Chef Mike is back, and he has a few words to say about McDonald’s new and improved cheeseburger.
Earlier this month, the popular fast food chain CEO Ian Borden announced the company’s plan to produce “a larger satiating burger,” according to Fox Business. Borden stated that McDonald’s would “be testing this burger in a few markets later this year, ensuring that it has universal appeal before scaling it across the globe.”
But Chef Mike Haracz, who once worked as one of the fast food giant’s corporate chefs, has gone online to voice his dubious opinions of some of the new burger’s promised changes.
Haracz posted his thoughts to his TikTok account (@chefmikeharacz) on May 16. The video now has over 139,300 views and counting, and it’s very evident that Haracz is less than impressed with his former employer’s attempt at a makeover for its cheeseburger.
What did he have to say?
According to Men’s Journal, McDonald’s is promising a better bun for the burger “with a new, thicker ‘buttery brioche’ bread.” However, in the video, Haracz says the “denser,” “bigger” bun is “not a favorable change.”
As for the advertised “meltier cheese,” Haracz claims that the chain is just “letting it sit out longer out on the make table so that it’s more room temperature when it’s put on a burger.”
Haracz has the most to say about how the restaurant is handling the new burger’s onion topping, which, according to the screenshot he provides, will now be added to the burger while it’s still on the grill.
“Once the burgers are done cooking, you hear the beeps, the platen opens up, they shake the onions on right there and take it right off the grill,” he claims. “They are not cooked with onions. The onions … probably just soak up some of the extra juice and grease, which is OK, but I would not call that extra caramel flavor.”
He also claims, “These are not the fresh onions that, you know, are used on the Quarter Pounder. These are the dried onions that are rehydrated in water and then put on the burger.”
“So are they hydrating them less so that way it soaks up more juice and grease from the burger?” he asks. “Very interesting.”
@chefmikeharacz Former #McDonalds corporate chef talks about their #burger changes. #mcdonaldshacks #McDonaldsTikTok #mcdonaldssecrets #mcdonaldsccsing #mcdonaldschallenge #FYP #mcdonaldsdrivethru #cheeseburger #hamburger #BigMac ♬ original sound – Chef Mike Haracz
Per Men’s Journal, the new cheeseburger is part of McDonald’s Best Burger initiative, announced in December 2023. Jo Sempels, the head of McDonald’s brand-licensed markets, stated, “We’ve listened to our customers. And we understand their desire for larger, high-quality burgers that fill you up.”
The Daily Dot has reached out to McDonald’s via email for a statement.
One of Haracz’s viewers seemed perplexed that the onions weren’t cooked with the burgers in the past, commenting, “I always wondered why they don’t cook the onions with the burgers.”
Another viewer, Fence (@fencenorthernamerica), identified themselves as a former employee and stated the new burger was already out in their market. They wrote, “as a previous mcdonalds employee (a week ago) this has been what we’ve been serving for 9 months on the west coast.”
“I liked when the onions were mixed with the other toppings. I think it tasted better that way,” another viewer commented.
Don Davido (@89malandro91) wrote that he was not impressed with the improvements, stating, “I just figured my last couple burgers had a stale stiff top bun …. turns it, this is the New and Improved Bun.”
Another viewer agreed, writing, “The last 3 times I’ve had a cheese burger (Mc Double, Double Cheese, single Cheese burger) the bun tastes stale and like a chewing on a sponge.”
The Daily Dot has reached out to Haracz via email and his LinkedIn page for further comment.
Update 6:46am CT, May 28: In an email to the Daily Dot, Haracz said, “No statements other than I feel that the change to the bun was not a positive change in my opinion.”
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