Will Toasting The Buns Longer Get McDonald’s Out Of Its Slump? Maybe.

While other fast-food giants are in an effort to improve their ingredients and eliminate artificial foodstuff, McDonald’s is toasting its buns longer and changing how it sears and grills hamburgers as a part of an effort to reinvigorate growth with “hot, tasty food.” According to the company CEO Steve Easterbrook, the increased toasting time makes the sandwiches hotter, while the new grilling technique produces juicier burgers and these are the little things that make the food better and well appreciated by consumers.

Parallel Measures

Easterbrook, who took over as CEO in March, is trying to pull the company out of a prolonged plummet with global sales slumping in 2014 for the first time in more than a decade. Earlier this month, Easterbrook laid out a turnaround strategy that included cost cuts, a leadership reorganization and a plan to sell about 3,500 company-owned restaurants across the globe to franchisees. But that plan didn’t focus on the details of the food, something Easterbrook sought to address on Wednesday. He also added that McDonald’s would stop providing monthly sales figures, an effort to nudge investors away from short-term results.

Remodeling The Drive-Thru

Easterbrook feels that there is an urgent need to give the US business strategy a makeover, one that has an emphasis on convenience and value and will bring customers back to McDonald’s in its home market. As part of the push, it’s testing a slimmed-down menu for drive-thru customers, offering about half as many items as usual. Drive-thru orders account for about 70 per cent of U.S. sales; so improving that experience is crucial for McDonald’s.

New Eye Candies On The Menu

In recent months, McDonald’s has debuted the “artisan” chicken and a new premium sirloin burger. “The company is now looking at other potential changes that would improve food quality, while keeping a close eye on costs”, Easterbrook said.