu in 2006, albeit without as many vegetables. An article about the business of the McWrap would talk about earlier versions of the menu item, whether or not they succeeded, and so on.

queensnake• 13 years ago

Yo people, let them have their ads, don't submit printer-only versions!

http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-07-03/why-the-mcwr...

mark_l_watson• 13 years ago

There are better alternatives to McDonald's. When I used to travel on business I found Subway veggie sandwichs to be OK, as an example. I have not spent much time on it recently, but I have a web app (http://cookingspace.com) were my goal was to show how recipes can be morphed, based on what ingredients you have in our kitchen. My wife and I can both make nutritious and tasty food fairly quickly with whatever we have in our kitchen. My goal was to teach people to eat better, but so few people use the app on a regular basis that I consider that a failed project.

Mikeb852• 13 years ago

I don't know about the US, but where I live in Canada, there is a definite decline in the amount of McDonald's restaurants and other fast food chains. I know of at least half a dozen Chinese and Indian restaurants that used to be McDonald's restaurants, and many ex-Pizza Huts too. Ethnic fast food is just so much better (and healthier!).

Why the McWrap Is So Important to McDonald's

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