McDonald's is looking to expand its chicken offerings, including potentially bringing back grilled chicken sandwiches — a menu item the fast-food giant discontinued in 2020.

At a September investor meeting, McDonald's executives discussed plans to expand the chain's chicken lineup, including grilled chicken sandwiches and wraps, as demand for protein options grows, according to Restaurant Dive.

The renewed interest comes years after McDonald's pulled its grilled chicken sandwich from U.S. menus, raising questions about why the healthier offering disappeared in the first place.

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Chef Mike Haracz, who served as McDonald's manager of culinary innovation from 2015 to 2019, told Fox News Digital why the grilled chicken sandwich ultimately failed to make the cut — and whether it could find its way back to the menu.

The reason was simple: Not enough customers were ordering it, Haracz said.

"For many of the menu items at McDonald's, and this is true for any corporate chain restaurant, there is a certain sales threshold that means it will be profitable, and it makes sense to have in the restaurant," said Haracz, who is based in Illinois.

"Once sales dip below a certain level, it does not make financial sense to keep it on the menu, as you will end up throwing away product."

In 1993, McDonald's introduced a grilled chicken sandwich as a healthier menu offering, but it did not stand the test of time.

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The sandwich consisted of a marinated skinless chicken breast filet, lettuce, tomato, sweet red onion, Monterey Jack cheese and a herb sauce, all piled on a bun, according to a 1993 press release about the menu item.

McDonald's unveiled a more natural preparation of its grilled chicken in 2015, announcing on its website that it would be cooked using only canola oil, olive oil, and real spices and herbs.

The chain revamped the sandwich that year, introducing the Artisan Grilled Chicken Sandwich.

Ultimately, though, the grilled chicken sandwich lost its spot at McDonald's in 2020, when the chain also removed salads from its U.S. menus, according to Business Insider.

In his role at McDonald's, Haracz formulated new menu items for U.S. locations.

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People looking for healthier options at McDonald's appreciated the grilled chicken offering — especially parents, Haracz noted, because while their kids might have been excited about eating a Happy Meal, the parents were not as interested.

Like many other menu items, the grilled chicken sandwich was cooked on a flattop and held in the universal holding cabinets (UHCs).

Ultimately, it came down to simple dollars and cents.

Space is valuable at McDonald's, Haracz noted, with each location organized to make every square inch profitable.

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If an item is taking up space but not making money, it's probably not going to last too long, he said.

Consumer satisfaction played a big role, Haracz said, adding that he thinks the grilled chicken sandwich's flavor profile didn't always wow guests.

"McDonald's also realized once it gets to a point, there may be menu cannibalization, [which] means instead of ordering Chicken McNuggets, I might order the chicken sandwich," Haracz said. "Well, if we take the chicken sandwich away, are they still going to order Chicken McNuggets or other items? Most likely they are."

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Could the grilled chicken sandwich make a comeback? 

Haracz said he thinks it's possible.

"I do think there's a chance it could come back because many chains are dealing with the fact that beef prices are rising, and a way to offset that is to offer a more affordable protein option, which would be chicken," he said.

Haracz said he's not sure if there will be a renaissance of grilled chicken specifically. 

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"Certainly chicken items, in general, will be more popular, not only because of the beef prices, but also, that is a bigger profit margin if McDonald's develops it appropriately."

Fox News Digital reached out to McDonald's for comment.

Taco 'bout biting off more than you can chew.

A Texas woman's lunch took an unexpectedly toothsome turn when she allegedly discovered a cow tooth in her taco, prompting a lawsuit against popular restaurant chain Torchy's Tacos over a bizarre ingredient the company has since confirmed was the real deal.

Nohemi Castillo claims she nearly swallowed the tooth while eating takeout from the chain's South Congress Avenue location in Austin on June 9, according to a lawsuit independently obtained by Fox News Digital and filed Oct. 13 in Travis County District Court.

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The order included the chain's "Democrat" tacos, according to the complaint, although a cow tooth was certainly not among the advertised ingredients.

Torchy's Tacos confirmed the unusual discovery in a statement to Austin TV station KVUE, saying its own investigation determined that the object was a cow tooth.

"Upon receiving the guest complaint, we conducted a thorough review and identified the item as a cow tooth," the company said. "This can occasionally happen when processing the meat, though it is quite rare."

The restaurant explained that its barbacoa comes from natural beef cheek sourced from a supplier, adding that it has taken steps to prevent similar incidents.

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"We have partnered with our supplier to reinforce their internal procedures to prevent this from happening in the future," Torchy's said.

Castillo's attorney, Scott Vasquez, told Fox News Digital that the company did not acknowledge to him that the object was a cow tooth until the story attracted local media attention in October, roughly four months after the incident.

Vasquez provided Fox News Digital with additional photographs showing the tooth beside a tape measure, offering a closer look at the sizable object Castillo claims she nearly swallowed.

Another photograph included in the court filing shows the object resting on aluminum foil beside what appears to be taco meat.

A witness statement provided by Castillo's attorney describes the moment an ordinary lunch with a colleague took an unpleasant turn.

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"As we were eating, I heard an ‘awww!’ When I turned to Nohemi, I saw her pulling something out of her mouth, she said, 'I think it's a bone,'" the witness wrote.

The colleague described Castillo examining the object while holding her left cheek before concluding that it appeared to be a tooth.

According to the lawsuit, Castillo was disgusted and sickened by the discovery and visited a doctor later that evening, where she received prescriptions.

The complaint alleges that she incurred medical expenses and experienced physical pain, mental anguish and other damages.

Castillo is suing Torchy's Tacos and Success Foods Management Group, which does business as Torchy's Tacos, alleging that the defendants failed to properly prepare, inspect and distribute the food before selling it to customers.

