McDonald's (NYSE: MCD) is planning to replace its Double CheeseBurger with a new sandwich called the McDouble.The new cheeseburger will be a little less cheesy, with two beef patties but only one slice of cheese. Analysts estimate that the McStingy will cost about six cents less to make -- combined with the company's plan to raise the price to about the dollar mark, it could spell increased profitability for the chain.
"We want our customers to know they can depend on McDonald's to provide the everyday value and convenience they've come to expect, every time they visit our restaurants," said Greg Watson, vice president of marketing at McDonald's USA. "These recommended changes will ensure we continue to satisfy our customers' tastes and wallets."
One possibility is that McDonald's will attempt to market the new burger as healthier, eliminating one slice of cheese hacks off 15% of the fat and 11% of the calories.
The timing for a price increase, however, is awkward. But the combination of cost-cutting and price increases could make the move profitable even if sales take a dive.



Reader Comments (Page 1 of 6)
10-30-2008 @ 3:12PM
Jason said...
McStingy is a bit harsh. They are just trying deal with the economic conditions like everyone else.
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10-31-2008 @ 6:05AM
RB said...
Saving 6 cents, per sandwich in a world of numbers like McDonald's, can add up to some serious profit.
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10-31-2008 @ 6:53AM
skwilson said...
mcdonald's should rename their stores mcnasty's.
10-31-2008 @ 7:00AM
Jon Boy said...
Yeah McDonald's is really nasty.
There is a story on how a burger bought from McDonald's in 1996 is unchanged because of the amount of preservatives!
Check it out here...
http://www.curiousread.com/2008/09/1996-mcdonalds-hamburger-unchanged.html
10-31-2008 @ 7:11AM
Givra said...
A few comments, to be fair I'm replying to some of the previous posters:
1) To Jon Boy: I saw that blog entry, where the woman preserved a McDonald's Hamburger since 1996. The thing is, without condiments (which if you look her burger does lack) that's not as absurd as it sounds. She kept it air tight, probably froze it. The burger isn't edible, it just didn't rot due to the way she kept it. The problem is she's using that as "proof" for her own agenda. Now I don't think a McDonald's hamburger is healthy, far from it. BUT, she is using that to specfically demonize them from what I can see, their food isn't great..but it's no worse then any other fast food. There are two sides to every story.
To Jason, the first poster: I disagree when one considers what they are doing. They are taking the same burger, removing an ingrediant, charing more for said burger, and then renaming it to pretend like it's something new, if I do comprehend what they are doing. I'd almost call that the McFraud burger, calling it the McStingy is actually almost kind.
10-31-2008 @ 10:54AM
Lita said...
Well, right now all you can taste on the dbl cheeseburger is the cheese because the patties are so thin. Take off a slice of cheese and you might as well buy a bun!
10-31-2008 @ 7:32AM
STEVE said...
I, for one, prefer one less slice of cheese on this burger. If it still costs only about a buck, it's an overall improvement for me.
10-31-2008 @ 7:58AM
lily said...
I am sooo happy to hear they are taking off one slice of orange plastic. Now, if only they would put it between the burgers instead of gluing it to the bread, i'd be a happy girl. I don't like to eat all the bread, but i do want the protein (such as it is). Once that cheese is glued on the bread, there is no getting it back on the burger, so it's either eat the bread or throw away the cheese. One way or the other, i wind up with a $.50 burger but but pay a buck for it.
10-31-2008 @ 7:58AM
Newslover said...
