McDonald’s feeds 7.5% of America. So, when they make a menu change, it affects the diet of a large number of people.
But there have been some changes in the burger landscape and McDonald’s is scrambling to stay relevant.
And McDonald’s new menu change is going to be a big change that many fans can’t wait to see.
McDonald’s planning to roll out a larger burger
McDonald’s is cooking up a new plan to try and deal with competitors like Shake Shack, Burger King, Five Guys, and Wendy’s.
This new plan involves a new burger that’s even bigger than its signature Big Mac and Quarter Pounder.
These two menu items alone account for more than $1 billion in sales annually.
McDonald’s now sells $25 billion each year in burgers and chicken sandwiches.
But the massive franchise doesn’t plan to rest on its laurels, or its arches.
And now, it has a new plan to keep growing.
Chief Financial Officer Ian Borden said the company “created a larger, satiating burger” as it “look[s] to further build on our leadership in beef.”
The burger will be tested in select markets this year, with a goal of being in every McDonald’s by 2026.
“We’ll be testing this burger in a few markets later this year, ensuring that it has universal appeal before scaling it across the globe,” Borden added.
Chains like Five Guys, Wendy’s, and Burger King build their appeal on the size of their burgers, with the Baconator, the Whopper, and classic Five Guys double patty burger appealing to customers who want to chow down on epic helpings of beef.
McDonald’s isn’t willing to leave any room for a competitor to cut into their market share.
“We’re addressing an unmet customer need across markets for larger high-quality burgers,” CEO Chris Kempczinski declared earlier this year.
“We’re working horizontally across the system to innovate. As we test and learn, we’ll be working to understand how the new offering will complement our already established burgers, like the Double QPC [Quarter Pounder with Cheese] or the Big Tasty,” Kempczinski added.
McDonald’s making other changes to its menu
McDonald’s is also rolling out changes, including how they cook their burgers and the buns they come on.
In fact, the fast-food giant is preparing more than 50 changes to their burgers, so it is going to take some time for customers to experience their new and improved taste.
“We can do it quick, fast and safe, but it doesn’t necessarily taste great. So, we want to incorporate quality into where we’re at,” McDonald’s senior director of global menu strategy, Chris Young told the Wall Street Journal.
One area McDonald’s is looking to upgrade is in its burger preparation.
The Big Mac, which consists of two patties, lettuce, cheese, pickles, and onions, as well as McDonald’s signature secret sauce, is set to see the burgers cooked in smaller batches to improve the sear.
Chef Chad Schafer demonstrated the new cooking technique for the Journal and showed how it softened up the patties.
“One is hotter,” Schafer told the Journal. “It looks meltier. Look at how my fingers sink into the bun. Smell it and you smell a big difference.”
Schafer compared the new cooking technique to the old method.
“This one, it’s kind of dry. It cracks,” Schafer continued. “And this is the best-case example at headquarters.”
The standard Big Mac sesame seed bun will be replaced by a buttery brioche bun with the seeds placed randomly on the bun.
Customers can expect to see this new burger begin to be rolled out everywhere by the end of 2024.
Informed American will keep you up-to-date on any developments to this ongoing story.
