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McDonald's is making a massive change to its burgers — and Wendy's should be terrified (MCD)

McDonald's is rolling out burgers made with fresh — not frozen — beef across the US, the company announced Tuesday.

  • The chain says all Quarter Pounder burgers at its 14,000 US locations will be made with fresh beef starting in May.
  • McDonald's says the changes result in a "hotter, juicier" burger that helps the chain to win over customers looking for

McDonald's is making a massive change to its burgers.

On Tuesday, the fast-food giant announced it would begin making its Quarter Pounder burgers with fresh — not frozen — beef across the US by early May.

The beef will be cooked fresh when a customer orders, which is a new process for the burger chain.

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Roughly 3,500 McDonald's US locations are already serving Quarter Pounders made with fresh beef, which has long been the signature item of Wendy's, its fast-food rival. In February, Wendy's launched a national campaign highlighting its fresh beef — and slamming McDonald's for its frozen patties.

"It started four years ago with us asking, 'How do we really make a step change in the quality of our burger at McDonald's?'" McDonald's US president, Chris Kempczinski, said in a meeting with members of the media on Tuesday.

The answer: Listen to customers' demands and start using fresh beef in the Quarter Pounder, an item that lacks the Big Mac's compact flavor punch and status as a fast-food icon.

McDonald's says it will use fresh beef for its Quarter Pounder, Double Quarter Pounder, and "signature crafted" burgers, including the new garlic white cheddar burger set to launch next month.

McDonald's is advertising the change as resulting in a "hotter, juicier" burger. The company says 90% of customers in Dallas and Tulsa who tried the new burgers said they planned to buy them again.

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"We're selling a lot more Quarter Pounders, which is obviously the ultimate test," Kempczinski said.

Radically changing the McDonald's burger took years of behind-the-scenes efforts, including addressing issues with the supply chain, food safety, and employee training. And the chain can't afford to lose a second on speed.

McDonald's says it has managed to do just that.

"Most of the boutique burger places? You're going to have to wait," said Joe Jasper, a McDonald's franchisee who ran the early tests of the McDonald's fresh-beef burger.

Jasper said McDonald's wanted to ensure it could keep the drive-thrus running smoothly.

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"And we've been able to crack that code," he said.

A Business Insider taste test backed the fast-food chain's "hotter, juicier" claims. The revamped burger maintains the classic McDonald's flavor while giving the patty slightly more depth — a necessary change for a chain where the beef at times relies on sauces to disguise a cardboard blandness.

McDonald's has been working to modernize its reputation, updating its menu antibiotics-free chicken and gourmet espresso drinks. While value is still crucial to the company, executives say more upscale options allow McDonald's to attract a different group of customers who are willing to pay more for higher-quality fast food.

"At the end of the day, McDonald's is a burger company," Kempczinski said. "And for us, there's no more important place to really focus on improving the quality of our food than starting with the burger."

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