Dive Brief:

• McDonald’s started rolling out new recipes for its Big Mac, McDouble burger and classic Cheeseburger, Double Cheeseburger and Hamburger, the company announced Monday.
• The improved burgers were tested in international markets like Australia, Canada and Belgium and received positive customer feedback. 
• The product changes, which will be available nationwide by 2024, are initially being rolled out across several West Coast cities, including Los Angeles; Seattle; Portland, Oregon; San Francisco; Sacramento, California; Phoenix, Las Vegas; Salt Lake City; Denver; Boise, Idaho; and Tucson, Arizona.

Dive Insight:

These menu enhancements are part of McDonald’s overall strategy to focus on its core menu. This focus, alongside improved marketing and stronger digital business, have helped boost growth in the U.S., CFO Ian Borden said during the company’s February earnings call. The company’s U.S. same-store sales were up 10% during the fourth quarter, he said. 

“We're delivering hotter, juicier, more delicious burgers and building on the success of emerging equities like the McCrispy Chicken Sandwich,” CEO Chris Kempczinski said during the call. “As a result, we are gaining market share in both chicken and beef.” 

McDonald’s enhancements to its burgers include softer buns, a caramelized flavor from adding white onions to patties while they are still on the grill and larger portions of Big Mac sauce. 

“We found that small changes, like tweaking our process to get hotter, meltier cheese and adjusting our grill settings for a better sear, added up to a big difference in making our burgers more flavorful than ever,” said Chef Chad Schafer, McDonald’s USA senior director of culinary innovation. 

Competition for restaurant customers is growing, especially as rival Burger King starts to reap the benefits of its $400 million plan to improve sales and boost marketing. The company is already selling more Whoppers than it was seven months ago, according to CNBC.