It is refreshing to see the VP of Marketing using correct grammar and language, since McDonald's recent advertising misuses words and is a poor language role model for English-speaking consumers. They misuse the word "everyday" when it should be "every day" (note that the VP used it correctly, or at least the writer used it correctly in his quote from the VP). They misuse "it's" when it should be "its"; putting the apostrophe in the word makes it a contraction for "it was" or "it is". Without an apostrophe the word is possessive, "The marketing Department has lost its mind." Rule of thumb: never put an apostrophe in the word "its", and always write out "it is" or "it was" and you'll never go wrong. And in their local signage some McDonald's franchises are outright funny. One in CT has a sign that says "Pedestrain Crossing" ("-train" instead of "-trian"). Kids think it's funny. Seriously, McDonald's should expect better from the millions they pay their internal marketing department and the external agencies they use.
11-17-2008 @ 9:09AM
BigStick said...
15% less fat still leaves enough for a future visit with a nice by-pass surgeon.
10-31-2008 @ 8:01AM
Alisia said...
Has the world gone mad? One slice of cheese... Nooooooooooooooo!!
10-31-2008 @ 8:01AM
Dana said...
I love the Cheddar Melt! Please bring it back! It'a a burger on a rye bun with melted cheddar cheese and grilled teraki(sp) onions! Yummy!!!
10-31-2008 @ 8:19AM
craig said...
McDonalds is fine for their market. You can get a great burger for $7 to $9 at a decent sit down restaurant. Oh, and add for a soda, tax, and tip and your out the door for $12 to $14. Dont forget the 45 to 60 minute required. McD's are for people on a lower budget with shorter time constraints. You get what you pay for. I can afford lunch either way. They do a very nice job for what they are charging. The staff is always polite and most that I have been in are reasonably clean and modern.
10-31-2008 @ 8:04AM
WBennetti said...
I'm disgusted with McDonald's posting signs in English and Spanish. The growing infiltration of Hispanics in our country is one of the biggest threats to our national security. WalMart does this as well. If you want to come to this country illegally, at least learn to communicate.
10-31-2008 @ 8:32AM
Bonnie said...
To all
I can not beleive you all are comminting on a hamburger!!!! Cook at home then you will not have to worrie about what your eating!!!!!!!!!
10-31-2008 @ 8:30AM
Tina said...
How come McDonalds food never molds? I remember cleaning out my friend's car and finding old fries on the floor that still looked as they did when they fell. Any other potato would have gotten moldy within days but a McDonalds fry never changes with time. Apparently from the last video I saw of a woman who tested one of their burgers shows the same results. It's years old and looks exactly the same as when she bought it. SICK
10-31-2008 @ 9:01AM
Tania said...
Well, that sucks. I didn't care for the mcdonalds cheeseburgers in the first place. The extra cheese on the burger made me eat ~_~! Guess that ends my double cheeseburger eating. Unless it's a dollar and I have nowhere else to go.
10-31-2008 @ 8:36AM
Ian said...
Bring it up to a dollar? The McDonalds (plural) where I live, have the double cheese for $1.20 and not even on the dollar menu. They took it off and are offering a double hamburger instead for a buck. So in my area that would be .26 cents more profit. Alot of profit if you look at the big picture!
10-31-2008 @ 8:40AM
Kate said...
The double cheeseburger at McDonald's was always my favorite. While I rarely eat there these days, (and I was NEVER obese)...when I do, it's the double cheeseburger. I'm a little saddened to see this old staple being manipulated to save a company that makes and obscene amount of money each year, 6 cents per burger. Why not add that 6 cents to another item?...well....because the double cheese burger has been on the 'value' menu now for several years and I'm sure it's their best seller, for that reason. It is certainly the best value for the buck. I know that's why I began ordering them back in high school when they added them to the menu. Yeah...a LONG LONG LONG time ago.
10-31-2008 @ 8:45AM
Eric said...
Well said Givra. Anytime a company charges more for their product, then gives you less, time for a boycott. Obviously you can't do that for every product, but in the McDonalds' burger I will. Look what's going on with these massive layoffs, people are losing their jobs, but the people at the top are still making their millions. This is what I see McDonalds' approach is with the 1 less slice of cheese. Gas prices are going down, all the other things should trickle down as well. So I say just don't buy their product.