McDonald's Brings Back Old Sauces

[Joe H]

1970 was too late. While sometimes I hate being older this is one of the few times when age allows me to remember "early" McDonald's.

I've been to a number of Steak 'n Shakes which are all over a substantial portion of the U. S. Plus Savuer listed them in their top 100 this past year. I agree with you that they represent an improvement over McD & most others but honestly Steak 'n Shake is light years behind In 'n Out Burger in taste, store volume and "mysticism." You cannot believe how good a double double or a four X four animal style can be. Plus In 'n Out, as Holly noted McD's early success, has limited menu items: hamburgers, cheeseburgers, french fries and shakes. Soft drinks and that's it. Nothing else. They peel fresh potatoes, dry them in T towels, serve Heinz ketchup cold, use ice cream for shakes, fresh meat, real cheese-by far the best fast food chain in America. Zagat even gives them a 23 for food! Steak 'n Shake is good but you just cannot believe HOW good In 'n Out Burger is.

Holly, have you ever had a 1/2 pound burger at the Charcoal Pit on 202 in Wilmington? Only this, the original location.

[vengroff]

So, if I understand correctly,

1. The original McD fries recipe is publicly available.

2. A small number of places are still using the recipe, or very similar techniques.

3. The places that are true to the original, unlike the modern McDonalds, are doing well.

Sounds like the time is right for a clever entrepreneur to enter this line of business.

[Varmint]

So, if I understand correctly,

1. The original McD fries recipe is publicly available.

2. A small number of places are still using the recipe, or very similar techniques.

3. The places that are true to the original, unlike the modern McDonalds, are doing well.

Sounds like the time is right for a clever entrepreneur to enter this line of business.

Time to throw away that consulting business and Ph.D, vengroff. Let's get to it!

[Jason Perlow]

So, if I understand correctly,

1. The original McD fries recipe is publicly available.

2. A small number of places are still using the recipe, or very similar techniques.

3. The places that are true to the original, unlike the modern McDonalds, are doing well.

Sounds like the time is right for a clever entrepreneur to enter this line of business.

RetroDonalds?

[Joe H]

I have a photograph somewhere of one of the walls of the McDonald's museum in Downey where they detail the making of their fries along with specific photographs for almost every step!

I've also thought that one day I would steal this, open a place serving EXACTLY the same food McDonald's did 40 years ago and laugh loudly as I consumed every wonderful calorie that I could!

[Schielke]

I find myself in Spokane from time to time and I know the Dicks you are talking about. For some crazy reason, I have never eaten there. I used to go through Spokane on family trips and always remember the panda sign and seeing the tons of people with their bag of burgers.

I hereby vow that next time I am in Spokane, I will be sure to get me some Dicks!

Ben

[Varmint]

I hereby vow that next time I am in Spokane, I will be sure to get me some Dicks!

I'm sure there's some ordinance against that in Spokane, Ben.

[Holly Moore]

Yes I've had a burger and shake at the Wilmington Charcoal Pit. They are classics. It's on my site. And I agree, In and Out and Steak and Shake are still great.

So, if I understand correctly,

1. The original McD fries recipe is publicly available.

2. A small number of places are still using the recipe, or very similar techniques.

3. The places that are true to the original, unlike the modern McDonalds, are doing well.

Sounds like the time is right for a clever entrepreneur to enter this line of business.

In grad school they taught something called the Wheel of Retailing. The theory is that everything is cyclical. Someone opens a hamburger stand selling just hamburgers. The competition and the market compels them to expand their menu, add seating, fancy up their decor. Once this happens there is a gap 180 degrees away. Someone needs to open a hamburger stand that just sells hamburgers.

But it's not just the fries. It's the limited menu and the cooking fresh, as close as to order as possible. McDonald's was still going strong with frozen fries. It's when they bolloxed (? sp) up their menu that they screwed up production and could no longer serve fresh, hot food.

[Schielke]

I think we are going to continue to see a lot more of this back to basics vibe in the next couple years.

[Joe H]

Holly, I would argue long into the night and through several bottles of wine that when McDonald's went to frozen the lines shortened. Perhaps they were still there but not "out to the golden arches" as they once were. I suppose someone else would say that they "needed" to come out with a Big Mac and a fish sandwich because had they not then the lines would have shortened even more than they did. Still, In 'n Out has not changed in 55 years and, I believe, has the highest per square foot volume of any fast food restaurant in America.

I also agree with you about cooking fresh along with the limited menu.

Mostly, I believe that people no longer know what a hamburger is suppose to taste like. Whether McDonald's, Wendy's or BK-no one really judges them against what they COULD taste like. In 1956 McDonald's was not known for making a good hamburger. Great fries, a good shake and a cheap hamburger. But not a good one. Today, with everything else having changed I believe the same 1956 McDonald's hamburger would probably taste delicious because of what everything else tastes like.

I mention the Charcoal Pit because their 1/2 pound hamburger is one of the best in America. NOT the 1/4 pound but the 1/2 pound where the juice spurts out in your mouth at the first bite. It's incredible. But they weren't able to duplicate it in their other locations. One time I had it on a Monday and 24 hours later was in Fort Worth at Kincaid's Grocery eating their half pound burger. The Charcoal Pit-for me-was better.

[Schielke]

Joe H, do you have any favorite ways of preparing a hamburger yourself? You are very passionate about them and I am willing to bet you can make a mean burger.

Ben

[Joe H]

Nothing unusual. Just on a Weber.

[Xanthippe]

Nothing unusual.  Just on a Weber.

Do you grind your own meat? How do you season it, if at all?? Condiment choices??? See, there's a great deal on which you can elaborate!

[Joe H]

Honestly there are many things that I have obsessively and carefully prepared but hamburgers have never been a particular obsession. I've bought chuck steak and ground it myself then lightly patted it for about a 1/2 lb burger, cooking it over hot coals. I'll toast the buns on a grill or even the top on part of the burger on the coals with the bottom on aluminum foil set on the coals.

My real obsession is risotto, specifically gorgonzola dolce with toasted pistachio. I put a post on Chowhound about a year ago that, I believe, generated about 150 responses. http://www.chowhound.com/boards/general11/...ages/30466.html

is the link. Since this was posted there have een about 20 or 25 people who have actually made it-CORRECTLY-and every one agreed with the title. I also should apologize because I am extremely specific and inflexible in my instructions. But for a reason: not a single thing should be changed. Not a brand, not an amount (there's 1/2 lb of pleugra or the best butter you can get, 4/5 lb of gorgonzola dolce, 2 1/2 cups to 3 cups of grated (by yourself) reggiano, violane nano arborio and so forth. When I first gave the recipe to friends most of them tried to change something and then complained that it never turned out the way I make it.

I make it fattening. 6,200 calories worth and I'm serious. But don't change a thing. I promise this is the absolute best you will ever taste.

Edited April 23, 2003 by Joe H (log)

[Schielke]

Ha! I remember that post!