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. 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 socalled 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 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.”
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.
McDonald’s investors reacted positively. The chain’s shares closed at $129.32, up 48 cents, or 0.37%.