When the pandemic swept across the United States during President Trump’s tenure, fast-food chains stepped up to the challenge of feeding the nation. With millions losing their jobs and access to various benefits, people increasingly turned to fast-food establishments such as McDonald’s and Burger King. However, these chains grappled with meeting the heightened demand while simultaneously contending with supply chain issues, making it challenging to maintain an extensive menu. Consequently, McDonald’s and others opted to streamline their offerings during the pandemic.
This was not the first instance of McDonald’s reducing its menu. A few years prior, customers were dismayed to find that the Premium McWrap had been removed from the menu. While fans of the sandwich were disappointed, insiders who worked at McDonald’s during its availability claimed that it was removed for a straightforward reason – it was too difficult for minimum-wage employees to prepare.
A viral video from Stephen Patula now sheds light on why McDonald’s discontinued the Premium McWrap, labeling it as the “most complicated” item on the McDonald’s menu. Patula, with a deep understanding of McDonald’s due to his family’s franchise location, frequently turns to TikTok to answer questions about the fast-food giant and share behind-the-scenes content.
Patula explained in the viral video, “When COVID first happened, McDonald’s limited their menu to make operations a little bit easier. So, right now, there is nothing really too complicated. But back in the day, those premium wraps were literally awful to make. They tasted awesome. They were just so complicated and time-consuming to make.”
Following the video’s virality, comments poured in with a collective plea to “Bring back the wrap!” This unexpected response was not what Patula anticipated when he decided to disclose McDonald’s most challenging menu items for workers.
He clarified, “It’s the McWrap I’m talking about, not the snack wraps. The McWrap wasn’t difficult to make, just time-consuming to stuff it in the tiny box.”
Numerous comments on Patula’s video expressed nostalgia and longing for the Premium McWrap:
“Premium wraps have been off the menu for years now.”
“I just miss the crispy chicken ranch snack wrap,” lamented one TikTok user.
“Wait, the wraps were complicated? The only difference from a burger was wrapping a tortilla instead of closing up the bun.”
“I mean, that is true (as a former McDonald’s employee), but the wraps were so good. I miss the wraps.”
The comment section also buzzed with intriguing questions, such as:
“What’s the most efficient way to order a quarter pounder with cheese without cheese? Every time I do that in the drive-thru, it throws everybody off.”
Commenters offered a solution, advising the person to “order a quarter hamburger, or at least that’s what we do.” They explained, “It’s a separate option on our menu screens.”
