All-new hotter, juicier, tastier burgers are officially rolling out at McDonald's, and the company has brought back a familiar foodie accomplice to mark the occasion: Hamburglar.
In 2020, McDonald's set out to innovate its classic burgers, including the Big Mac and Double Cheeseburger, and the small but mighty changes are officially hitting Golden Arches locations nationwide on Monday.
"We hit the big things early and then it was just tweaking," chef Chad Schafer, senior director of culinary innovation at McDonald's, told "Good Morning America."
Schafer said the culinary team added more sauce to the Big Mac, swapped in fluffier buns that both toast and retain heat better, cooked less beef more often -- six patties on the grill at once instead of eight -- and added the minced white onions while the patties cooked to soak up the juices and lock in more flavor.
The new buns are used on the other classic burgers including the McDouble burger and classic cheeseburgers and hamburgers.
"It's about getting those ingredients consistent every time, that's where the adjustments came from," Schafer said.
McDonald's unveils 2 new condiments: Sweet and Spicy Jam, Mambo dipping sauceThe training process to implement changes to the sandwiches throughout the U.S. took "a little over 12 months," chef Wayne Kuhl, who works on menu innovation at McDonald's, told "GMA."
"We made small changes that have a bigger impact on adding flavor," Kuhl added.
Previously, McDonald's updated its Quarter Pounder with Cheese in 2018 by making the patties with fresh beef, cooked to order. And in 2021, McDonald's created the newest crispy chicken sandwich, fondly known now as the McCrispy.
The beloved McDonaldland bandit, who first joined the gang in 1971, is "out of retirement," McDonald's Chief Marketing Officer Tariq Hassan announced Monday in tandem with the new and improved burgers.
Hamburglar also has some new tricks for fans up his black-and-white-striped sleeves as he hits the road in a new getaway car, called the Burgercuda.
With help from the custom 1970 Plymouth Barracuda -- which is decked out with burger decor and details from sesame seed-stamped hub caps to burger warmers in the center console and his signature catchphrase "RBL RBL" on the license plate -- Hamburglar will make his way across the country in an attempt at the ultimate burger-stealing heist.
When fans spot the car on the road or at their nearest McDonald's, they can scan the QR code on the back left bumper to get rewards like an Arch Card, Hamburglar-inspired swag and other prizes.
