McDonald's to Toast Buns Longer, Make Beef Juicier
McDonald's plans to toast its hamburger buns longer and sear and grill its beef in a way that makes patties juicier, all in an effort to win back customers, Reuters reported.
Steve Easterbrook, who assumed his new role as the fast-food company's chief executive at the beginning of March, told a New York conference that the changes were part of a renewed commitment to "tastier food across the menu," the newswire detailed.
"It's these little things that add up to big differences for our customers," he said. "At a more fundamental level, we are recommitting to hotter, tastier food across the menu," Easterbrook added.
The burger buns will get some attention too, BuzzFeed noted, as McDonald's plans to start having restaurants toast the bread five seconds longer, which will make it 15 degrees warmer.
"It may even add some texture and toasty flavor," the website predicted.
Incidentally, it is not the first time that the "issue of toasting" has come up at the fast-food giant, according to Buzzfeed. In the 1990s, McDonald's stopped toasting buns altogether and instead switched to microwaving its burgers to improve speed.
But "operators have complained that consumers feel the untoasted buns are too chewy," the Chicago Tribune judged in 1997.
"Moreover, toasting keeps condiments in place and enhances the taste," the newspaper added.
That same year, McDonald's started requiring new restaurants to install toasting equipment, which then cost about $7,000 per store. It also promised customers that their burgers would be freshly made to order, accepting the risk of burnt buns, BuzzFeed recalled.
Beyond burgers, McDonald's is in the midst of revamping its entire menu, iSchoolGuide noted. The fast-food company has introduced artisan meats and healthier bun option in some of its restaurants over the past few months; it also plans to add to its drive-through menu to give customers additional choices, the website said.
"I'm not saying we've gone backwards in what we're doing," its chief executive noted. "But we need to keep evolving our proposition to the customers," Easterbrook insisted.
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