The Street Articles

Burger giant swapping frozen beef patties for fresh ones in bid to please customers who want less-processed food. By May, quarter-pound burgers at McDonald’s restaurants in the contiguous U.S. will be made from fresh beef. The move to please customers who want less processed food will make supplying some 14,000 U.S. restaurants more complicated at a time when McDonald’s is also trying to position itself as the go-to chain for cheap breakfasts and sandwiches. In January, McDonald’s said changes to its value menu helped boost same-store traffic in 2017 for the first time in five years. McDonald’s is facing increasing competition from fast-casual chains such as Shake Shack Inc. and Smashburger Master LLC that have gained ground among customers willing to pay more for meals they see as higher quality. For the past two years, the fast-food giant has been working to win back fans of its most well-known products. “At the end of the day McDonald’s is a burger company, and there’s no ...