Meet the McDouble. It's a double cheeseburger with one slice of cheese.

From Crain's Chicago Business:

The Oak Brook-based fast food giant confirmed Tuesday that it is asking franchise leaders to support the new sandwich, to be called the McDouble, which would have two hamburger patties and one piece of cheese.

Franchisee leaders are recommending their colleagues vote to approve the new sandwich, according to a memo obtained by Crain’s. The memo notes that the new double hamburger with one piece of cheese would sell on the Dollar Menu, while the double hamburger with two pieces of cheese would be sold at a higher price.

“The recommendation to add McDouble to our popular Dollar Menu reflects that we’re . . . providing our customers even more choices, with the everyday affordability our customers expect,” McDonald’s said in a statement. “The recommendation to adjust the price of the Double Cheeseburger allows us to continue to provide the same great-tasting burger our customers know and love, still at a great value.” Franchisees are scheduled to vote on the proposal in November.

McD’s wants to hold the cheese on Dollar Menu’s double burger [Crain's]
McDonald's Considers Not-So-Double Double Cheeseburger [AdAge]
(Photo: Neil Gavigan )

Here's Joe's reaction:

I'm a resident of Chicago's northwest suburbs and have now ran into atleast 2 McDonald's where the dollar menu no longer includes the Double Cheeseburger or McChicken Sandwich. Both of the items are now priced at $1.19. I was curious if anyone else has had this occur near them.

Personally, I'm mildly glad of it. My lack of self control in eating fast food was strictly for those two items. Now that they've raised the price, no way am I going to mentally justify eating that food.

What do you think? Will an extra few cents make a difference in your consumption of fast food?

(Photo: Ben Popken )

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.

Will you eat a cheeseless Double Cheeseburger?

McDonald's Tests Changes
In $1 Burger As Costs Rise [WSJ] (Thanks, Orlando!)
(Photo: Paxton Holley )

"The cost implications of having that value menu have changed when you see what's going on in beef and chicken," CEO Ralph Alvarez told investors, "The way the dollar menu looks today won't be the way it's going to look next year. In this current environment, we've got to make sure we're pricing smart, not just pricing low."

The Chicago Tribune reports that McDonald's did not elaborate on what exactly they will be changing about the popular menu, but did disclose that "tests" are underway in which the double cheeseburger is more expensive.

Get them while they're cheap.

Changes ahead for dollar menu [Chicago Tribune]
(Photo: Matt McGee )

The New York Times has an excellent article up, examining how the Dollar Menu pulled McDonald's out of what appeared to many analysts to be a long decline after the release of Supersize Me. There's also a good summary of a lot of the criticisms leveled at McDonald's Dollar Menu, mostly for promoting obesity, specifically in minorities. Overall, McDonald's nod to healthy alternatives looks more like a PR move than any sort of actual pandering to the healthy-thinking gourmand, and the success of the Dollar Menu pretty much proves it.

Where do we stand on this? To be completely frank — we don't think McDonald's ever should have stopped degrading the taste of their product just to try to appease the inherently unappeasable fast food health crowd. McDonald's burgers taste like crap now, but they didn't always taste this bad. They taste awful now simply because all the fat is gone, because the preservatives have been removed, because the beef tallow is no longer added. Cook our fries in bubbling bull's blood for all we care, just make it taste great. The Dollar Menu is some of the best tasting food on the McDonald's menu simply because it's so bad for you.

We think McDonald's has gotten confused, punch-shy from all of the lawsuits and complaints. They are a fast food restaurant: there's nothing inherently shameful in that. But you can't be all things to everyone. Giving their customers better service, making their franchises more pleasant to be in, setting up free wi-fi are all great steps for McDonald's to take to improve their customer's satisfaction. But those Premium Chicken Sandwiches? Those plastic cups full of salad? They suck.

Salads or No, Cheap Burgers Revive McDonald's [NY Times]