It was a sweet quarter for fast food giant McDonald’s, which enjoyed 4.5 percent same-store sales growth in the U.S. in the first several months of 2019. One of the major reasons for that success is the introduction of new menu items, including bacon on a variety of items and the new McCafé Donut Sticks.
In February, McDonald’s introduced its Donut Sticks to the breakfast menu, jumping on the donut fries trend that has been sweeping the nation in the last year. With sales in other categories remaining stagnant, breakfast has never been more important for the company.
According to McDonald’s, it looked at several donut shapes, tested a variety of doughs, and experimented with different amounts of cinnamon sugar that would be just right for the recipe. The end-result was a sweet donut stick with a light and airy texture, a crunchy outside, and soft, doughy inside.
McCafé Donut Sticks were the company’s first major addition to its breakfast menu in over 15 years. In 2003, it launched McGriddle breakfast sandwiches and has offered this popular item on its menu ever since.
Products such as donut sticks perfectly combine taste and convenience, which consumers greatly value. Bakeries may look to introduce items such as this that grab the attention of the on-the-go breakfast crowd.