McDonald's launching new burger
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So after eight years of trying to make its image and menu more health-conscious, it says if Americans are ready for a fatty 1/3 pound Angus burger, it's happy to oblige.
Before I explain the new Angus burger, here's how amazing McDonald's is: It's the number-one chain in the world, it hasn't released a successful new burger since 1973.
Oh, they've tried some duds like the McLean and Arch Deluxe, but basically McDonald's has stayed out of the new-burger game. Meanwhile competitors like Hardee's seem to release a new burger every week.
But Hardee's did hit gold in 2001 with its $6 burger and so McDonald's is jumping on board.
According to Crain's, "The fast-food giant will begin rolling out the long-awaited Angus burger nationally by August ... A company memo indicates McDonald's also plans to feature the new sandwich in its Monopoly promotion in October."
The McDonald's burger will cost $3.99 and the company's franchisees seem gung-ho to offer it. There is one little problem, though: McDonald's uses electric fryers to make its burgers, while the Angus burgers at Hardee's and Burger King are charbroiled. Because McDonald's has asked franchisees to spend so much money on the McCafe roll-out, the company can't ask them to install new flame grills as well.
The electric fryer's failure to give some zing to the expensive Angus meat may be why the burger hasn't sold well in test markets. In Southern California, Angus sales dropped by more than 50 percent since the burger was first released in 2007. McDonald's obviously has a plan to compete with charbroiled tastes but without actually installing charbroilers, I'm not sure how it's going to accomplish this goal.
Success or failure, Big Mac or McLean Deluxe, I'm looking forward to trying the already-nicknamed "third-pounder."
(Image via Flickr: Zoe Disco)
43 comment(s) / Post a Comment
"McDonald's obviously has a plan to compete with charbroiled tastes but without actually installing charbroilers, I'm not sure how it's going to accomplish this goal. "
Chemical flavoring.
Posted On: Thursday, Apr. 23 2009 @ 1:14PMThat is nothing compared to the BK fried sloppy joe burger that has been rumored about the past couple days
Posted On: Thursday, Apr. 23 2009 @ 1:15PMMcDonald's use electricity to run their grills. Their burgers are not "fried".
Carl's and BK actually pre-cook all of their beef and then ship it to their restaurants. They then use microwaves (Carl's) and broilers (BK) to re-heat their larger burgers.
The Angus burgers are great. The mushroom swiss is a huge, happy surprise.
Posted On: Friday, Apr. 24 2009 @ 12:55AM*There is one little problem, though: McDonald's uses electric fryers to make its burgers, while the Angus burgers at Hardee's and Burger King are charbroiled.*
Personally, I think the best burgers come off a flat top grill. When they are done right, they are the best. McDonald's electric cookers are obviously closer to a flat top grill than BK's or Hardee's cookers so I'll give it a try. I don't have the highest hopes. It is McD's after all
Now, as a side note, BK's smoke flavor always tasted artificial to me...flame broiler or not
Posted On: Friday, Apr. 24 2009 @ 9:35AMwilly doesn't know what he is talking about. I am a BK franchisee and I can tell you our beef is NOT precooked and then shipped to us. We cook it on our broilers in our restaurants.
Posted On: Friday, Apr. 24 2009 @ 10:04AMI don't know how anyone can mistake a fast food franchise burger for the real deal. Get a burger from Dagwood's or LC's or even Backyard Burgers and compare it to Hardee's or BK - it's not even close.
Those BK "steakhouse" burgers everyone is raving about are barely edible. Same with Hardee's "Thickburgers" which are even worse than BK's. I don't expect much better from McDonald's new offering, and doubt I'll be disappointed. (it's hard to be disappointed when you're not expecting much)
These have been offered where I live (suburban Albertan town)for a long time, I'd say somewhere around a year.
They are very tasty compared to the rest of the food at McDonalds.
Posted On: Monday, Apr. 27 2009 @ 12:09PMwilly, McDonald burgers are fried. The patties are cooked in flat-surfaced electric clam shell grills. The patties are cooking in their own fat/oil, so they're fried.
