McDonald’s Brings Back the Hamburglar
McDonald’s Corporation, the world’s largest fast-food chain, has recently announced its plan to bring back the iconic character, the Hamburglar, to promote minor changes made to the recipes of some of its most popular burger offerings. The Hamburglar, a beloved mascot of the chain, is second only to Ronald McDonald, the brand’s long-standing clown mascot.
In the company’s latest television commercial, the Hamburglar has been reintroduced to the public, showcasing improvements made to some of the chain’s most iconic menu items, including the Big Mac, McDouble, and the classic Cheeseburger, Double Cheeseburger, and Hamburger. McDonald’s has added extra Big Mac sauce to its namesake sandwich, used softer buns, and tweaked its cooking process to create “hotter, meltier cheese,” while adjusting its grill settings to achieve a better sear.
This is not the first time that McDonald’s has revived the Hamburglar to promote certain menu items. In 2015, the character was remade into a bearded hipster with a trench coat, craving the new sirloin burger. The limited-time menu item was phased out when it expired later that year.
The new changes, which were initially tested in Australia, Canada, and Belgium, have been introduced in selected western US cities and are set to be rolled out nationwide by 2024. According to McDonald’s, the changes have been well-received by customers in the initial testing phase.
In recent times, McDonald’s has faced some controversy over its menu changes, especially concerning the meals promoted by rappers Cardi B and Offset. Some franchisees expressed concern that the partnership violated the company’s marketing code and would negatively impact their brand, citing the nature of the rappers’ music, which contains explicit content. In response, McDonald’s maintained its focus on placing the company at the “center of culture,” emphasizing the importance of keeping up with the changing tastes and preferences of its customers.
Despite the controversy, McDonald’s remains a ubiquitous presence in the fast-food industry, with over 38,000 locations worldwide. With the reintroduction of the Hamburglar and the introduction of new menu changes, the chain hopes to continue its longstanding legacy of providing customers with tasty, affordable meals that they can enjoy on the go.
