ND1025114

Title: McDonald?s Expands McBites

Description: McDonald?s is planning an aggressive food and marketing push 2012, including new menu items such as McBites, a new Cherry Berry Chiller and blueberry banana nut oatmeal.

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OAK BROOK, IL ? Following successful testing in Australia and Detroit, McDonald?s will expand Chicken McBites to restaurants nationwide beginning next spring as a rotating promotional menu item, Crain?s Chicago Business reports.

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The introduction highlights an aggressive food and marketing calendar for the chain in 2012, which includes a 100% fruit juice slush called Cherry Berry Chiller and blueberry banana nut oatmeal.

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McBites are small, nugget-size pieces of fried chicken, the poultry version of popcorn shrimp. They will be available in packages of 4, 6 and 12 ounces and priced from $1.99 to $4.99, accompanied by dipping sauces.

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McDonald?s reported strong third quarter gains last week, crediting several menu items for the performance, among them: McNuggets, which grew 10% for the quarter; new fruit smoothies, which boosted McCaf� sales by 16%; and breakfast items, which rose 20% over last year.

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While commodity prices squeezed margins, McDonald?s offset that with modest price hikes, a strategy that hasn?t been ruled out for next year.

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?We will continue to evaluate additional price increases in light of this inflationary environment always balancing our goal of driving traffic and market share gains with effectively managing the impact of rising costs,? said CFO Peter Bensen.

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McDonald?s is also bringing back the McRib ?�the boneless sandwich with a cult-like following ?�at all U.S. locations through Nov. 14.?

Content Subject: Foodservice

Formatted Article Date: October 25, 2011

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