Posted On: Monday, Apr. 27 2009 @ 12:16PMAvailable in eastern Canada for close to a year now as well. Surprisingly delicious.
Posted On: Monday, Apr. 27 2009 @ 12:18PMThis article is a perfect example of why actual newspapers are needed instead of pitiful blogs.
I take it you never bothered to do even a shred a research into McDonald's, their burgers, how it's sales and profits compare to the other burgers or even why the sales of the Angus Burger dropped?
Posted On: Monday, Apr. 27 2009 @ 12:31PMThis has been available in Canada for about a year now, they're dilicious.
Posted On: Monday, Apr. 27 2009 @ 12:41PMOMGosh I can hardly wait!
RT
www.anonymity.es.tc
I miss the arch deluxe, it had the best sauce on the face of the earth.
Posted On: Monday, Apr. 27 2009 @ 1:02PMIt'll flop. Only reason I stop by McD's is because I have a craving for their french fries. At $4 a burger, I can go to the local resturant and get a 1/3 lb burger and chips for around $4. And it will be made with fresh ground beef from USA, not frozen New Zealand beef.
Posted On: Monday, Apr. 27 2009 @ 1:09PM"Because McDonald's has asked franchisees to spend so much money on the McCafe roll-out, the company can't ask them to install new flame grills as well."
I understand that franchise owners need to cover basic operational costs, but I don't really understand why the McDonald's corporation wouldn't be willing to cover the costs of things like McCafe advertising and new grills for a new product. These things are due to corporate decision making.
Requiring its franchises to spend a lot of money on advertising due to a corporate decision seems unfair. And trying to compete with flame-grilled flavor without outfitting its own restaurants with flame grills seems a bit half-a**ed.
Posted On: Monday, Apr. 27 2009 @ 1:13PMAs others have mentioned, the Angus has been available in Canada for quite some time. Easily my favorite item on the menu. It's very tastey, and has a uniquely awesome bun.
Posted On: Monday, Apr. 27 2009 @ 1:33PMSo? It will be a gut bomb, just like the rest of their non-breakfast food.
Posted On: Monday, Apr. 27 2009 @ 1:53PMi cant believe this made it onto digg
whoever you are that dugg this shame on you!!
They have been around in Pittsburgh (test market) for some time now...haven't had the stones to try one yet though..
Posted On: Monday, Apr. 27 2009 @ 2:03PMFindings of a 2004 study by University of Utah researchers dovetail with those released by the University of Minnesota earlier this week, showing a connection between consumption of well-done or burned red meat and some types of cancer.
Minnesota researcher Kristin Anderson told those gathered at the American Association of Cancer Research on Wednesday that those who regularly eat burned or charred red meat may increase their risk of pancreatic cancer by almost 60 percent.
Maureen Murtaugh, a nutrition epidemiologist at the University of Utah, was the lead researcher on the local 2004 study, which examined how red meat and cooking methods figure into the development of rectal cancer.
Posted On: Monday, Apr. 27 2009 @ 2:11PMYeah, here in Columbus, Ohio the Angus has been available at most McD's I've been to in the past 1-2 years.
The Angus is a pretty decent "fast food" burger... but it's still no comparision to a good "sit down" burger.
Even the BK Thickburger XL wasn't too terrible, but it was was TOO much food.
Posted On: Monday, Apr. 27 2009 @ 2:11PMThe Canadian MacDonald's already have the Angus Burger since the fall of 2008.
Posted On: Monday, Apr. 27 2009 @ 2:50PMMcDonald is still trying to kill off the population!! You wonder why us American are so overweight and dying from heart disease.
Posted On: Monday, Apr. 27 2009 @ 3:05PMI've been eating Angus burgers at McD's for a year maybe 2 now. i pretty much order that everytime I go to McD's.
Posted On: Monday, Apr. 27 2009 @ 3:36PMyou want a real burger, go to 5 guys. their bacon cheese burger with grilled onions is the best burger in the world, and i have had a lot of burgers around the world!
they are the best EVER........ and guess what, 5 guys work in 5 guys...
