McDonalds has a NEW BURGER

[ChampSkinsFanatic]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17757931/?GT1=9145

McDonald's tests bigger burger

Angus Third Pounder exceeding sales goals in California roll-out

By Jane Wells

Reporter

Updated: 6:22 p.m. ET March 23, 2007

TOLUCA LAKE, Calif. - McDonald’s is fattening up its menu, testing the concept of putting one-third of a pound of beef on a bun. It would be its biggest burger yet.

The Angus Third Pounder is being tested in California. It tastes like really big, super-sized Big N' Tasty. The patty is a little bit like a bigger, better Quarter Pounder.

The question is, What took so long? When it comes to so-called premium burgers, McDonald’s is following the herd.

The Angus Third Pounder is being tested at McDonald’s throughout southern California. There are three different versions at $3.99 each — the Angus Deluxe, Angus Mushroom & Swiss and Angus Bacon & Cheese.

That’s the same price as the so-called “Six Dollar Burger” which Carl’s Jr. rolled out followed by Hardee’s, which are actually a half-pound each. Both fast food chains are owned by CKE Restaurants.

The burgers have been a huge hit for that company, and one reason Burger King followed with its own Angus burger. These burgers — we talked to all three companies — have slimmer margins but higher profit per burger. Wedbush Morgan says burgers still account for 50 percent of the $123 billion fast food industry.

“For the first 17 days, we're either hitting or exceeding all of our targets at this point,” said Chris Woicik, a McDonald’s regional vice president. “So we're very, very pleased with the early results. But again, we’ve only got 17 days of it so we need a longer time to read it.”

Competitors do not seem worried.

“We've been in the Angus steak burger business for three years, and we're consistently ranked as the No. 1 selling Angus burger across the country,” said John Schaufelberger, a Burger King marketing vice president. “In fact, this idea is becoming global in nature, and global consumers are becoming interested.”

Andrew Pudzer, president and chief executive officer of CKE, fired a shot across the cow bow.

“You never like to see somebody come in and compete directly with your products, but theirs is distinguishable enough from ours, that from a competitive standpoint we're not particularly concerned about it,” he said. “We're looking into what McDonald's is doing, but we're pretty sure it's a McAngus product, not the kind of product we're producing.”

It may takes months for McDonald's to roll this out nationally, but expect the company to expand in areas where others have already succeeded.

“If egg rolls became wildly popular and consumers wanted them, McDonald's, I'm pretty sure, would make them sooner or later, and I think that's what's happening here,” said Tony Brenner of Roth Capital Partners.

McDonald’s has been on a roll, with its stock up more than 60 percent since mid-2005 and same-store sales growing at up to 20 percent.

“They've had one of the most amazing comebacks in my knowledge of the industry,” said Dennis Lombardi, executive vice president of WD Partners, a retail consulting firm. “It will be a Harvard business case — an absolute amazing turnaround and revitalization of a brand.”

The real competitors for the burger may be casual dining chains like Applebee’s. Or it could cannibalize quarter-pounder sales at McDonald’s, and that is something the company will be watching.

[cjcdaman]

Good idea. Not everybody is on a diet, so we like to enjoy what we eat.

[Guest sith lord]

I bet it's not as good as Burger king's Angus Burger, but anyway, how can the stock possibly go up for this chain? There isn't a worse run fast food joint on the planet. The food is Never hot, they rarely give you everything you order, they're always running out of things and the people who works there acts like they could care less. I've had to call them on more than one occassion telling them they lefts things out of my order that I paid for. Their response? You can come back and get the items or the next time you visit us, we'll give you those items.

[.Guy.]

Get ready for the "Eww McDonalds is naaaasty crowd" in 3 2 1....

[PokerPacker]

Eww McDonalds is naaaasty, how can you eat that crap?

[daddys little skins fan]

Cheeburger Cheeburger is where it's at man.

Third Pounder... ha.

...We have that. as well as a 1/2 pounder, 3/4 pounder, and 1 pound burger

and then after you eat that. you can give a lovely tip to your wonderful waitress being... me. :-) Now who would want to trade all that in for McDonalds?!?! please.

[turtle]

pics please.... :cool:

[TMK9973]

I'll tell you what - I've gotten it a few times here (BIG marketing campign, TON's of free coupons last week).

It's REALLY good! Of course, I'll admit, I like McDonnalds anyway - But this burger was much better then the 1/4 pounder.

Still - In and Out is better, but this is not bad at all.

[Fergasun]

Carls Jr. has had an Angus burger for awhile... I think they called it a royale...

[PCS]

That's alot of burger there. Almost need a snow shovel to turn the thing.

[daddys little skins fan]

Vincent: And you know what they call a... a... a Quarter Pounder with Cheese in Paris?

Jules: They don't call it a Quarter Pounder with cheese?

Vincent: No man, they got the metric system. They wouldn't know what the **** a Quarter Pounder is.

Jules: Then what do they call it?

Vincent: They call it a Royale with cheese.

Jules: A Royale with cheese. What do they call a Big Mac?

Vincent: Well, a Big Mac's a Big Mac, but they call it le Big-Mac.

Jules: Le Big-Mac. Ha ha ha ha. What do they call a Whopper?

Vincent: I dunno, I didn't go into Burger King.

---Pulp Fiction. love that movie.

[Reic]

i might actually have to buy something not on the dollar menu now!

Not like I go to "Rock and Roll MacDonalds" that often as it is.

[The Brave Little Toaster Oven]

Cheeburger Cheeburger is where it's at man.

Third Pounder... ha.

...We have that. as well as a 1/2 pounder, 3/4 pounder, and 1 pound burger

and then after you eat that. you can give a lovely tip to your wonderful waitress being... me. :-) Now who would want to trade all that in for McDonalds?!?! please.

