We tried McDonald's Snack Wraps in the US and UK. We can see why the British are up in arms about the 'downgraded' item.

October 10, 2026 adminsr

The Snack Wrap has officially landed overseas.

McDonald’s brought the fan-favorite item back to UK menus on October 6, marking its first appearance there since it was discontinued in 2016. Much like in the US, British fans spent years calling for its return — and McDonald’s finally answered.

However, shortly after the launch, The Sun reported that a few British McDonald’s customers were disappointed by the “downgraded” menu item, lamenting the removal of cheese from the wraps and calling it “a bit plain” on social media.

We decided to put each version to the test.

Our London-based reporter, Roya Shahidi, thought the UK’s version of the Snack Wrap, while light and crispy, was disappointing overall and needed cheese.

On the other hand, our US-based reporter Erin McDowell was impressed by the flavorful sauces and crispy chicken tenders included in each of her wraps.

Here’s how McDonald’s Snack Wraps in the US and the UK compare in terms of taste and value.

UK-based reporter Roya went to a McDonald’s in Islington, London.

McDonald’s in Islington, London.

Roya Shahidi/Business Insider

There were no ads inside the McDonald’s about the Snack Wrap’s return.

McDonald’s in the UK has only one version of the Snack Wrap.

Digital fast-food menu screen showing chicken wraps, sandwiches, salad, prices, calories, and product photos. — McDonald’s Snack Wrap on the menu in London.

Roya Shahidi/Business Insider

Unlike in the US, where you can choose between a spicy or ranch version of the wrap, the UK only has one option.

The UK version contains 282 calories and costs £1.99, equivalent to about $2.62.

When ordering in the app, you can upgrade the Snack Wrap to a medium meal deal for £5.59 ($7.38), which includes a drink and fries.

The UK Snack Wrap was neatly packaged.

Hand holding a Subway wrapped food item with an order label on a wooden table. — The Snack Wrap in the UK.

Roya Shahidi/Business Insider

Roya took the Snack Wrap to the office to eat.

The UK Snack Wrap comes with a chicken tender, black pepper mayo, and shredded lettuce.

A crispy chicken strip wrap with lettuce and sauce is unfolded on fast-food wrapping paper. — The UK Snack Wrap comes with a chicken, black pepper mayo, and lettuce.

Roya Shahidi/Business Insider

Roya found it disappointing that there was no shredded cheese inside, unlike in the US, especially since the previous UK iteration did contain cheese.

At this McDonald’s, adding a cheese slice would cost 50 pence — equivalent to about 66 cents.

There was a generous amount of mayo and shredded lettuce in the wrap. However, while she is a fan of the UK McDonald’s Chicken Selects, Roya felt the portion was too small for the price.

The chicken breast was tender and crispy, but the wrap overall was quite bland.

Hand holding a partially eaten tortilla wrap with lettuce and sauce over a wooden table. — The McDonald’s Snack Wrap comes with a Chicken Select, the UK version of the McCrispy Chicken Strip.

Roya Shahidi/Business Insider

Roya thought the mayo serving was generous, though as someone who prefers other sauces, she would have liked the option for something else.

The black pepper mayo had a mild kick, and the lettuce added a nice crunch, but overall, it was missing something extra, like cheese.

The UK-based reporter thought the ingredient distribution wasn’t great, with one side containing no lettuce.

A hand holds a bitten fried chicken wrap over crumpled white paper on a wooden table. — One side of the UK Snack Wrap contained little lettuce.

Roya Shahidi/Business Insider

As its name suggests, the Snack Wrap makes a good snack because it’s light; however, it’s not filling enough as a meal in its own right.

Business Insider reached out to McDonald’s for comment, but did not immediately hear back.

In the US, they come in two varieties — spicy and ranch.

mcdonalds snack wrap — The snack wraps came in two different flavors in the US.

Erin McDowell/Business Insider

This is arguably the biggest difference compared to the new UK version, along with the addition of shredded cheese.

Our US-based reporter Erin tried both wraps and was impressed by the amount of sauce in each.

Both wraps are made with McDonald’s new chicken tenders, which launched in the US in May 2025.

The spicy Snack Wrap packed more heat than Erin expected.

The lettuce tasted fresh, and Erin was impressed by how substantial the wraps were. Though billed as snack-sized, one was filling enough for a quick lunch.

The spicy sauce had a noticeable kick without being overwhelming — enough heat to earn its name.

She also enjoyed the ranch version of the Snack Wrap.

The ranch version tasted lighter but still packed plenty of flavor. Its creamy sauce balanced the fresh lettuce and crispy chicken tender, while the shredded cheese added a mild savory note and a little extra texture to each bite.

The tortilla wrap itself also seemed lighter and less doughy in the US.

We can see why McDonald’s fans across the pond are disappointed by this new release.

mcdonalds snack wrap in the us and uk — The Snack Wraps were noticeably different.

Roya Shahidi/Business Insider & Erin McDowell/Business Insider

While both reporters were excited to try the Snack Wraps, we felt a little let down by the UK version.

The key differences between the US and UK versions of the snack wrap are the absence of cheese in the UK version and fewer flavor options, which ended up greatly affecting our final takeaways.

While Erin would — and has — order these snack wraps again after their first launch, Roya wasn’t so sure, given the bland flavor profile, less-than-satisfactory presentation, and mediocre distribution of ingredients.

When it comes to Snack Wraps, McDonald’s fans might have to head to the US to get the tastiest version possible.