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[XiaNaphryz]

McDonald’s ‘Chef Crafted Flavors’:

Now that the all-day breakfast menu it has been testing is about to go national, McDonald’s San Diego County, Calif., co-op is testing three new customizable sandwiches. The initiative is labeled “Chef Crafted Flavors.”

For each of the three, diners can choose the new Buttermilk Crispy Chicken patty, the Artisan Grilled chicken patty or a beef patty. These can be served on what it calls an artisan roll or on a traditional sesame-seed bun. The three flavor options are:

→ Buffalo Bacon: creamy blue cheese sauce with blue cheese crumbles, tangy buffalo sauce, applewood-smoked bacon, tomato and shredded green lettuce;

→ Pico Guacamole: pico de gallo, guacamole, ranch, white Cheddar and leaf lettuce, served with a lime wedge on the side;

→ Maple Bacon Dijon: maple-seasoned bacon, savory grilled onions, slightly sweet honey Dijon sauce, creamy white Cheddar, leaf lettuce.

The additional customization aspect is the option of adding bacon or guacamole to any sandwich, or having additional guacamole or pico de gallo on the side.

As testing in San Diego, two of the three sandwich builds exceed the longstanding $5 ceiling on QSR burger prices. The Pico Guacamole is $4.99; the Maple Bacon Dijon is $5.19; and the Buffalo Bacon build is priced at $5.29.

In a statement, Bob Sutherland, president of San Diego County McDonald’s Owner/Operator’s Association, said, “The Chef Crafted flavors give us yet another way to evolve our menu to meet our customers’ desires and expectations,” said “Whether a customer chooses beef or chicken, artisan roll or the classic sesame-seed bun, these chef-inspired sandwiches are a delicious way to add some variety to our menu.”

 

[3N16MA]

It seems like they're testing a new line every month. Trying to find some $5 burger that will stick.

 

[lawnchair]

i want a martin yan inspired burger at mcdonalds

 

[SlickShoesRUCrazy]

Ok, but is the quality actually improved?

 

[Amir0x]

Maple Bacon Dijon does sound good honestly.

 

[way more]

Why are they making these premium burgers when customers are demanding they be made faster and cheaper?

 

[tribal24]

yet again there making more damn things to put on the menu. they never learn.

 

[Slayer-33]

Ok, but is the quality actually improved?

.

 

[Lactose_Intolerant]

It is still a mcdonald's beef patty. I'm not buying that shit

 

[Mushroomer25]

I will never pay $5 for a burger at McDonalds. Ideally that should buy me a whole McDonalds meal.

 

[One Punch-Man]

Why don't they just create an upscale label

 

[BoboBrazil]

Who they trying to fool with those pics? Here is their $6+ artisan chicken sandwich

Low end products at high end prices.

 

[pharmx]

I don't know why McDonalds keeps trying to sell us "premium" burgers. Nobody goes to Mickey D's for that.....give use cheap shitty burgers fast, and I'll sing "I'm lovin' it"

 

[Liberty4all]

Ok, but is the quality actually improved?

I honestly believe people don't want better quality high priced McDonald's. People want 3.99 Big Mac combos. The stuff people used to buy because it was CHEAP. In Canada a Big Mac combo is almost 9 dollars with tax lol.

there's a reason 90 percent of the people I see at McDonald's are buying mcdoubles or other value menu items ... The main menu items are a fucking ripoff, Nobody wants gourmet burgers when they go to mcdonalds they want Big Mac or McChicken combos for under 4.99 or less.

I think people like crap food IF it's priced right.

 

[Slayer-33]

All in all McDonald's has some serious problems man.

They seem like they can't solve their issues

 

[jaydogg691]

I seen some of these burgers at a McD by my work in Sylmar. I've tried the Pico one and it is pretty good.

I don't eat McD much, but sometimes I wonder why this place gets so much shit. It's definitely better than Wendy's, which I think is now the #1 burger restaurant. McD's value menu is pretty light.

 

[HTupolev]

I'll get one of these sandwiches, and while I eat it, I'll buy a bicycle for $100 at Walmart and upgrade it with a $200 carbon seat post.

 

[CassidyIzABeast]

the struggle is real right now.

 

[Liberty4all]

All in all McDonald's has some serious problems man.

They seem like they can't solve their issues

Can they not afford 4.99 combos? Get rid of all the other shit, keep the value menu, the Big Mac, quarter pounder, filet o fish, McChicken, and nuggets. Charge 4.99 for a combo. Problem solved.

 

[loaf of bread]

Ok, but is the quality actually improved?

I don't really understand the demand for "quality" burgers at mcdonalds. If I'm going to mcdonalds its because I want to indulge on 2 or 3 greasy double cheeseburgers.

 

[Lactose_Intolerant]

Can they not afford 4.99 combos? Get rid of all the other shit, keep the value menu, the Big Mac, quarter pounder, filet o fish, McChicken, and nuggets. Charge 4.99 for a combo. Problem solved.

