Recently, I was sitting down with a few of my friends and we were discussing the food trends we’ve been seeing lately. It was a group consensus that we see consumers really wanting more fresh options. To my surprise, shortly after this conversation, I was approached by McDonald’s to come in and try their new 100% fresh beef quarter-pound burgers!
When I arrived at their new, modern Wrigleyville location, I was greeted by a team from the McDonald’s corporate office. Their enthusiasm and passion was contagious and they were all so excited to tell us what exactly they had been “cooking up”. They explained that while their former quarter-pound burgers were 100% beef (only adding flavor with salt and pepper), they were frozen. Now, the patties would be fresh!
Yes, you read that right! Every quarter-pound burger is now made-to-order with never frozen, 100% fresh ground-beef! They actually tested this new concept in restaurants across Dallas, Texas, and Tulsa, Oklahoma, and had 90% customer approval right off the bat. They knew they were onto something special!
After my excitement settled in, my first question was about the logistics. I know one of the core reasons McDonald’s is SO successful (besides their crave-able food) is because all of their processes are streamlined and efficient! Would these new burgers be prepared as quickly? How would they be transported without being spoiled?
The team answered all of these questions and more. One huge component of this innovative move was to ensure food safety in the transportation of the beef. They take upholding these safety standards very seriously and have outfitted every single truck with a temperature monitor. I was informed that if the temperature is off, by even a single degree, the burgers will never even be delivered to their intended location.
One of my favorite parts of my sneak peek at the new burgers was stepping behind the counter with one of McDonald’s Corporate Chefs and Food Scientist, Caroline Morris. She explained that working with the new patties now requires a new training program with increased attention on food safety procedures that teaches employees how to handle and cook the fresh beef. Chef Caroline showed us how all the beef is stored in special containers and they even have their own specific color (blue) so that the team knows they require different handling.
As I mentioned earlier, all of these burgers are completely made to order. Despite that, they are still done just as quickly as their frozen counterparts. The process from order to completion was incredible to watch.
To start, there is a monitor next to the grill and when an order pops up on the screen, a patty is placed on the grill. It takes approximately 80 seconds to cook and while the beef is being cooked to perfection, the rest of the sandwich is being assembled directly behind the grill.
I must admit, it was pretty awesome to see all the behind the scenes action.
After learning all about the process, it was time for me to try the new burger! At the Wriglyville McDonalds (and many others across the country), they have these awesome touch screen kiosks you can order from that make customizing your meal a breeze. I was given a number and waited for my food to arrive table-side. Yes, table-side! At these modern locations with kiosks, the staff can bring the food to your table.
When my food arrived, I was in shock. These burgers didn’t look like your average fast food burger. In fact, they look more like the ones we cook on the grill at home, juices running and all. To be honest, the only part of the meal that reminded me of fast food was the quick delivery time! Everything else, from the table-side delivery to the first bite, felt like a completely curated experience.
McDonald’s is leading the charge on giving us fresh options at a fast pace and I couldn’t be more excited. Run, don’t walk, to your nearest McDonald’s and try it for yourself because these 100% fresh ground beef burgers 100% blew my mind!
Love always,
Erica