The lawsuit further alleges that Torchy's failed to adequately monitor its meat supplier and breached implied warranties that food sold to consumers is fit for consumption. It also alleges violations of the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act and federal food safety requirements.

Castillo contends that she would not have purchased the meal, or would have examined it more closely, had she known about the alleged defect.

She is seeking monetary relief of $250,000 or less, with any final award to be determined by a jury.

Vasquez also told Fox News Digital that he has become aware of other individuals reporting similar experiences with Torchy's since the story received attention, although those accounts have not been independently verified.

The attorney characterized the company's earlier responses as providing limited information while shifting blame and responsibility to others.

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Torchy's, meanwhile, maintains that it took the complaint seriously and conducted a thorough review.

"We are aware of the situation and take all concerns about our food seriously," the company told KVUE.

Torchy's did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.

The popular grocery store Trader Joe's is expanding with 30 new locations across 16 states.

Two of the stores — in Anaheim Hills, California, and West Jordan, Utah — are set to open this week, according to Trader Joe's website.

The other 28, which span states from Arizona to Washington, are listed as "coming soon."

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A spokesperson for Trader Joe's told Fox News Digital that stores are typically added to the list three to six months before planned openings.

Three of the newest additions — in Bend, Oregon; Boynton Beach, Florida; and Phoenix — are expected to open in 2027, according to local and national reports.

"We are actively looking at hundreds of neighborhoods across the country as we hope to open more new neighborhood stores each year," the spokesperson told Fox News Digital.

Illinois has the most locations on the "coming soon" list, with four stores planned in Oswego, Chicago and Joliet. California, Florida and Texas have three each.

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Arizona, New Jersey, New York and Washington have two apiece, while Colorado, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nebraska, Ohio and Oregon each have one.

Trader Joe's operates about 660 stores nationwide. Shoppers can check the company's store-opening announcements for updates as more locations receive opening dates.

"Since Trader Joe's began in 1967, we have been in growth mode," the spokesperson added. "Some years we grow more than others, and our goal is always to bring delicious products at great values to as many people and neighborhoods as we can."

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The chain was founded in Pasadena, California, by Joe Coulombe. It has since built a following around its private-label groceries, from seasonal favorites such as Apple Cider Donuts, Pumpkin-Flavored Joe-Joe's cookies and holiday Jingle Jangle to affordable skincare that shoppers have called "dupes" of high-end brands.

The store's $2.99 mini canvas totes recently went viral, with shoppers lining up for new colors and some resale listings asking for hundreds of dollars.

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Its crew members, meanwhile, are known for their unusually warm, chatty checkout demeanor that some shoppers mistake for flirting, Fox News Digital previously reported.

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Trader Joe's gets hundreds of requests each day for new stores but expands cautiously, prioritizing real estate and supply-chain efficiency, Entrepreneur magazine editor-in-chief Jason Feifer previously said in a viral post. He argued that the deliberate pace helps the chain keep prices low and preserve its in-store "treasure hunt" feel.

FIRST ON FOX: Popular grocery delivery company Instacart has reached a multimillion-dollar settlement with the Department of Justice (DOJ) after it was accused of discriminating against American workers.

The DOJ's Civil Rights Division says it has reached a $5 million settlement with Maplebear Inc., which operates the delivery service used by Americans to get groceries sent to their front doors. The resolution addresses allegations that the company purposefully discriminated against U.S. and American workers based on country of origin, which the DOJ says violates the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII).

The company, according to the Justice Department, was abusing the Permanent Labor Certification (PERM) process by placing undue burdens on American applicants by requiring them to physically mail applications to the company, deviating from Instacart's standard electronic application process. The scheme occurred from December 2023 through February 2026.

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"This significant resolution marks the 15th settlement agreement the Civil Rights Division has reached under my leadership to protect U.S. workers," Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon said. "Our record demonstrates that the Justice Department is holding companies who prefer workers with temporary employment visas accountable. We will not stop fighting for U.S. workers until there is a fair playing field."

The settlement was secured in conjunction with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).

Instacart will be required, under the settlement, to set up a $4 million fund to compensate applicants who may have been wronged, and another $1 million in civil penalties.

The PERM program allows employers to sponsor temporary visa workers for permanent residence in the United States. However, companies using the PERM program are required to make a "good-faith" effort to hire American workers before resorting to foreigners.

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Companies cannot create "additional burdens for U.S. and American workers; publishing job advertisements that disfavor, limit, specify, or otherwise discriminate against U.S. and American workers; or use processes that limit, segregate, or classify applicants in any way that tends to deprive U.S. and American applicants of employment opportunities," according to the DOJ.

The settlement is the 15th of its kind since President Donald Trump began his second term in office in January 2025 and is part of a broader effort to ensure American workers aren't illegally discriminated against.

The EEOC has dubbed the mission "Project Firewall."

"Today’s settlement makes clear that when employers erect unlawful barriers that harm American workers, the EEOC will act decisively," said Andrea Lucas, the chair of the EEOC. "The EEOC is committed to holding companies accountable when they deny equal work opportunities to U.S. workers by preferring temporary visa holders for jobs. Discrimination against workers based on their American national origin has no place in our economy."

"We're proud to be a U.S.-based grocery technology platform, employing thousands of American workers and serving millions of customers, retailers, shoppers and brands. We encourage qualified U.S. jobseekers to apply to join our team," an Instacart spokesperson told Fox News Digital.

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"Hiring and investing in American workers across our U.S. business is our priority, and we actively promote every role across many channels to ensure qualified U.S. candidates are always first in line for opportunities. While we maintain that our practices complied with all applicable laws and regulations, we’re pleased to have resolved this matter so we can keep our full focus on delivering on our mission for customers, shoppers, retailers and brands."