McDonald’s is making its first foray into shared meals in the UK with the countrywide launch of a 20-piece Chicken McNuggets ShareBox.
McDonalds: The ShareBox debuted on the 9 February across McDonald’s UK outlets, supported by a major outdoor campaign that celebrates the “dunkability” of Chicken McNuggets. It is expected to be priced at £3.99 and launches with a limited edition sweet-chilli dip.
McDonald’s currently offers its McNuggets in individual boxes of six or nine, but believes the share box will lure more families through its doors.
The company intends to take market share from fast-food rivals, such as KFC, which offers shared chicken buckets, and Burger King, which sells its Chicken Bites in boxes of seven and 14.
Attracting a high number of families through the doors is key for fast-food outlets, which are battling against customers’ tendency to eat at home in the current straitened economic climate. McDonald’s is making a concerted push to attract the family.
In 2010 it trailed Family Dinner Boxes in New Zealand. In the UK the fast food outlet is targeting time-short families with the rollout of contactless payments. The system is being launched jointly with Visa Europe to speed-up and simplify payments. McDonald’s said the new system would be in place by the summer.