We put McDonald’s a la carte menu to the test

The Classic Cheeseburger, part of the new DIY range at McDonalds. Picture: Sarah Matray Source: News Corp Australia

IT’S the place most of us probably tasted our very first burger, where graduating from a Junior Burger to a Big Mac was a rite of passage (well, it was for me).

And though, like most 20-something boys fresh out of the family home, I lived on a steady diet of Macca’s, nowadays I tend to hit McDonald’s only at the airport. Which is to say not very often.

So I have to admit I was taken aback upon entering the new store in Craigieburn North. It looks good. Really good. While I wasn’t looking, Macca’s got all fancy.

Which is why I’m here. This store is the first in Victoria to roll out a DIY range of burgers.

Called CYT — Create Your Taste — you can pick the ingredients for your perfect burger, which is then delivered to your table. Table service and choice? McDonald’s is giving the innovation tree a shake.

Using digital touchscreen kiosks, you can order one of three suggested gourmet burgers — a “Classic Cheeseburger”, “Homestyle” or “Chipotle”, or choose your own from more than 20 ingredients.

Choose your bun (from three), cheese (five choices), sauces (10) and salad (five) and premium toppings such as bacon, egg, grilled pineapple or guacamole.

While the burger is created to order, it’s still fast food, arriving on a wooden board with a wire basket of chips in less than five minutes.

Food Editor Dan Stock tries the DIY range of burgers at McDonald’s new store in Craigieburn North. Picture: Sarah Matray Source: News Corp Australia

The brioche bun has a nice sheen, but the layers of ingredients mean my creation is unwieldy, with most of it falling out after a couple of bites.

I like how fresh the salad ingredients are, but less so their heft — the red onion rings are thick-cut, half a thick pickle far too big for the bun.

The patty seems standard McDonald’s issue, and my chosen slice of cheese isn’t melted atop.

I was disappointed, but that had more to do with my choices, so I tried a couple of their suggestions — the Homestyle and Classic Cheeseburger.

The Homestyle looks the goods — the “artisan” bun is light, the patty has a nice char and this time the cheese is melted.

But with beetroot, bacon and onion chunks in a barbecue sauce, most of it, too, fell out after a couple of bites.

It was messy to eat and salty. Very, very salty.

The Cheeseburger is the best of the lot. The cheese is nicely melted and two types of bacon (crispy and rasher) join bite-sized pickles and grilled onions in a tomato sauce.

At $8.95 for a base or suggested burger, CYT is a step up from a Big Mac.

The innovation is excellent, though for me, a good burger should hold its form and taste the same from first bite to last.

RATING: 6.5/10

dan.stock@news.com.au

 

THE CUSTOMER

SCOTT GORDON, 18, WHITTLESEA

Scott Gordan tucks into his first create-your-own burger. Picture: Sarah Matray Source: News Corp Australia

I come to McDonald’s quite often, usually two or three times a week. I usually order a McFeast Meal. This is my first time trying the CYT kiosk.

I found it very user-friendly, easy to navigate. There’s a large range of choices. I liked the brioche bun, which made for a nice change from the usual sesame bun.

I like a bit of salad with my burger, so I added beetroot and tomato and red onion, along with lettuce.

The salad elements worked nicely, added some freshness to the burger.

I added the guacamole, which was really smooth.

The Colby Jack cheese was very tasty and melted nicely on the beef. I’d go one of my burgers again!

I’ll definitely use it again, and can’t wait for it to come to Whittlesea.

RATING: 8.5/10

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