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On Wednesday, McDonald’s announced that all of its Quarter Pounder and Signature Crafted Recipe burgers in New York City will be ditching the frozen patties and switching to using fresh meat, cooked to order. That’s right, 100 percent beef with no fillers, additives or preservatives. While it’s never a good sign when you have to announce that you’re finally using fresh ingredients, it’s definitely a step in the right direction for the fast food chain.
We’re not saying we go to the Golden Arches every day, but we’ll give the green light to occasionally stop in for a hash brown (hopefully the fryer gods have blessed you with a fresh one) or a McMuffin. So we decided to venture out of the offices to the nearest McDonald’s to get a couple of Quarter Pounders to see if the company’s fresh beef makes for a better burger. Though it’s cooked to order (allegedly), there was quite a short wait time, especially with the fact that there was a non-stop line of hungry New Yorkers (obviously, they got the same memo about the fresh beef).
Let’s just say this: it wasn’t as bad as we expected. It was indeed edible, and for a couple of hungry editors, it was mildly enjoyed. It maintained the same balance of salt and sugar we’ve grown to expect from a Quarter Pounder, with the added benefit of the meat not looking grey. However, for $5.39 at the midtown location we visited, no level of fresh beef will make up for the fact that the quality just doesn’t match up to the price tag. Especially, when for less than a dollar more, you can head to your nearest Shake Shack for a ShackBurger.
Now, the only question that remains is: Will Wendy’s have to change their marketing strategy?
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