McDonald’s Germany expands its chicken range

McDonald’s Germany is expanding its chicken range from 30 September 2026. The launch centres on the first round McChicken in Germany, two limited-time variants, new McWings and sharing boxes. For those considering the German franchise market, the announcement offers a current example of how an established brand develops its range within an existing product line.

The McChicken gets a new shape

According to the company statement published on 30 September, the McChicken will be offered in a round format in Germany for the first time. McDonald’s pairs the new shape with a promise of greater juiciness and a more intense flavour. These are the company’s own product descriptions, not the findings of an independent comparison.

Two additional versions are joining the menu at the same time: the McChicken Bacon Deluxe and the McChicken Aioli Style. According to the statement, both will be available for a limited time only. The release gives no specific end date or prices for the new products.

The change therefore goes beyond a new look for the familiar burger. McDonald’s is also using the existing product name to introduce different flavours. It is important to distinguish between the announced switch to a round format and the accompanying variants explicitly described as limited-time offers: the statement specifies a limited run for Bacon Deluxe and Aioli Style.

New McWings and two sharing options

Alongside the McChicken, McDonald’s is expanding other parts of its chicken range. The McCrispy Chili Cheese Bacon adds another option to the burger menu. McWings are also being introduced in portions of three or five, accompanied by a new Signature McWings Dip.

There are also two new boxes. The Chicken Box contains three McWings and twelve Chicken McNuggets. The Signature ChickenBox adds an extra-large tub of Signature McWings Dip to that combination. This brings the new wings together with an already familiar product.

The company positions the boxes as sharing options. The statement thus sets out several ordering formats: individual burgers, smaller portions of wings and larger combinations. It does not indicate which formats are expected to attract particularly strong demand or how much revenue they are intended to generate. The announced range therefore provides no basis for a reliable sales forecast.

Building on an existing product line

According to McDonald’s, the September launches do not represent an entirely new focus. The company had already given its chicken range greater prominence in early 2026 through a new campaign and a dedicated product platform. The latest products continue that expansion.

Here, the term platform describes the common framework for several products and further developments. It covers the revamped McChicken as well as additional burgers, wings, a dip and boxes. The announcement is therefore best understood as a coordinated range expansion rather than the launch of a single new item.

The source remains important when assessing the announcement: it is based on a company statement published through Handelsblatt’s press release portal. It records which products McDonald’s Germany is announcing and how the company positions them. It does not provide independent market data on demand for chicken products in Germany. Nor does it allow an assessment of the platform’s commercial performance to date.

What the announcement means for franchisees

The scale of the German network makes this menu update relevant to the franchise community. McDonald’s Germany says it works with more than 200 small and medium-sized franchise operators. The company reports almost 1,400 restaurants, nearly 1.9 million customers a day and around 64,000 employees from 160 countries. These figures describe the German network as a whole, not the reach of individual new products.

The product announcement gives no details of investment, training requirements or possible changes to restaurant operations. The financial implications of the expansion for individual franchisees also remain unclear. A wider range is not, in itself, evidence of higher revenue or better margins.

Practical takeaway: Anyone assessing these changes from a franchise perspective should distinguish between the announced range and the operational questions that remain unanswered. The release confirms the new products and the limited-time availability of two McChicken variants. Local decisions would also require information on availability, promotional periods, operational requirements and commercial viability.