Want Crunchier McDonald's McCrispy Strips? Order Them Like This

While we await the much-anticipated return of Snack Wraps and silently mourn the loss of Chicken Selects (in addition to numerous other items McDonald's permanently removed from its menu), we figured that the new McCrispy Strips would be a good stand-in. If you've tried them, you might have had a similar reaction to ours: We were thoroughly disappointed. McSoggy or McChewy feels like a better name for these chicken strips. One dissatisfied diner even took to Facebook to say they felt "McScammed" by these "glorified chicken nuggets," having expected much more crunch and uniqueness for the price. If you were left wanting more crunch out of the new McCrispy Strips, we were right there with you — until we discovered that there actually might be a hack that makes this new offering more mouthwatering. 

When you order your McCrispy Strips, just say three magic words: "Cooked to order." When you ask for your strips cooked to order, it lets the kitchen crew know to make them fresh. For reference, they are usually cooked ahead of time and await order in a warming drawer. It's easy to see how letting fried chicken sit in a warm, steamy drawer makes the strips lose their crunch. So, when they're made to order, they should come out crispier.

We tried this hack and were pleasantly surprised. Like ordering off the secret menu, we were a bit nervous the cashier wouldn't understand "made to order," but they didn't even hesitate. Our receipt read "cooked to order," and the McCrispy Strips were indeed crispy. At least, noticeably crispier than our first time ordering them. They didn't flop around weirdly or have an uncomfortably chewy bite. Paired with that signature creamy chipotle sauce, the flavor was peppery, mildly spicy, and overall satisfying. The strips weren't done instantly, since they were cooked fresh, but we had them in hand within five minutes, which we'd consider a win. If the "cooked to order" hack doesn't work at your location, asking that the strips be cooked "well done" should have the same effect.

To make the crispiest fried chicken, a good flour dredge is key. So, it's worth noting that with McDonald's McCrispy Strips, you won't get that airy, ASMR-worthy crunch you'd get from the old Chicken Selects. Those, like the Chicken Fingerz at Zaxby's (which we ranked as the crispiest and best fast food chicken tenders), are dunked in a batter that leads to more coating and, when fried, more crunch. The McCrispy strips have more of a breading, which could be why so many diners have been disappointed thus far. We suggest asking for made-to-order, well-done strips before writing them off for good.