After testing in a handful of markets, the limited time McDonald's Chicken McBites rolled out this week to a broader audience nationwide.
The "pop-able" pieces of chicken are covered with a homestyle seasoning and are sold in portable packages that include a dipping sauce. They come in three sizes, including a $1 snack size, regular and "shareable."
Dipping sauces available include creamy ranch, honey mustard, spicy buffalo, sweet chili, sweet 'n sour, tangy barbeque and honey.
McDonald's held a "bite-sized" video contest via Tongal ahead of the launch, with the chance to win $35,000. Customers who submitted a video were asked to communicate what "bite-sized" means to them personally, and to do it in under 30 seconds.
McDonald's has also facilitated a Twitter conversation about the Chicken McBites, using the hashtag #littlethings.
During Tuesday's earnings call, CFO Peter J. Bensen said chicken pricing has been more manageable than beef in terms of the price increases expected in 2012.
COO and president Don Thompson added that the company's promotional calendars take into account these commodity movements.
"The reason we look at some of the chicken-based products when we (do) is part of an attempt to look at when those commodities are at their high points and make sure that we stay away from those time frames," he said. "What we try to do is make sure that the food cost itself won't prevent us from being able to sell these products and have some decent margin at the restaurant level."
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