McDonald's testing Angus burgers in Los Angeles

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By Nichola Groom Wed Dec 6, 3:34 PM ET

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - McDonald's Corp. is testing hamburgers made with Angus beef at six Los Angeles-area restaurants, trying out products that would go head-to-head with Burger King's line of higher-end burgers.

Danya Proud, a spokeswoman for McDonald's, said on Wednesday that customer response to the burgers has been positive so far, but added that no decision has been made about expanding the test to additional restaurants.

Proud added that the Angus burgers are just one of many menu items the company is testing in various markets.

If the burgers make it to McDonald's permanent menu, they would mark a shift from the company's recent focus on chicken.

McDonald's has credited the popularity of new chicken products like Chicken Selects chicken strips, Premium Chicken Sandwiches, and, most recently, the chicken Snack Wrap for helping revitalize sales at its U.S. restaurants over the last three years.

During that time, however, competitors like Burger King and CKE Restaurants Inc.'s Carl's Jr. and Hardee's chains have benefited from adding bigger, fancier hamburgers to their menus.

The company is testing three new Angus burgers, called Angus Third Pounders and selling for between $3.39 and $3.99 at one McDonald's in the L.A. suburb of South Pasadena. By comparison, a double cheeseburger, McDonald's biggest seller, costs $1.

The varieties include an Angus with cheese, an Angus Deluxe with lettuce and tomato, and an Angus Mushroom and Swiss.

They have been on the menu there and at five other restaurants for about a month, Proud said.

Many consumers consider beef from Angus cattle to be tender and more flavorful.

Burger King has its own Angus Steakburgers, Carl's Jr. has a line of what it calls Six Dollar Burgers, and Hardee's calls its high-end burgers Thickburgers.

Most recently, No. 3 U.S. burger chain Wendy's International Inc. began selling a line of Double Melt burgers with two beef patties and toppings like bacon and cheddar and jalapeno peppers and cheddar.

At the McDonald's in South Pasadena, customer Kim Buttars said he tried a Burger King Angus Steakburger a few years ago but prefers McDonald's regular burgers.

"You get used to a certain kind of burger at McDonald's, and I usually don't stray from it," he said. "McDonald's nowadays feels like they have to follow everyone else's trends."

[SueZQ]

I think Mc Donald's serves really good soda

[Marnie]

I'm all for that! I hear an Angus beef burger has half the fat of a regular McDonald's burger. Half a bowl of fat is better than a whole bowl.

[Guest shiloh357]

A restaurant here in my town called "Hardees" is doing good on the Angus burger. They serve what they call "Angus Thick Burgers" because they are so much larger than regular burgers, and they have several variations from the plain tried and true hamburger to the "Chilli Cheese Angus Thickburger." They even have a Philly Cheese Steak Thickburger which means even more meat on top of the already huge Thickburger patty. I have heard they are good, but they the most expensive fast food you can buy. You will pay about $10.00 for a decent meal there, I am told. I have had regular angus beef from the market, and it is really good. More expensive, but worth the money, and does up really nice on the grill (BBQ is my favorite way to cook). I have no desire to try these monstrosities as I think they are fast food overkill, but to each his own.

Angus has less fat, but I think some places have found a way to make for it in preparation.

[nebula]

Want less fat?

Bison burger all the way!

[undone]

I liked it best when McDonald's used worms in their burgers.

[Guest shiloh357]

I looked for those buffalo burgers here in Springfield, but I can't find'em. I think I can special order them, but I would have buy more than one case, and I don't have the freezer space. They are good, though; they remind me of Venison.

[Guest thepittman]

wendy's has been selling speciaty burgers for a long time they just rotate on a sesonal basis like the bacon swiss melt

[apothanein kerdos]

For anyone that has a Ted's Montana Grill in their town, you can get Bison burgers there.

[Marnie]

Bison burgers...just doesn't sound right.