Posted On: Monday, Apr. 27 2009 @ 4:19PMdidnt mcdonalds get caught rigging the monopoly game ?
Posted On: Monday, Apr. 27 2009 @ 5:18PMEver since 1965 The Whopper is the best tasting Charbroiled burger I have ever tasted.
Just tell them to leave off the ketchup and you will get it fresh!
Some people say charbroiled gives them indigestiion but not me!
I get dissapointed when I go to Applebees or Red Robin, plunk down ten bucks and wind up with a burger that isn't as good as a WHOPPER!
Maybe McD's which I love also could use electric grills and some Colgins liquid smoke.
If in Charlotte NC check out Mr K's on South Boulevard. They have an electric Char griller that kicks butt and produces a burger just like the Whopper for about 50 cents more, BIG K!
@Randy B.
You are wrong. The Angus burger for BK does come pre-cooked then it is thawed in ice water then ran the through the broiler. It is the only way for the meeat to be fully cooked and heated to the right temp and to be able to have it out to the costumers in under one minute
I used to work for BK. I took the training course on the Angus burger.
Posted On: Monday, Apr. 27 2009 @ 5:25PMthis is great news. i'm from southern california and the angus mushroom burger is literally my favorite burger. i'm disappointed to hear, though, that sales have dropped 50% in socal since 2007. wtf? i guess i'm not the majority?
Posted On: Monday, Apr. 27 2009 @ 6:51PMHey, leon give me frozen grass fed New Zealand beef over corn feed, hormone infested, high fat, low omega 3, US beef any day.
Posted On: Monday, Apr. 27 2009 @ 8:08PMwe have had these in Canada for months they aren't bad, real beef, good toppings, If I am going to eat somthing not so good for me this seems like the best choice, and I tend to get a side salad not fries with it so I don't feel so bad haha
Posted On: Tuesday, Apr. 28 2009 @ 12:10AMTo hell with this, 5 Guys owns. Better burger, better fries, for not that much more. McDonald's always destroys my stomach the minute I swallow my first bite, ugh.
Posted On: Tuesday, Apr. 28 2009 @ 8:01AMHAHAHA YOUR ALL FAT HAHAHA
im done
wait HAHAHA.. ok done
Posted On: Tuesday, Apr. 28 2009 @ 10:49AMdo we stop to eat burgers? no,i can't i love burgers.
and i think i will try new burgers of McDonald's
http://scoopea.com/FoodDrink/Kansas_City_Fat_City_McDonalds_launching_new_burger_Bullet_Proof
thanks for sharing it!
I find it funny, having lived there, that most of the fast food "innovations" happen in Canada before the USA (even the USA "test markets")...
I used to install fast food POS systems, so I've eaten (considering it was free) just about every item off of every menu...
BK does the best job for flavor of meat (Hardees a close second, but too expensive), McD does the best fries and shakes (coffee better than Starbucks weirdly enough), Del Taco destroys Taco Bell for REAL Mexican flavor (even though I still crave Taco Bell occasionally....)
I weigh an appropriate amount, I cook most of my own food... what I cook is healthier and better for me than any fast food restaurant...
but there is a lot to be said for comfort foods...
Posted On: Thursday, Apr. 30 2009 @ 6:22AMIn other news, the Healthcare Industry still relies on making sure people do not practice health care.
Posted On: Wednesday, May. 6 2009 @ 7:21AMI just tried the new Mcdonalds Angus/ swiss burger. It tasted great until I was done. Then it exuded this really bad charred after taste. Tasted really strong and artificial. I was going to try one again, but the after taste turned me off so much, I had to chew some gum to get it out of my mouth. Never again!
Ormond fl
I had an angus burger deluxe for the first time .. and I thought they were absolutely delicious .. great flavor !!
Posted On: Wednesday, Aug. 12 2009 @ 9:22AMI am looking for a link to the new 1/3 Angus burger commercial, you usally see it on after Jay Leno, or during his show? He does that McDonald's Monopoly givaway/
Posted On: Saturday, Oct. 17 2009 @ 9:08AM
