Dive Brief:

• McDonald’s is planning to phase out its Signature Crafted Recipe burgers and sandwiches before June 5, just two years after launching the items, according to a leaked memo obtained by Business Insider.
• The document said that the fast food chain is planning to reduce the number of products on its menu and premium ingredients like Swiss cheese, white cheddar cheese and garlic herb mushrooms.
• The memo suggested that employees should direct customers interested in Signature Crafter items to a new quarter pounder lineup instead. The chain rolled out a Quarter Pounder Deluxe and Quarter Pounder Bacon on Wednesday.

Dive Insight:

The fast food chain’s move away from signature items doesn't exactly come as a surprise. Earlier this year, McDonald's CFO Kevin Orzan said during a conference that the company's drive-thru times have suffered partly because of the introduction of premium items that take longer to make. Simplified menus also make delivery — an area that McDonald's is growing rapidly — more efficient, according to Business Insider.

The fast food chain also has been looking for ways to increase efficiencies as it struggles with keeping its stores fully staffed. It already plans roll out a revamped late-night menu at the end of the month, which will only include some of its most popular items. The company has also been adopting new technology, including personalization at the drive-thru and self-order kiosks that can help reduce its reliance on labor.

Restaurants, especially those in the casual dining segment, have been reducing menu sizes to improve the quality of food and operational efficiency. Chili's, Sonic and Dunkin' have been shrinking their menus, while Red Robin has been reducing its reliance on bargain menu options to try and boost average check sales.