McDonald’s says a beefier burger is well on the way.
During a Q1 earnings call on April 30, McDonald’s CFO Ian Borden said, “our team of chefs from around the world have created a larger, satiating burger.” The multi-national burger chain — which has more than 14,000 locations in the U.S. — will be testing it in select markets later this year. Borden said the test is to ensure the burger “has universal appeal before scaling it across the globe.”
McDonald’s declined TODAY.com’s request for further comment regarding additional details of the new burger, so time will reveal just how big it will be.
On Tuesday’s call, Borden also spoke on the company’s recent successes, including its anime-themed WcDonald’s promotion and its better-burger initiative, first announced in 2023 — the initiative aims at making burgers “better than ever” with “softer, pillowy buns,” an improved melted cheese, burger patties with white onions creating a “juicier, caramelized flavor” and more Big Mac sauce.
On the earnings call, Borden said McDonald’s has rolled out the initiative at 80% of restaurants globally, including 100% of locations stateside.
The news of a bigger burger comes as CNBC reports consumers are reconsidering eating at fast food establishments like McDonald’s and others as prices continue to climb.
“It is clear that broad-based consumer pressures persist around the world,” said Chris Kempczinski, McDonald’s CEO, on the earnings call. “Consumers continue to be even more discriminating with every dollar that they spend as they faced elevated prices in their day-to-day spending.”
Recently, a post by X user @WallStreetSilv sharing a costly $24 receipt from McDonald’s competitor Five Guys went viral with 25.5 million views. Comments flooded the post, with many debating the recent and steady uptick in prices across the fast-food landscape.
According to MoneyGeek, a burger, fries and soda at Five Guys costs $19.95 on average, up 13.5% during the same time period, while the same trio at McDonald’s costs around $6.19, up 11.5% from 2021 to 2022.
