Whatever Happened To McDonald's Salads?

When it comes to fast food, McDonald's is pretty much synonymous with "burgers and fries on a budget," so it's no surprise that the chain never became known for its salads. Still, once upon a time, the fast food juggernaut attempted to compete in the health food sector by offering an array of salad options ... one of which we promptly ranked as the worst in the game. But all greens have now been wiped from the company's stateside menu. In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic caused many restaurant chains to shrink their menus in order to work around supply chain shortages and diminishing staff sizes.

Though McDonald's originally nixed its salads nationwide as part of this effort, the leafy dish has yet to make a comeback, and one is unlikely to occur. In 2022, the Wall Street Journal reported, the chain gave its franchisees the option of re-introducing salads to the menu, but many decided not to. "If people really want salads from McDonald's, we will gladly relaunch salads," McDonald's USA president Joe Erlinger told reporters in a June 2024 interview at the Wall Street Journal's annual Global Food Forum, adding, "But what our experience has proven is that's not what the consumer's looking for from McDonald's."

While McDonald's salads have joined the ranks of discontinued cult favorites like McPlant Burgers and Snack Wraps in the U.S., they remain on the menu internationally. In Great Britain and Ireland, for example, McDonald's still offers a Side Salad, Grilled Chicken Salad, and Crispy Chicken Salad, with or without bacon. Meanwhile, McDonald's locations in Australia and New Zealand offer a Garden Salad, and McDonald's U.A.E. serves both a Chicken Caesar Salad and a Crunchy Fattoush Salad. The chain has long been known to offer regionally specific menu items in international markets, and it seems the company has decided that salads are more viable in non-American markets.

Ultimately, it's a judgment that reflects poorly on American eating habits, which the FDA recently found to be alarmingly deficient in fruits and vegetables. Still, McDonald's devotees within the U.S. can take solace in the knowledge that Snack Wraps are apparently on their way back, and that while the menu may be shrinking, McDonald's burgers will be getting bigger. Plus, despite a hike in fast food prices across the board, the company recently launched "Free Fries Friday" and a $5 meal deal, proving that rising food costs don't have to mean the end of budget-conscious offerings.