McDonald's turned up the heat on breakfast this week with the launch of Spicy McMuffin sandwiches, marking the first time the chain has applied its signature Spicy Pepper Sauce to morning meals. The move comes just two days before the fast-food giant brings back its cult-favorite Snack Wraps after a nine-year absence.
The dual menu additions represent McDonald's response to shifting consumer tastes and persistent customer demands, as the company navigates declining breakfast sales and mounting pressure to revive discontinued favorites.
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Starting today, McDonald's restaurants nationwide began serving three varieties of Spicy McMuffin sandwiches for a limited time12. The lineup includes the Spicy Egg McMuffin, Spicy Sausage McMuffin, and Spicy Sausage McMuffin with Egg, each featuring the chain's Spicy Pepper Sauce previously reserved for lunch items34.
The launch coincides with the 50th anniversary of the original Egg McMuffin, which helped establish McDonald's breakfast dominance after its national rollout in 19753. According to McDonald's corporate announcements, the spicy variation maintains the classic formula of melted cheese, freshly cracked cage-free eggs, Canadian bacon or sausage, and toasted English muffins4.
The timing reflects broader industry trends, as a report by Instacart and the Harris Poll found that 74% of Americans eat hot sauce regularly, while 78% of Gen Z consumers favor spicy menu items5. McDonald's U.S. sales fell 3.6% in the first quarter of 2025, with more customers skipping breakfast or eating at home2.
On July 10, McDonald's will restore Snack Wraps to menus across the country, ending a nearly decade-long absence that sparked countless social media campaigns12. The wraps, featuring McCrispy chicken strips, shredded lettuce, and cheese in a soft tortilla, will be available in spicy and ranch varieties2.
McDonald's USA President Joe Erlinger acknowledged the product's devoted following when he announced the return on Good Morning America in December 2024, saying "It has a cult following"3. The company created a promotional website, snackwrapfiles.com, showcasing fan requests, including an email from a pregnant customer asking if the wraps would return before her July 14 due date1.
Unlike the limited-time Spicy McMuffins, Snack Wraps will be a permanent offering "as long as you keep enjoying it at McDonald's," according to the company42. The return was made possible by McDonald's reintroduction of McCrispy Strips in May, which provided the key ingredient needed for the wraps5.
CEO Chris Kempczinski told investors last month that the snack wrap "is going to be a great addition to the menu"2.
