McDonald’s going fresh — not frozen — on Quarter Pounder
Hoping to bring back diners who left in droves in search of tastier food, McDonald’s announced Thursday it will start making one of its signature hamburgers, the Quarter Pounder, with fresh beef patties.
The announcement follows executives’ admissions this month that “hundreds of millions” of visits had been lost by once-loyal customers who drifted away in search of better quality, convenience and value. By embracing fresh beef for its Quarter Pounders, McDonald’s seeks to head off Wendy’s, a traditional rival, which likes to emphasize its usage of fresh, not frozen, beef. It’s also edging closer to the so-called better-burger chains, such as Five Guys and Smashburger.
The changeover from frozen beef in the Quarter Pounder will begin next year in a majority of U.S. restaurants .
“Consumers are demanding more in terms of health and wellness,” said Jack Russo, an analyst with brokerage Edward Jones. “They want to know what’s in their products.”
Other McDonald’s sandwiches, including the Big Mac and the McDouble, could eventually be made without using frozen beef as well. Having boosted foot traffic with the all-day breakfast and recently promoting different sizes of Big Macs, executives say they are only starting on their mission to improve food taste.
“By no means are we done. This is a first step,” McDonald’s USA President Chris Kempczinski said.
The Quarter Pounder was the first burger chosen for the switch because it “is right up there with the Big Mac as we think of iconic products,” Kempczinski said. “It’s where we have the most demanding customers.” The lineup includes Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese, the Quarter Pounder with Cheese Deluxe and Signature Crafted Recipe burgers.
Fresh beef was tested in 325 restaurants in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and 77 in Tulsa. McDonald’s doesn’t break out its sales by individual menu items, but during the test run, the new Quarter Pounders had a doubledigit sales increase, McDonald’s spokeswoman Becca Hary said.
Kempczinski declined to talk about how long the switch to fresh might take for other McDonald’s burgers.
And while nutrition will remain the same, he said, burgers with fresh beef will taste better.
“When you’re cooking a fresh patty on the grill, you need to cook it less,” he said. “Faster cook time on the grill means you have better flavor retention, and it comes right off the grill and is delivered to the customer.”
The change in food handling practices and the shorter grill time mean McDonald’s must tweak its how-to manuals for staffers. The change requires the nation’s largest fast-food chain to update its food safety procedures, such as the proper way to store the patties.
McDonald’s switched to frozen in 1973 because it was a way for the chain, expanding rapidly nationwide, to keep up with consumer demand, Hary explained.
McDonald’s investors reacted positively. The chain’s shares closed at $129.32, up 48 cents.
Restaurants in Alaska and Hawaii aren’t making the switch because of the distance and the logistics involved in shipping there, Hary said.
“By no means are we done. This is a first step.” Chris Kempczinski, McDonald’s USA President