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McDonald’s will introduce a $1.99 Angus Snack Wrap to its New York City restaurants this month (June 14) and then expand the item nationally on Aug. 10, according to a report on Dow Jones Newswires. The item previously tested in Ann Arbor, Mich.; Houston and New York markets. 

The item wraps half of an Angus Third Pounder burger patty in a flour tortilla. Like the full-size Angus line, the snack wraps will be offered in Deluxe (lettuce, tomato, red onion and pickle), Mushroom & Swiss and Bacon & Cheese varieties.

In adding the Angus Snack Wrap, McDonald’s scores at least three important strategic points: It reinforces its Angus beef franchise (which Burger King hasn’t matched); it adds a high-buzz, low-price (half the price of the Angus Third Pounder burgers) snack item; and it acknowledges the popularity of snack-size foods that has helped its European operations post higher sales results than its U.S. stores.

The Classic Beef Wrap and Asia Shrimp Wrap McDonald's offers in Austria.

McDonald’s kept its Snack Wrap line confined to chicken until it added the Big Mac Snack Wrap in Canada in March 2009. The item rolled out in the U.S. in January. But in other countries, McDonald’s has been more adventurous with the snack foods it calls “Small Pleasures” in France and Portugal and “Whims” (Los Caprichos) in Spain.

Currently, McDonald’s offers chicken Caesar and Ranch snack wraps in Portugal, a chicken and Manchego cheese snack wrap in Spain, a chicken with chili sauce wrap in Belgium and a chicken wrap with barbecue salsa in Italy. A Chicken Caesar Snack Wrap is part of the Little Tasters line of mini-meals McDonald’s offers in the UK. In Canada, the chain last month added a reduced-sodium Grilled Chicken Snack Wrap as part of an effort there to lower salt levels in its food. McDonald’s also sells the McMini in Canada, which is a half chicken fillet on a mini baguette instead of in a tortilla.

Outside the U.S., McDonald’s also is offering full-size wraps such as the Classic Beef Wrap and an Asia Shrimp Wrap in Austria (McDonald’s only shrimp wrap test outside the Far East).