McDonald's introduces "signature" burgers in the UK
McDonald's is trying signature burgers in the UK. These new burgers are high-end and designed by quality chefs.
A McDonald's sign is displayed outside its outlet, the first one which opened in China in 1990, at the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen neighbouring Hong Kong in this March 18, 2013 file photo. McDonalds is introducing signature burgers to the UK.
Bobby Yip/Reuters/File
McDonald’s has introduced “The Signature Collection” in the UK, a trio of high-end burgers on brioche buns. The chain says the burgers were created by its Food Development Director Duncan Cruttenden and “a team of chefs with a wide range of experience from Michelin starred restaurants to cooking for international royalty.” The burgers will be marketed in distinctive black packaging with matching black fry containers. Currently the line is testing in 28 restaurants.
The burgers feature a thicker beef patty of 100% British and Irish beef, which the chain says is in line with “customer’s expectations from a premium burger at McDonald’s – a thicker beef burger, high quality ingredients and freshly prepared.” The burgers:
The Classic: 100% British and Irish beef patty, two rashers of beechwood-smoked bacon, a slice of natural Cheddar cheese, whole-grain mustard mayo, ketchup, Batavia lettuce and red onion on a brioche-style bun;
The BBQ: 100% British and Irish beef patty, smoky BBQ sauce, coleslaw, red onion, Batavia lettuce, beechwood-smoked bacon and a slice of natural Cheddar cheese on a Brioche-style bun
The Spicy: 100% British and Irish beef patty, jalapeño slices, pepper-Jack cheese, Batavia lettuce, mayo and a spicy relish on a Brioche-style bun.
According to Money/CNN, pricing is £4.69 ($7.21) for a Signature burger alone; £6.19 ($9.51) for a meal. The rollout was reported earlier by the Burger Lad site.
“At McDonald’s we are committed to listening to our customers and evolving our menu to offer something for everyone. When the Chefs Council started to develop this new premium offering, we worked with a brief generated by our customers – they told us they wanted thicker beef patties, high quality ingredients and freshly prepared,” said Cruttenden in a release. “We’ve crafted a range that is a truly exciting permanent addition to our menu–every product has to earn a place on our menu and our customers have told us the Signature Collection has done just that.”
The thicker patty “takes a little longer to cook than other burgers on the menu which means at quieter times there could be a short wait for a Signature Collection burger, but it’s worth waiting for,” the company said. The company did not disclose precooked weight of the burger patty.
The company said testing is taking place in 28 restaurants in London and the South, and “is set to roll out across the country next summer when the Signature Collection will become a permanent item on the menu in around 400 restaurants already refurbished as part of the ongoing ‘Experience of the Future’ transformation programme.”
In August, McDonald’s expanded testing of table service in the UK and said it intends to expand the service model through all markets there.
Earlier this year, McDonald’s tested a “Signature Burger” in several U.S. markets as part of a “Lovin’ Value Menu” discount program. That menu involved a series “mini meals.”