Hey everybody! Today, I'm treating you guys! For the first time EVER on Sweet and SavoRi, I'll be reviewing a fast-food product. Yay!!! Sure, I've done an official review of one supermarket product since the start of this blog, and have given my casual opinions on plenty of others, but I still have yet to express my thoughts for the latest on-the-go options.
I was starting to think the day would never come when I got the chance to review a fast-food product. I mean, this blog has been up for a little over a week already! Come on, people! But thankfully, today we had to grab something quick for dinner, and Mama asked me what I wanted to do. I knew what I wanted right from the start.I'm sure you've seen the advertisements for McDonald's New Premium McWraps somewhere. McD's website page for these new items states that "all wraps are made with chicken breast fillet, gorgeous fresh vegetables, and served in a warm, soft tortilla." Sounds good, doesn't it? They also sound very reminiscent of those Snack Wraps MickeyD's first launched back in 2006. I remember when those were really big, but demand for them has seemed to die down over the years. Will a similar fate be in store for the new McWraps? Or do they have what it takes to stand out among all the other menu items? Let's find out!
McDonald's new McWraps come in three flavors, and can be ordered with either crispy or grilled chicken, grilled obviously being the healthier choice. The three flavors are Chicken & Bacon (620-460 calories), Chicken & Ranch (590-430 calories), and Sweet Chili Chicken (520-360 calories). All of them sounded incredibly delicious, but I went with the Grilled Sweet Chili Chicken. Mama went with the Grilled Chicken & Ranch. Each McWrap costs $3.99.
I also ordered a Diet Coke while we were there. Well, technically, it wasn't MY Coke. Somehow, the lady running the drive-thru couldn't wrap her head around the fact I wanted a soda, but didn't want a combo meal. So Mama let me have HER Diet Coke instead.
What surprised me when we got back home was just how big the McWraps are. Now, don't misunderstand me here- They aren't enormous or anything, they're just a lot bigger than I thought. Each McWrap is about the size equivalent of two Snack Wraps, so in my eyes, they're big enough to be a meal by themselves.
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| Do I dare "release the flavor?" What if it explodes?! |
Oh well, time to get chomping!
So, according to McDonald's claims, we should be getting a "warm, soft tortilla...." Check! The tortilla was exactly how they said it'd be. It wasn't blistering hot (thank goodness, that would be awful), but it wasn't freezing either (which would also be awful. And rather strange). The McWrap had a good amount of warmth to it, as if the tortilla had been placed in the microwave for a few seconds. The tortilla was also soft and chewy- Very good! It wasn't some fancy, hoity-toity tortilla with a bunch of unique spices embedded inside. It was a plain, ol' white tortilla, which sometimes, is just the kind you need. Besides, if the tortilla was too flavorful, it would take away from everything inside. Speaking of....
McDonald's describes the Sweet Chili Chicken McWrap as having "the unique mix of juicy, grilled chicken breast fillet, crisp cucumber slices, spring greens, shredded lettuce, all drizzled with sweet chili and creamy garlic sauce."I was getting bites of chicken from the start. The strips were juicy and tender, but they taste just like the chicken you will find in McDonald's grilled chicken sandwiches or salads. The chicken fillet was yummy, sure, but nothing new. McD's has to use the same chicken fillet for all of their grilled items, because there was nothing new here. Which makes me kind of sad, because I can imagine some random McDonald's employees just unwrapping a pre-portioned fillet, heating it up, and flopping it down onto my McWrap like it's nothing special... Well, their grilled chicken is reliable and consistent, if nothing else. Some reviews of the McWrap have accused it of not having enough chicken, but I found I got chicken in nearly every bite, save for one in between and a couple at the end where the tortilla is all rolled up.
I was disappointed with the lack of cucumber slices in my wrap. I only recall having two or three in mine altogether. The slices weren't crisp either. They were soggy and flimsy. At least they managed to provide a refreshing, cool taste... When they were actually present.
I couldn't really tell the difference between the spring greens and the lettuce, but I noticed that McD's had put a few different types of lettuce leaves in my wrap. Maybe that's what they meant by spring greens? Apparently, the spring green mix in my wrap could have contained all of these: Baby Green Romaine, Baby Red Romaine, Baby Red Leaf, Baby Green Leaf, Baby Red Swiss Chard, Baby Red Oak, Baby Green Oak, Lolla Rosa, Tango, Tatsoi, Arugula, Mizuna, Frisee, and Radicchio. I couldn't tell you if all of them were really there. They weren't crisp either, but they provided a subtle, bitter contrast to the sweet tang of the chili sauce.
The two sauces were the most unique aspect of my McWrap, although it was hard to differentiate between the chili and the creamy garlic's respective flavors. In fact, I had forgotten there were two sauces to begin with! It wasn't until after I had checked online did I remember. I think this is because the creamy garlic sauce really didn't evoke a strong garlicky flavor. If I had tasted more garlic, maybe I might have remembered the second sauce during the process of eating. The garlic sauce was also supposed to be creamy. But I wasn't biting into my wrap thinking, "This dressing is really creamy." It wasn't soupy, but it wasn't thick.
There was a sweet, rather tangy flavor which I believe came from the chili sauce that carried a slightly spicy undertone. I also detected a slight bitterness... I'm still having trouble putting my finger on what it tastes like exactly. I was thinking it might be vinegar I was reminded of, which is one of the main ingredients in the creamy garlic sauce, and in the chili sauce as well. The taste could have been like a coleslaw/salad dressing, actually. And if the word "Chili" in this McWrap makes you a better wary, don't worry; it's barely spicy at all. The sauces had an interesting tang, and I'm slightly intrigued by the fact that I still can't pin a specific flavor down on them. They sure kept my wrap interesting!
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| Doesn't this make you just wanna go "CHOMP?" |
In the end, I enjoyed my McWrap very much! There are improvements yet to be made, but this product is still just so new. I'm sure McDonald's will come around and perfect it soon enough. I liked the unique flavor of the sauce and didn't find the wrap skimped out too much on anything (except the cucumbers). It was a refreshing alternative from MickeyD's average fare.
Mama said her Chicken & Ranch McWrap was "delicious!" She told me the chicken was plentiful and generous, and overall, the wrap was nice and "ranchy." Looks like you've made two satisfied customers today, McDonalds! Keep up the good work! And who knows? I have a feeling that, unlike the Snack Wraps, the new McWraps aren't just some fad destined to fade into the background.
The Impulsive Buy, Brand Eating, and Grub Grade have given their thoughts on the new Premium McWraps as well. These guys have been reviewing food a lot longer than I have, so be sure to give their posts a look-see too. They know what they're talking about over there!
Nutrition: 8.5/10
Taste: 8.25/10
Price: 4.75/10
Originality: 5/10 (There are plenty of wraps out there already, but on the other hand, they're pretty new to the world of fast-food).
Overall Deliciousness Rating: 8/10
McDonald's Premium McWrap Sweet Chili Chicken
- Pros: Tangy and interesting sauces, chicken in almost every bite, good variety of different lettuce leaves, warm & soft tortilla, only 360 calories, bigger than I thought, cool packaging
- Cons: Barely any cucumbers, hard to tell the difference between the sauces, sauce and lettuce are kept separated, limp cucumbers and lettuce
So, have any of you guys tried the new McWrap yet? Which one(s)? What did you think? Are there any other McDonald's products you'd like to see reviewed? Remember, I love to hear from you all, so please leave your thoughts down below! Till' next time!
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