# Deep-Fried Cheese Bites McDonald's is Now Offering Cheese Curds & Johnsonville Brats in Wisconsin By Katherine Pendrill | Published 2016-11-28 | Lifestyle Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/johnsonville-brats References: [brandeating](http://www.brandeating.com/2016/11/mcdonalds-fries-up-new-cheese-curds-in-wisconsin.html) & [fox6now](http://fox6now.com/2016/11/21/mcdonalds-adds-cheese-curds-to-the-menu-at-restaurants-in-milwaukee/) Just in time for the holiday season, [McDonald's](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/festive-food-range) is serving up deep-fried Cheese Curds and [Johnsonville Brats](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/summer-shandy-beer-brats) at its Wisconsin locations. While cheese and sausages may not sound like the most festive menu offerings, the two dishes are regional delicacies in the cheese-producing state. The new McDonald's Cheese Curds consist of bite-sized pieces of Wisconsin cheese that have been battered and deep-fried to give them a crispy texture. The Cheese Curds have been available in the Milwaukee area for a few days now and soon they will be available throughout the rest of Wisconsin as well. Customers will also be able to order Johnsonville Brats, which come from the Wisconsin-based sausage producer. Already a hit among consumers, the tasty new menu offerings demonstrate McDonald's continued effort to serve up specialty dishes in regional markets. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 0.7/10 - Popularity: 5% | Activity: 8% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Gen Z, Gen Alpha, Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Lifestyle](https://www.trendhunter.com/lifestyle) > [Food](https://www.trendhunter.com/food) ## Key Themes ### What's Driving This Trend - **Regional Menu Offerings:** Deep-fried Cheese Curds and Johnsonville Brats highlight McDonald's focus on offering specialty dishes in regional markets. - **Cheese-based Snacks:** The introduction of deep-fried Cheese Curds showcases the growing popularity of cheese-based snacks in fast food menus. - **Local Partnerships:** Collaborating with Wisconsin-based sausage producer Johnsonville highlights the trend of local partnerships in the food industry. ### Who This Affects Most - **Fast Food:** The introduction of deep-fried Cheese Curds and Johnsonville Brats presents a disruptive innovation opportunity for fast food chains to incorporate regional delicacies into their menus. - **Cheese Production:** The growing popularity of deep-fried Cheese Curds creates a market opportunity for cheese producers to expand their product offerings into the fast food sector. - **Sausage Production:** Collaborating with fast food chains like McDonald's provides an avenue for sausage producers to reach a wider consumer base and increase brand visibility. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Breaded Cheese Curd Bites](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/breaded-cheddar-cheese-curds.md) - [Festive British Burger Menus](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/festive-food-range.md) - [Beer Battered Cheese Curds](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/farm-rich-breaded-cheddar.md) - [Spicy Cheese Curds](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/jalapeno-cheese-curds.md) - [Crispy QSR Macaroni Bites](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/fried-mac-n-cheese-bites.md) - [Sharable Fried Cheese Appetizers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/crispy-cheese-bites.md) - [Cheesy Mashed Potato Burgers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/christmas-truffle-cheese-burger.md) - [Cheesy Midwestern-Style Burgers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/wisconsin-big-cheese-pub-burger.md) - [Collaboration Beer-Made Appetizers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/budweiser-beer-battered-cheddar-cheese-curds.md)