Slight changes to hamburgers that began taking effect at certain McDonald's restaurants earlier this year will soon be nationwide in an effort made by the chain to make their burgers "more flavorful than ever."
According to the Chicago-based chain, the changes were first initiated in West Coast restaurants earlier this year before taking effect at other locations across the country on a rolling basis.
In a statement to NBC Chicago, a spokesperson for McDonald's acknowledged that the changes will be in effect nationwide by early 2024.
The adjustments to the chain's burgers revolve around the way the buns, burger patties and cheese are cooked that McDonald's says will result in softer buns and gooier cheese.
Get South Florida local news, weather forecasts and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC South Florida newsletters.
“We found that small changes, like tweaking our process to get hotter, meltier cheese and adjusting our grill settings for a better sear, added up to a big difference in making our burgers more flavorful than ever,” said chef Chad Schafer, senior director of culinary innovation of McDonald’s USA.
Other changes include white onions being added to patties while they sear on the grill, while adding more sauce to the chain's iconic Big Mac.
The latest formulations have already been introduced globally, specifically in Australia, Canada and Belgium. If you are on the West Coast, you might have already noticed the changes.
Though the new burger changes will make its official debut in the U.S. later this year, McDonald’s has started introducing it in various cities on the West Coast and in the Southwest. These cities include Los Angeles, California; Seattle, Washington; Portland, Oregon; San Francisco, California; Sacramento, California; Phoenix, Arizona; Las Vegas, Nevada; Salt Lake City, Utah; Denver, Colorado; Boise, Idaho; Tucson, Arizona, and the surrounding cities.
By 2024, customers all across the country will be able to "taste the difference" at all McDonald's locations.
In the past year, McDonald's has experimented with adding Krispy Kreme doughnuts to certain locations, welcomed back the McRib and Shamrock Shake, and collaborated with a famed streetwear brand to add adult happy meals to menus.
In 2021, it added three new chicken sandwiches to its list of offerings.
