McDonald's New Summer Menu Items Are For Caesar Salad Fans
Like most fast food chains, McDonald's is known for switching up its menu to keep the options fresh for its customers. Improving the quality of its burgers and chicken has been part of the restaurant's changes in 2026, and it already added new offerings to its value menu earlier this year. Now, the chain is launching a new Caesar sauce alongside an upgraded menu item to create the perfect pairing for salad fans.
In an email to Daily Meal, McDonald's announced that it will be putting this Caesar sauce on every menu in the United States as of July 21. It's described as having a creamy and savory blend of parmesan with the brightness and freshness of garlic and lemon infused into it. But, the restaurant isn't making the sauce stand alone. Its team has upgraded the McCrispy Strips with a panko breading for a crispier crunch. With this enhancement, dipping the chicken strips into the sauce is likely to be the ultimate pairing for parmesan lovers.
This announcement comes about half a year after McDonald's started testing hand-breaded chicken strips in Chicago. That testing is ongoing in select markets, and the recipe seems to be similar to the Chicken Selects that are still available in Ireland and the UK. However, the new McCrispy Strips coming next week could be totally different because of the panko breading. In any case, McDonald's isn't stopping there with the Caesar salad vibe.
There's more to the McDonald's Caesar sauce launch than just dipping
When you think of a Caesar sauce, dressing for a salad might be what comes to mind first. Salads have been removed from the McDonald's menu in the United States since 2020, though, and it doesn't look like they will return anytime soon unless there's enough demand for them. Instead of creating the savory sauce strictly for dipping McCrispy Strips, the fast food chain is using the savory sauce to create different menu items that go even further to convey the vibe of a Caesar salad.
Utilizing the newly updated McCrispy Strips, McDonald's will be serving Caesar Snack Wraps. These will include a chicken strip, shredded cheese, and shredded lettuce dressed in the creamy Caesar sauce — all wrapped up in a tortilla for just $2.99 nationwide. It's similar to the Caesar & Bacon Chicken One the chain serves in Ireland, which features crispy onions and Irish bacon.
Additionally, McDonald's is incorporating the Caesar sauce on the new Bacon Caesar McCrispy. This toasted potato roll sandwich will be made with a McCrispy filet, applewood smoked bacon, crispy onions, crinkle-cut pickles, Roma tomatoes, and shredded lettuce. Earlier this year, the fast food chain was serving a similar version of this sandwich to customers in Germany for a limited time.