McDonald's To Add 3 New Quarter Pounders To Its Menu

Just days after McDonald's confirmed that its Angus Third Pounders had been removed from their menu for good, the company announced today that it will be adding three new Quarter Pounders to its roster of offerings, according to the AP.

For two of those sandwiches, it's essentially a patty swap — the Bacon & Cheese (American cheese, hickory-smoked bacon, red onion, pickles, ketchup, and mustard) and Deluxe (American cheese, tomato, lettuce, red onion, pickles, mayo, and mustard) were also offered as Third Pounders — but the third, Habanero Ranch, is a brand-new menu item, with white cheddar cheese, hickory-smoked bacon, lettuce, tomato, and habanero ranch sauce. Additionally, the Quarter Pounders, including the original, will come on a new bun that includes whole grain, and the applewood-smoked bacon will be thicker than what's been used previously.

The Third Pounders were more expensive than the majority of McDonald's offerings, and were most likely removed because been prices have been increasing rapidly, affecting the company's bottom line. Sales have been slumping, and these new offerings help the company focus on affordability.

These new Quarter Pounders were tested in Sacramento, Calif., and Toledo, Ohio, over the past nine months, and performed well enough that the company decided to roll them out nationally. "Once we created these burgers, we didn't see the need for the Angus line," Greg Watson, senior vice president of the menu innovation, told the AP.

The new sandwiches should show up at a McDonald's near you mid-June.