The McDonald's Menu Item You Didn't Realize Was Missing

01/25/2022 10:33 pm EST

There is a McDonald's menu item that has been missing for some time, and you probably didn't even realize it was gone. It's been reported that during the COVID-19 pandemic, the global fast food chain stopped serving salads. It seems the move was made as part of McDonalds' efforts to streamline its menu, following dining room closures that led to increased drive-thru and take-out orders. At this time, there does not appear any word on if the company will return salad options back to its menu in the near future.

Notably, as HuffPost pointed out, not too many customers were ordering the salad option when it was available. "According to food research firm Technomic, 47% of Americans say they want healthier restaurant options, but only about 23% actually order them," the outlet explained in a past report. "So Wendy's, Burger King and McDonald's can offer all the apple slices and plain baked potatoes and yogurt parfaits they want, but despite what customers say, these items aren't selling." That same HuffPost story also reported that, prior to being discontinued, salads only accounted for 3% of McDonald's sales.

The loss of menu items isn't the only impact that the coronavirus has had on fast food restaurants. In fact, your local McDonald's could be making a significant change to many stores amid the COVID-19 Omicron variant surge. According to Fox News, some franchisees of the fast food chain are trimming operational hours in response to staff shortages nationwide. Currently, McDonald's and its numerous franchisees employ nearly 800,000 people in the United States, so the lost hours is certain to have an affect on employees, as well as patrons. Customers may have to contact their local McDonald's restaurant to find out if it is impacted by the change.

A statement from McDonald's noted that "restaurants (95% of which are owned by independent franchisees) make local decisions on hours based on the needs of the customers they are serving." There is no overall plan by the restaurant chain to reduce hours. This echoes McDonald's Corp CEO Chris Kempczinski who says, according to Fox News, that "adjusting during these times is one of many priorities for the company's growth and well-being." To find out if your local McDonald's has adjusted its operational hours, it is recommended that you check online or contact them directly, as the change is not a nationwide move by the McDonald's corporation.

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