Only if you're my waitress

[#98QBKiller]

Get ready for the "Eww McDonalds is naaaasty crowd" in 3 2 1....

I hear people say that all the time. McDonald's is far from nasty. They put a ton of artificial flavors in their food to make it as mouthwatering as possible...and it works.

Vincent: And you know what they call a... a... a Quarter Pounder with Cheese in Paris?

Jules: They don't call it a Quarter Pounder with cheese?

Vincent: No man, they got the metric system. They wouldn't know what the **** a Quarter Pounder is.

Jules: Then what do they call it?

Vincent: They call it a Royale with cheese.

Jules: A Royale with cheese. What do they call a Big Mac?

Vincent: Well, a Big Mac's a Big Mac, but they call it le Big-Mac.

Jules: Le Big-Mac. Ha ha ha ha. What do they call a Whopper?

Vincent: I dunno, I didn't go into Burger King.

---Pulp Fiction. love that movie.

That's my all-time favorite movie.

[Reic]

Cheeburger Cheeburger is where it's at man.

Third Pounder... ha.

...We have that. as well as a 1/2 pounder, 3/4 pounder, and 1 pound burger

and then after you eat that. you can give a lovely tip to your wonderful waitress being... me. :-) Now who would want to trade all that in for McDonalds?!?! please.

I usually tip around 15% but since you are a skins fan, and I am assuming a 17 year old female skins fan, I'd give you more because finding one of your type is like finding a female who can actually beat you at video games

[Cheers, Beers and Mountaineers]

I bet it's not as good as Burger king's Angus Burger, but anyway, how can the stock possibly go up for this chain? There isn't a worse run fast food joint on the planet. The food is Never hot, they rarely give you everything you order, they're always running out of things and the people who works there acts like they could care less. I've had to call them on more than one occassion telling them they lefts things out of my order that I paid for. Their response? You can come back and get the items or the next time you visit us, we'll give you those items.

wierd, never had those problems

[ChampSkinsFanatic]

wierd, never had those problems

he lives in New York:laugh:

[LegionOfDoom]

R.I.P. to the millions of fat kids and people too young that die from years of eating this disgusting BS. not only is it horrible tasting, it's horrible for you.

If you like to eat, take the time to learn to cook, it isn't hard. that way you know exactly what your pumping into yourself.

[Commander_N_Chief]

R.I.P. to the millions of fat kids and people too young that die from years of eating this disgusting BS. not only is it horrible tasting, it's horrible for you.

Yes but even too much water consumption can be dangerous for you. Eating at McDonalds sparingly isn't bad. It's the people who go every single day or every other day that bring the heart attacks on themselves. It's not the food that's the problem, it's the will power of those who choose to go there that's at fault. Take some personal responsibility for your actions. If you eat greasy food every day you're going to get fat. If you spill your coffee, you're going to get burned.

Personally I like the idea of having a 1/3 burger, though McDonalds isn't exactly breaking through with any new idea on this one.

[DieselPwr44]

Does anybody here remember when the Big Mac was actually a big burger?? It has shrunk through the years. Why don't they just return it to it's original size and call it a day?

[China]

Do the math. A 1/3 lb burger still isn't as much beef as a double quarter pounder which they already offer. What's the big deal?

[Commander_N_Chief]

Do the math. A 1/3 lb burger still isn't as much beef as a double quarter pounder which they already offer. What's the big deal?

I am not sure if it's just the amount of beef that everyone is excited about. Correct me if I'm wrong but none of the burgers are Angus beef; and this sandwhich has a couple of different options(swiss n shroom or the bacon cheeseburger) of being made as opposed to the D 1/4 Pounder.

[canethang 305]

I bet it's not as good as Burger king's Angus Burger, but anyway, how can the stock possibly go up for this chain? There isn't a worse run fast food joint on the planet. The food is Never hot, they rarely give you everything you order, they're always running out of things and the people who works there acts like they could care less. I've had to call them on more than one occassion telling them they lefts things out of my order that I paid for. Their response? You can come back and get the items or the next time you visit us, we'll give you those items.

It's not just NY, the McD's in Sterling park never gets the order right and they never have the apple slices and juice to sub for the fries and soda for my kids.

And on top of that no one has a firm grasp on the english language and when you bring their shortcomings up to them they get pissy. Now that I live in WV and go to the one in Martinsburg the people are nice, the foods warm, and the orders are correct. I think NOVA and the people McD's has to employ are the problem, and it's almost all Fast Food resteraunts in NOVA.

[macnoke03]

I bet it's not as good as Burger king's Angus Burger, but anyway, how can the stock possibly go up for this chain? There isn't a worse run fast food joint on the planet. The food is Never hot, they rarely give you everything you order, they're always running out of things and the people who works there acts like they could care less. I've had to call them on more than one occassion telling them they lefts things out of my order that I paid for. Their response? You can come back and get the items or the next time you visit us, we'll give you those items.

I couldn't disagree more. The McDonalds where I live is always on point. It's one of those newly remolded joints with the plasma screens and all that. I only go through the drive-thru but they alwasy get it right. Now Burger King and Wendy's is a different story. I refuse to go to those hell holes.

[IONTOP]

Gotta remember that each area of the country has several different Franchisees who own several different mcdonalds... Therefore there will be pockets of good McDonalds and pockets of bad but most of them are going to be average... The McDonalds near me is hit and miss....

Oh yeah LoD... It's pretty hard to cook yourself up a hamburger and fries when you only have a 1/2 hour lunch break from work, so sometimes fast food is just that.... Food that you can eat when time is a constraint...