McDonald's Drive-Thru Been Slower Than Usual? This May Be The Culprit

You've probably heard by now that McDonald's Snack Wraps are back — and you've probably rejoiced along with us. That perfect little wrap of juicy chicken, crisp lettuce, and creamy ranch makes for the ideal protein- and flavor-filled snack, and feels like a slightly healthier option compared to other menu items.

The only downside to the Snack Wrap? It might be slowing down the drive-thru. Though McDonald's isn't necessarily the quickest fast food drive-thru that exists, we don't feel like there's consistently a wait time that's long enough to complain about. Like most fast food spots, the food is specially prepared for speed — buns wait in warmers, fries are made in large batches, and some foods are even par-cooked. But unlike pre-assembled burgers, each Snack Wrap is freshly built to order, requiring a longer cook time and more careful assembly process. With more customers ordering them, it's starting to affect the pace of the drive-thru. Fans are happy to see it return, but your quick run to McDonald's might feel a little slower than usual.

So why does the Snack Wrap slow things down? It starts with the main ingredient: those crispy chicken strips. Fans and workers have noted how the McDonald's McCrispy Strips notoriously take a while to cook, especially if you use the hack to get them made extra crispy.

According to McDonald's employees, each basket of the strips can take about six minutes to cook, and each basket only fits six strips. If you choose a combo order (which is more common), you're getting two wraps at a time. When the math is done, we wind up with a sum that amounts to fast food that doesn't feel so fast. McDonald's introduced new tools like sauce guns and specially shaped cheese spoons for efficiency, yet workers complain that they're clunky and counterproductive. On top of all that, McDonald's workers claim that their locations are constantly understaffed. These compounding factors only slow things down further, so even if you're just waiting on a batch of fries to be scooped into a box for you, you'll be waiting behind a slew of Snack Wrap orders that clog up the assembly line.

Is the Snack Wrap worth the wait? In our review of McDonald's Snack Wrap, we conclude it's worth a shot. But if you're ordering something else and don't want to suffer the fallout of someone else's Snack Wrap craving, we'd recommend mobile ordering ahead to save yourself some time.