McDonald’s testing more fresh beef

An Associated Press report on Jan. 2 said McDonald’s is testing the use of fresh beef in another burger, the latest move by the fast food chain to swap out frozen beef as it seeks to improve its image. The company announced that the new burger, called Archburger, is being tested in seven McDonald’s restaurants in Tulsa, OK. The company held similar tests for fresh beef Quarter Pounders for about a year before announcing in March 2017 that it would roll it out to most of its 14,000 restaurants by the middle of this year. Fresh beef is a big change for the Oak Brook, IL-based company, which has relied on frozen beef patties for more than 40 years. At less than 3 ounces, McDonald’s said the fresh beef patties used in the Archburger are slightly smaller than those in the Quarter Pounder and larger than the ones in its hamburgers and cheeseburgers. In response to a question from WLJ to confirm the report, McDonald’s said by email, “We are conducting a limited test in Oklahoma and look forward to gaining valuable feedback from our customers and crew. We are continuing to raise the bar for our customers with new menu items and ways to experience our brand.”