McDonald’s recently touted improvements to their Hamburger, Cheeseburger, Double Cheeseburger, McDouble, and Big Mac offerings. The rollout of the changes is ongoing and set to be completed next year but have already arrived here in the Los Angeles area so I went to see what’s different by purchasing a Double Cheeseburger.
The Double Cheeseburger costs $3.19 near me (but there was a buy-one-get-one-free deal on it in the app). It consists of two grilled beef patties, two slices of American cheese, onion, pickles, ketchup, and mustard on a toasted bun.
The new changes include “perfectly melted cheese,” a “softer pillowy bun,” and “juicier, caramelized flavor from adding white onions to the patties while they’re still on the grill.” They’re also cooking the burger patties in slightly smaller batches so that they’re generally fresher and hotter with a better sear.
At first glance, the bun now has a sheen to it rather than the previous matte finish. In texture, it seemed to have just slightly less of a spring to it and depresses a bit easier. It was still sturdy enough but was softer and more moist.
I generally haven’t had issues with the cheese being melted at McDonald’s but it was nicely melted here.
The sauces and saucing remained the same and provided the familiar sweet, savory, and tangy notes, while the pickles added additional tang and crunch.
The onions appeared to be the same reconstituted dehydrated ones as before (which means you’re unlikely to get any of that raw onion bite). Being thrown on the flattop grill gave them just a little bit more color but the mildly sweet flavor tasted the same to me. Spending time on the grill might help them keep the burger just a touch warmer in transit.
The beef didn’t look any more seared than usual but was hot and somewhat moist.
Overall, McDonald’s “hotter, juicier, and tastier” upgrades amount to slight improvements that probably matters more in terms of across-the-board consistency than anything.
Nutritional Info – McDonald’s Double Cheeseburger
Calories – 450 (from Fat – 210)
Fat – 24g (Saturated Fat – 11g)
Sodium – 1120mg
Carbs – 34g (Sugar – 7g)
Protein – 25g