Food prices have gone up but I agree with the sentiment here.

 

[XiaNaphryz]

I don't really understand the demand for "quality" burgers at mcdonalds. If I'm going to mcdonalds its because I want to indulge on 2 or 3 greasy double cheeseburgers.

I think it's more "if you're going offer higher priced burgers, the quality of those better be improved since I can get similar priced burgers elsewhere with better ingredient quality."

 

[half a moon]

I don't really understand the demand for "quality" burgers at mcdonalds. If I'm going to mcdonalds its because I want to indulge on 2 or 3 greasy double cheeseburgers.

How big of a boy are you?

 

[Liberty4all]

I seen some of these burgers at a McD by my work in Sylmar. I've tried the Pico one and it is pretty good.

I don't eat McD much, but sometimes I wonder why this place gets so much shit. It's definitely better than Wendy's, which I think is now the #1 burger restaurant. McD's value menu is pretty light.

Wendy's, McDonald's both charge waaay too much for their main item combos while their value menus canabilizes all the sales. The issue is the vast price spread ... When I go to Wendy's same shit, 2 Jr. Bacons and a chili natcho. ... Way more food for LESS than the price of a main menu combo.

 

[Timedog]

Who they trying to fool with those pics? Here is their $6+ artisan chicken sandwich

Low end products at high end prices.

5 dollars is not a high end burger

 

[BoboBrazil]

I think it's more "if you're going offer higher priced burgers, the quality of those better be improved since I can get similar priced burgers elsewhere with better ingredient quality."

Here in Texas I can get similar priced or cheaper burgers at In N Out, Mooyah, 5 Guys, Whataburger, Burger King, Wendy's, and Jack In The Box and they are all better than McDonalds or I can get better options like Chipotle for the same price.

 

[pharmx]

Can they not afford 4.99 combos? Get rid of all the other shit, keep the value menu, the Big Mac, quarter pounder, filet o fish, McChicken, and nuggets. Charge 4.99 for a combo. Problem solved.

Food prices have gone up but I agree with the sentiment here.

I feel like this would solve all their problems, and what they lose in higher food prices would be made up in volume of sales. Their whole agenda of trying to revamp their image as a premium brand is doomed for failure. If they really want to go the "premium" route, spin off a different label/chain for that.

 

[a secret-boss]

i think I saw this when I when I pass buy.
might try them tomorrow

 

[SlickShoesRUCrazy]

I honestly believe people don't want better quality high priced McDonald's. People want 3.99 Big Mac combos. The stuff people used to buy because it was CHEAP. In Canada a Big Mac combo is almost 9 dollars with tax lol.

there's a reason 90 percent of the people I see at McDonald's are buying mcdoubles or other value menu items ... The main menu items are a fucking ripoff, Nobody wants gourmet burgers when they go to mcdonalds they want Big Mac or McChicken combos for under 4.99 or less.

I think people like crap food IF it's priced right.

Good point, but being a cali native I can get a cheeseburger from in n out for like $2.50, 2 cheeseburgers for like $5.50

 

[Liberty4all]

Food prices have gone up but I agree with the sentiment here.

I get that food is more expensive but the 9 dollars a combo costs in Canada gets me into "real dinner" territory at multiple better restaurants at a quality that demolishes McDonald's. The problem is price. They need to lower the prices on their main menu items. I get when I go to McDonald's I'm eating shit ... It's a guilty pleasure or food on the run. The prices need to reflect that.

 

[Liberty4all]

Good point, but being a cali native I can get a cheeseburger from in n out for like $2.70, 2 cheeseburgers for like $5.50

Canadian prices are insane, after tax 9 bucks for a Big Mac combo. But yeah if I was American I'd be eating at raising Cains or chik fill a or anyone of the vastly better qualitybut similarly (or better) priced places.

 

[Heel]

i want a martin yan inspired burger at mcdonalds

Ohhhh look-a-dis.

 

[Vicetrailia]

Customers want higher quality (better taste, consistent everytime) and lower prices. But the main thing is quality to the price. Mc Donalds can do it but they gotta be bold. Right now they're bad in both.

 

[fredrancour]

Can they not afford 4.99 combos? Get rid of all the other shit, keep the value menu, the Big Mac, quarter pounder, filet o fish, McChicken, and nuggets. Charge 4.99 for a combo. Problem solved.

here's what i've been assuming is happening to mcdonalds that prevents them from doing this:

investors demand growth. in theory, a back-to-basics menu would mean that mcdonalds seeks to only sell basic items to draw in more people, so that there's a net gain even though lucrative premium items/pricey combos would be abandoned. the problem is that the company is still huge enough that management doesn't expect to get the growth they need that way, because such a huge percentage of people potentially interested in buying fast food are already giving mcd's their money. so they're left with either: try to show profit growth by cutting costs, or selling higher-end items to add profit that way.

i would imagine that over their history they've already streamlined the supply chain to amazing heights of efficiency, and don't have much space to cut costs with even cheaper ingredients when they're probably already pretty firmly in the lowest possible price bracket. thus their options now become:

try to find upmarket items people don't reject
or
tell the investors that infinite growth just isn't actually possible and mcdonald's reward for being stupendously successful for decades is smacking into the cold wall of inevitablity.

the second one isn't actually an option for corporate leadership that wants to keep its job, so they continually look for new premium hits like these things.

i don't actually know shit about business though.

