McDonald’s Debuts Trio of New Burgers

The quarter pounders will take the place of the retiring Angus Third Pounders. Meanwhile, Taco Bell is testing a waffle taco for breakfast.

May 16, 2013

OAK BROOK, Ill. – McDonald’s is rolling out a new line of quarter pounders to replace its Angus Third Pounders, which it has yanked from the menu, Nation’s Restaurant News reports. The premium burgers will come in Bacon and Cheese, Deluxe and Habanero Ranch.

The burger chain tested the new line in Sacramento, California, and Toledo, Ohio, for nine months. The new quarter pound versions will sport a bun with more whole grains, but the original Quarter Pounder will stay nestled inside the regular bun.

The Angus Third Pounders failed to sell more than 24 or so units a day, which frustrated franchisees. Same-store sales in U.S. locations dropped 1.2% during the first quarter, which also saw restaurant-level margins falling 1.4% to 16.2% of sales. 

“The franchisees have known for months, and everyone’s eager to get it done,” said Richard Adams, a former owner-operator of a McDonald’s. “It’s a baby step. Any time you can get a product out of the restaurant that’s selling only a few per day, that means less inventory and spoilage, so that’s good. This new Quarter Pounder has no new investment in new equipment or remodeling, which is also good. But a lot of it will be determined by the selling price."

What no one knows yet is if McDonald’s will offer the new line at a discount. Aggressive pricing might encourage sampling, but sustaining lower price points will be difficult over the long run. “I think the news should be viewed as a positive for the brand and the franchisees,” said Darren Tristano, Technomic executive vice president. “They’ll have opportunities to put the marketing focus on one of the best burgers McDonald’s has. … It’s still a good burger and a signature item, so why compete with it?”

In other fast-food news, Taco Bell is piloting a “waffle taco” in Southern California. The company is mum about the new breakfast item, which gained a boost in social media. Fans say it contains sausage and scrambled eggs in a taco-like waffle. Taco Bell has been testing breakfast over the past year in around 800 units. 

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