The Columbus Dispatch

Can McDonald’s make premium burger work?

- By Samantha Bomkamp

CHICAGO — McDonald’s has launched a line of premium mix-and-match sandwiches it calls Signature Crafted, a pricier option it hopes customers will bite onto despite their focus on value.

The Signature Crafted line features three topping choices: Maple Bacon Dijon (grilled onions, thick-cut bacon and Dijon sauce); Sweet BBQ Bacon (barbecue sauce, bacon and crispy onions) and Pico Guacamole (avocado, pico de gallo and buttermilk ranch sauce.) All come with white cheddar cheese. The topping options are available on a burger patty or grilled or crispy chicken. The new line, which rolls out nationwide this week, costs around $5. The timing of the rollout varies by market, and some restaurant­s offered the sandwiches earlier than this week.

The Signature Crafted line was developed after McDonald’s discontinu­ed Create Your Taste, an entirely customizab­le sandwich platform.

Speed is a critical considerat­ion for McDonald’s and other fast-food chains rolling out new sandwiches, as too many options can bog down kitchens and slow the arrival of a customer’s food.

But McDonald’s may face another problem with the unveiling of Signature Crafted: Customers may not be willing to fork over $5 for a burger. The world’s largest burger chain, based in suburban Chicago, said in March that the higherpric­ed versions of its value option, McPick2, didn’t work. The Golden Arches also said it has lost millions of customer visits over the past five years, since it first moved away from the dollar menu.

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