Fast Food Chicken Wraps Ranked Worst To Best

The fast food chicken wrap craze started in an unlikely place. McDonald's isn't known for its chicken items. But since they discontinued their famously popular Snack Wraps (at least in the U.S.), other chains — some exclusively fast food chicken places — have stepped up with their own versions. With so many options to choose from, we took it upon ourselves to rank the fast food chicken wraps from worst to best.

The coveted McDonald's Snack Wrap was discontinued in 2016. But both Burger King and Wendy's have recently added a version of their competitor's former superstar item. And while both made our list, neither scored exceptionally high. Surprisingly, the chicken wraps category's big win was in the taco purveyor category. These options might be billed as "burritos," but they eat more like wraps, and reviewers were wildly impressed.

Chicken restaurants turned in only mediocre results, despite the main ingredient being the bread and butter of their establishments. Most did better than burger joints, but only marginally. Keep reading to discover what is offered, where, and which is worth the trip. And if you're outside the U.S., you might still be able to pick up one of those much-loved and very missed Snack Wraps at McDonald's or a similar version at Burger King, which also discontinued their chicken wrap in the U.S.

Wendy's added their chicken wrap just this year. It was decent but challenging to eat and somewhat generic. It didn't meet the standards McDonald's set with the original, down to the packaging. While the McDonald's version came packed in a cardboard tube that made it easy to eat and hang onto, the Wendy's version came wrapped in paper that did little to hold the whole thing together. And it only comes with ranch, whereas the Snack Wrap gave consumers the additional options of sweet chili, BBQ, or honey mustard.

Price and lack of flavor were chief complaints of others who hoped this would be a promising replacement for the famous Snack Wrap. It was larger but more expensive. One commenter on Reddit noted that in Pheonix, it costs $7.99 for one of these wraps. Others were disappointed that it was only offered with grilled, not fried chicken. And yet another thought most of the flavor came from the tortilla because this wrap had too little ranch. One even said it tasted like "plastic dog food."

Wendy's opted for grilled chicken because it is a healthier option, which is what today's consumers are looking for. The wrap was very full, "more akin to a huge burrito than a dainty wrap," said one reviewer on Narcity, who thought the grilled chicken was a letdown compared to the McDonald's fried version. She found it basic and not worth the $6.29 it sells for in her neck of the woods.

You probably know Arby's better for their red meat selections and options like roast beef, and as you'll go on to read, there may be a reason for that. But they do offer two different chicken wraps as part of their Market Fresh options: a Crispy Chicken Club Wrap and a Crispy Buffalo Chicken Wrap.

Some reviewers found these tasty, but most were disappointed in the flavor and texture, and almost all complained about the prices (via Reddit). One commented that the tortillas used for these wraps were dry and overly thick, even though the ingredients inside were pretty delicious. Others were disappointed that the wrap consisted of "mostly lettuce." And the flavors were also unimpressive — the jalapeños in one wrap being "weak" and flavorless.

These wraps were also surprisingly high in calories, despite the "Market Fresh" denomination that many consumers assume makes these a healthier option. For the record, Arby's has never claimed that these items were healthier, but many people have come to believe that was the case based on the associated labeling. However, according to the Arby's Menu, some of the wraps exceed 700 calories. Meanwhile, the Beef 'N Cheddar sandwich is only 450 calories. And the Classic Roast Beef is only 360 calories. So, if you're looking for something healthy, you may be better off with the red meat options.

You may not be able to get Snack Wraps at McDonald's in the U.S. anymore, but they are still carried and quite popular in both Canada and the U.K. "Big Flavour Wraps" is what they are called at McDonald's in the U.K., where the flavor options sound like episodes of "Friends" — "The Garlic Mayo Chicken One," "The Sweet Chili Chicken One," and "The BBQ and Bacon Chicken One."

These did not sell well enough in the U.S. to keep them on the menu, much to the chagrin of many McDonald's customers. In fact, when the fast food chain conducted a Twitter poll asking what menu item they should "bring back," the replies were filled with one significant answer: Snack Wraps. And there's been speculation that success in markets outside the U.S. might also convince McDonald's to bring the Snack Wrap back to the States.

But not everyone abroad enjoys Snack Wraps, especially following a recent recipe change. There's even an online Change.org petition asking McDonald's in the U.K. to return to the original version, which uses a seasoned chicken strip and shredded cheese instead of the new option, which contains a chicken patty and a processed cheese slice. Still, it remains a cult classic and is fondly adored by those in and outside the U.S.

This menu item from Red Robin seemed to be a hit with everyone who tried it. The Whiskey River BBQ sauce is a signature (and popular) item at Red Robin; they also offer a burger version. Consumers were particularly impressed with the tortilla strips' crunchiness in this wrap. But it certainly isn't diet food, so if you're counting your calories, you might want to steer clear.

Fast food tends not to be particularly healthy, and this wrap includes barbecue sauce, known for its high sugar content, and ranch dressing, which is high in fat and calories. But you can make this a healthier option by opting not to include the ranch dressing or tortilla strips. Eliminating these two aspects of the Whiskey River BBQ Chicken Wrap reduces the calorie count by about 300 and cuts the fat content of this wrap significantly.

If you're not counting calories, are on a cheat day, or just feel like splurging, this wrap is most assuredly worth the trip to your local Red Robin. Reviewers on FourSquare rated this as one of the best places to get chicken wraps in all of Madison, WI. One reviewer called it simply "amazing," while another was impressed with the barbecue ranch dipping sauce that comes with it and a bottomless order of steak fries.

This Chick-Fil-A chicken wrap got rave reviews, particularly because of how the item is wrapped, which ensures the customer gets a taste of every aspect of the filling in each bite. This is lacking in many of the other wraps on this list. "Whenever you're making a wrap, the secret is to make a bed with the lettuce and distribute your ingredients over the bed of lettuce," explains Kevin Watts, a director for Chick-fil-A Peachtree at Collier in Atlanta (via Chick-fil-A). "Then, you make a 'mini wrap' inside the Cool Wrap and fold the lettuce over."

Ordering this wrap is also a simple option. One of the things that makes this such a great choice, both flavor and healthwise, is that it has just a few ingredients. Besides the flaxseed flatbread, only five ingredients go into this chicken wrap: lettuce mix, delicious Chick-fil-A chicken, Monterey and cheddar cheeses, and dressing.

It comes with Chick-fil-A's signature Avocado Lime Dressing, which is an excellent accompaniment. Still, if that isn't a flavor you care for, you can substitute any other dressing option. It's also one of the healthiest options on the Chick-Fil-A menu, containing roughly 660 calories. The flatbreads are made multiple times daily to ensure freshness, and if you get one that's a bit dry, you can simply pour some extra dressing over the top of your wrap.