McDouble! McDonald's Newest Product.

The McChronicles dropped by McDonald's today for lunch and detected a change to the Dollar Menu.

Missing was the double cheeseburger, replacing it was the new McDouble. The McDouble is a double cheeseburger with only one slice of cheese. The McChronicles was told by the crew at the Clinton, NY McDonald's (store #2499) that the McDouble was launched yesterday, December 1st.

According to speculation on bloggingstocks, "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 blog also says, "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."

Immediately after this experience, a friend of The McChronicles, Neal, called and reported that he, too, was surprised by the menu tweak.

Neal (a 20-year old college student) added these points:

• I never realized a double cheeseburger had TWO slices of cheese to begin with
• I don't detect any big difference with only one slice of cheese
• I don't think $0.19 is a lot for one slice of cheese

The McChronicles WAS surprised at the price effect that the one slice of cheese had. The McChronicles also wonders if the McDouble (pictured here) is in a temporary wrapper or if this is the final design.

Please COMMENT with your McDouble experience.

FOLLOW UP NOTE: See the McChronicles' subsequent posting on The McDouble.

The McChronicles: a blog about, not affiliated with, McDonald's.
Images: The McChronicles.

Double Cheeseburger Issue (part 3)

The McChronicles enjoyed yesterday's double cheeseburger so much that ... well ... you know.

Today The McChronicles and a friend stopped back in for more. And, we got to thinking. We wondered about the differences between what we were "sold" and what we actually received.

So, we ordered two sandwiches (Big Mac, double cheeseburger), snapped their pictures (as received), then went online to see what McDonald's are telling us they SHOULD look like (sold).

We're not going to tell you which is which.

What do you think?

Images:
McDonald's double cheeseburger, McDonald's Big Mac: McDonalds.com.
Other images: The McChronicles.

The McChronicles: a blog about, not affiliated with, McDonald's.

Double Cheeseburger Issue (part 2)

Fans of The McChronicles will recall vividly how The McChronicles discussed the "goings-on" related to the double cheeseburger. Here is more info.

Background:
McDonald's is reportedly experimenting with either removing the double cheeseburger from the dollar menu or cheapening it up by removing cheese, or discontinuing it. Prices (for some version of the above) are said to be ranging from $1.00 to $1.09 to $1.19.


Today:
Being in a "need to know" mode, The McChronicles drove to our home McDonald's, took a look at the menu and - BAM! There it was, double cheeseburger, $1. Just like always. Apparently, The McChronicles was not in a test zone.

LOCATION: New Hartford, NY (Route 5)
STORE #: 825
ORDER: Double cheeseburger, small fries, bottled water

Result:
The McChronicles purchased a double cheeseburger, a small order of fries, and enjoyed it - a lot.


The McChronicles: a blog about, not affiliated with, McDonald's.
Image: The McChronicles.

Double Cheeseburger Issue (part 1)

According to a comment posted at Netflix's MOVIE FANS site, and pointed to by a McChronicles commentor:

"you have to ask for a dbl hamburger with cheese to get the one for $1! If you ask for a dbl cheeseburger they charge you $1.19..."

Well, according to an article on consumerist.com:
"In an interview, Don Thompson, president of McDonald's U.S. business, said the company has tested ways to make the burger less expensive to make. Some restaurants are selling it with one slice of cheese instead of two, and billing it as a "double hamburger with cheese." Others are offering a double hamburger without cheese. Some are selling the traditional double cheeseburger at prices ranging from $1.09 to $1.19."

Does anyone have a definitive comment or statement on this?

The McChronicles: a blog about, not affiliated with, McDonald's.
Image: Nancy Luna's excellent Fast Food Maven. She covered this story months ahead of The McChronicles.