Gourmet burgers? Gourmet is so hot right now.
Places like McDonalds are changing, they have to to keep up with the consumer demands. The rise of new eating habits and diets like Paleo, LCHP, 5:2, sugar free – just to name a few – has seen a change in what food outlets are offering. People are becoming more aware and therefore demand more choice when it comes to eating out.
This has meant fast food outlets have really had to evolve to accommodate this emerging market.
About a year ago McDonalds (aka Maccas) introduced Create Your Taste which gave the customer options. No longer did you have to have the stock standard Big Mac, you could choose the ingredients you wanted. I can’t be certain but I think this was the time Maccas introduced the Brioche bun which is the standard vessel for most gourmet burgers out there.
The gourmet burger market has boomed in the last year. Your average gourmet burger is essentially pretty basic – the sweet/brioche bun, fancy meat (not just your average mince!), cheese (the plastic variety, but somehow also fancy) and sauce, and it’s almost always made to order. Most gourmet burgers will set you back between $9 – $15 and people are queing up for them.
Its seems people want simple, quality, tasty made to order burgers.
I’ve had a burger from the Create Your Taste menu once, around the time it launched. I was waiting for my daughter who was at a Macca’s birthday party and me and the boys tried it out. I was impressed, the ordering was easy, the options were plentiful and the table service was great, not to mention the burger, which I have to say was delicious!
A year later I was invited by Macca’s to try the new and improved Create Your Taste menu which now includes (grown up) ingredients like brie and haloumi (yummy).
I had a brioche bun with grilled chicken, haloumi, lettuce and aoili. It was cooked to order and delivered to my table, which is kinda cool for a fast food restaurant! My husband had a burger and salad and the kids made some crazy concoctions, but had a blast creating their wacky burgers!
I loved having the option to choose my ingredients, right down to the bun (which coincidentally you don’t even have to have, you can go bun-less!). The kids loved using the giant iphone app but a word of warning, keep an eye on them or you may end up with a very expensive and inedible burger.
I have to mention how fabulous the staff at Taren Point McDonalds were on the night we rocked up to try the Create Your Taste menu.
I know they knew I was there to review the CYT menu but even when I’ve been there on other occasions (incognito) they have been fantastic. All up I would have to say the Create Your Taste experience was really positive – great selection/options, table service and delicious. But if you are after a super cheap dinner your probably best to stick with a cheeseburger. The Create Your Taste burgers and meals average around the $9 – $12 mark and on our night out we spent about $70 for the family (of five). This did include frozen slushy drink things for the kids and my eldest got some pimped up fries. I think that given the burgers were made to order and included table service $14 a head isn’t too bad.
If I’m going to have McDonalds then I would rather choose what I have than just order off the menu, at least this way I can try and make it healthy!
And now may be a good day to try out the new Create Your Taste menu with a free happy meal on offer with every Create Your Taste Meal purchase. I’m not sure how long the offer goes for but it gives you a great incentive to try the new Create Your Taste menu.
Disclaimer: My family received a complimentary Create Your Taste Meal from McDonalds to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.
