McDonald’s releases two new versions of ‘iconic’ Quarter Pounder burger

In delicious news for fans of McDonald’s most “iconic” burger, the fast food giant has announced a fresh twist – for the first time ever in Australia.

When it comes to crowning the most “iconic” burger on the McDonald’s menu, there are arguably two camps.

There are those who live and die by the Big Mac – a choice that is, to be honest, slightly obvious, and maybe even lacks imagination. And then there are those who’d tell the fast food giant to put its “special” sauce back on the shelf, and consider the Quarter Pounder.

(True believers know the actual greatest of all time is the cheeseburger, but this is not about us.)

For the staunch members of team Quarter Pounder, the Golden Arches has some thrilling news: as of this week, it’ll serve up not one but two new versions of the burger, one for the first time ever in Australia.

Available nationwide from this Wednesday, August 7 for a limited time only, the brand-new Quarter Pounder BBQ Bacon and Crispy Onions and returning Quarter Pounder Deluxe will be on offer as part of the Macca’s winter menu.

The Quarter Pounder Deluxe and Quarter Pounder BBQ Bacon and Crispy Onions. Picture: Supplied

The BBQ Bacon and Crispy Onions iteration is “packed full of flavour”, featuring 100 per cent Aussie beef and pickles, cheese, bacon and golden crispy onions topped with tasty BBQ sauce.

The Quarter Pounder Deluxe, meanwhile, offers a “fresh twist” on the original version with the addition of Aussie lettuce, tomato and McChicken sauce.

The burgers join another seasonal fan-favourite, Macca’s Mozzarella Sticks, which landed back on menus last month.

Described as “the ultimate winter warming side to indulge those cheese cravings”, the snack is served with a Sweet Chilli Sauce, and has been beloved by customers since it first appeared in 2019.

Mozzarella sticks with sweet chilli sauce. Picture: Supplied

“Our winter menu is all about adding a seasonal touch on Macca’s classic flavours – debatably, it doesn’t get more iconic than the Quarter Pounder,” McDonald’s Australia senior brand manager Liz Whitbread said in a statement.

“With fresh twists on one of our most loved burgers, featuring exciting new flavour combinations and quality ingredients, we’re warming up Macca’s winter menu and satisfying those cravings this season,” Ms Whitbread said.

The winter menu items will be available in Macca’s restaurants nationwide, via drive thru, kiosk and front counter, as well as the MyMacca’s app and McDelivery from this Wednesday, for a limited time only.

The limited-edition items will be available from Wednesday, August 7.

It comes as McDonald’s globally recorded its first drop in sales in nearly four years, as customers cut back on discretionary spending amid the ongoing cost-of-living crisis.

Locations open for at least a year saw sales fall one per cent over the April-June period compared with the previous year, marking the first decline since the pandemic.

In Australia, fed-up consumers previously shared they were thinking twice about hitting the drive thru or ordering UberEats due to rising financial pressures – with expert analysis suggesting Macca’s price increases have been “well beyond” the inflation rate.

Finder head of consumer research Graham Cooke revealed recently the price of a large fries has increased by more than 50 per cent since 2019, from $3.20 to its current price of $4.85. A Classic Angus burger, meanwhile, is up more than 25 per cent from $7.95 to $10.

“That’s pretty significant,” Mr Cooke said.

“This is coming amid a time when everyone is focusing much more on bang for their buck due to cost of living.”