 

[JDeluis]

I honestly believe people don't want better quality high priced McDonald's. People want 3.99 Big Mac combos. The stuff people used to buy because it was CHEAP. In Canada a Big Mac combo is almost 9 dollars with tax lol.

there's a reason 90 percent of the people I see at McDonald's are buying mcdoubles or other value menu items ... The main menu items are a fucking ripoff, Nobody wants gourmet burgers when they go to mcdonalds they want Big Mac or McChicken combos for under 4.99 or less.

I think people like crap food IF it's priced right.

Completely agree.

 

[bodyboarder]

Why are they making these premium burgers when customers are demanding they be made faster and cheaper?

Clearly the consumers are wrong.

 

[Jackben]

Is it obvious to anyone else that McDonalds has no idea what to do? The fact that we get new "initiatives" and special items every few months just further cements that they are scrambling for ideas, likely due to shareholders rattling the chain.

 

[wildfire]

I honestly believe people don't want better quality high priced McDonald's. People want 3.99 Big Mac combos. The stuff people used to buy because it was CHEAP. In Canada a Big Mac combo is almost 9 dollars with tax lol.

there's a reason 90 percent of the people I see at McDonald's are buying mcdoubles or other value menu items ... The main menu items are a fucking ripoff, Nobody wants gourmet burgers when they go to mcdonalds they want Big Mac or McChicken combos for under 4.99 or less.

I think people like crap food IF it's priced right.

This is mostly right. What's missing from this is that McDonald's is partly responsible for creating its own problem. The widening income gap means the purchasing power of their customers is lower. McDonald's doesn't come close to employing all these people affected but they need to acknowledge that they're contributing to the problem instead of pushing themselves and other companies to provide more liquidity in the lower end of the labor market.

 

[UberTag]

Maple Bacon Dijon does sound good honestly.

I think they've sold these in Canada already at one time or another.

 

[inner-G]

I like their regular-ass hamburgers. I get the two cheeseburger meal there usually.

If I want a nice burger I go to a nice restaurant.

 

[SURGEdude]

yet again there making more damn things to put on the menu. they never learn.

Is it obvious to anyone else that McDonalds has no idea what to do? The fact that we get new "initiatives" and special items every few months just further cements that they are scrambling for ideas, likely due to shareholders rattling the chain.

McD's needs to fire their entire upper management team and try and poach some smart people from some of their competitors namely the rapidly growing ones like Five Guys and Chipotle. The fact that they keep trying the same shit over and over again is insanity and just shows that the current team doesn't have a clue.

And like others have pointed out the quality has to go up, or perhaps more important the price needs to come down. Why the fuck would I pay $8 to eat at McDonalds when there are so many more compelling options?

 

[Trojita]

McDonalds has no idea what they are doing.

 

[daniels]

Maybe Mc knows exactly that people want cheap prices, huge portions and don't care much about quality... but its probably not making (enough) money for them to sustain or grow with this?
On the other hand they were on a more or less stupid eat healthy trip... so what do i (or Mc for that matter) know lol

 

[Kozak]

What McDonald's needs to do is lower their prices

I can get a double cheeseburger, medium fries, medium drink and a drumstick ice cream from Hungry Jacks for $5.49AUD.

Would cost me over $6 at McDonald's for a small meal with no ice cream.

 

[RevDM]

Yeah let's test a Mexican burger in the best place in the country to get Mexican food.

 

[morningbus]

I'm not sure if McDonald's as a brand can ever go upscale. It would take much more time than they've got to change their image.

What they can do is go low-rent and copy the success of Taco Bell.

Give us insane garbage like a burger coated in Doritos or something.

 

[antonz]

I am not sure Mcdonald has an easy out of their situation.

While McDonald's is slowly imploding we see Burger King having record growth. Burger King is a step up in general quality wise but not to some amazing degree that makes an 8 dollar combo meal at burger king much easier to accept than an 8 dollar combo meal at McDonald's.

The one thing burger king does do is change up their sales and offer coupons etc but I cant see that being enough to drive the big uptick in sales they are seeing though it might do McDonald's some good to start couponing a bit

 

[Eyeron]

Time to reintroduce the Arch Deluxe. We weren't ready for it.

 

[Adam_Roman]

That Pico Guacamole one sounds delicious. Next time I make burgers I'm trying that.

 

[Phyranion]

In every thread about McDonald's there's a bunch of people thinking they know what McDonald's "needs to do". What's up with that? It comes off as extremely arrogant.