McDonald's rolls out revamped burgers with "pillowy" buns
McDonald's is making several changes to its burgers as part of the fast-food giant's plans to improve its menu in an effort to boost sales.
Beef-burger sandwiches at the golden arches will now have a "juicier caramelized flavor" from a new grilling technique using white onions and will feature a gooey layer of "perfectly melted cheese," all sandwiched between two "softer, pillowy buns" that are "freshly toasted," the chain said. Big Macs will also come with more tangy Big Mac sauce.
"We found that small changes, like tweaking our process to get hotter, meltier cheese and adjusting our grill settings for a better sear, added up to a big difference in making our burgers more flavorful than ever," said Chad Schafer, senior director of culinary innovation of McDonald's USA in a statement on Monday.
The changes come as McDonald's doubles down on its Accelerating the Arches plan, a strategy to grow the company's profits through more aggressive marketing and improving the quality of classic menu items.
"In an environment where our customers are looking for the simple and familiar, our core menu items have never been more relevant," McDonald's CEO Christopher J. Kempczinski said in a January earnings call.
In addition to revamping old classics, the plan involves shifting the company's marketing into high gear through celebrity partnerships, such as the brand's Valentine's Day partnership with Cardi B and Offset and voiceovers by "Succession" star Brian Cox.
That strategy has so far paid off, the company's filings show. The burger giant made $1.9 billion in net income in the fourth-quarter of 2022, an increase from the year-ago quarter. Same-store sales rose 10.3% during the same period.
This isn't the first time McDonald's has tried to improve its menu. In 2018, the burger chain began using fresh beef in its Quarter Pounders, a major change that had a large sales payoff. The company also launched its own take on a crispy chicken sandwich in 2021 after several attempts at getting the ever-popular sandwich right.