Some McDonald's diners aren't loving the chain's switch to fresh beef. What's not to like, right? Fresh, never-frozen beef sounds like a good thing. However, Delish reports that the new change — implemented at locations in Oklahoma and Texas — is pissing off the people who focus on the "fast" part of fast food. After swapping out fresh beef for the Quarter Pounder, it turns out that the wait time got longer by an entire minute.
McDonald's had planned on getting fresh beef to most of its locations (14,155 stores as of 2016), but it looks like there will be a few technicalities to work out before the chain can take the never-frozen beef nationwide. While a minute may seem like nothing at all, consider the impact that could have during lunch and dinner rushes. Compound that wait time with a few of Mickey D's other new initiatives, such as mobile ordering and fully customisable sandwiches (as well as the waiting situation already involved with the drive-thru) and that minute really adds up.
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On the flip side, McDonald's locations that offer the new never-frozen beef option tell Delish that sales are on the rise since its introduction. Managers are doing their part by telling anyone who opts for the new meat option that it'll take longer than usual, so customers can brace themselves for that additional 60 seconds of waiting.
McDonald's is already facing a time crunch compared to its competitors. According to Consumerist, customers using the drive-thru at the Golden Arches wait, on average, about 3.47 minutes. This is before the fresh beef option, too. Compare that to Wendy's, where customers wait at the drive-thru for only about 2.81 minutes. Wendy's has always boasted never-frozen beef — maybe that square patty has something to do with it?
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