Dude, I have to second this.
I never used to get the quarter pounder up until recently, and it appears they completely changed it to compete directly with, well, "real" burger patties from competitive joints. McDonald's patties are routinely known for being skinny and flat, but the quarter pounder's patty is just different. It's so fucking good, it tastes like a real burger. Now, after 20 years of going for the 2-cheeseburger meal, I go for the quarter pounder instead.
From what it looks like, they started using fresh beef, instead of frozen.
For McDonald’s, the switch from frozen to fresh beef for its Quarter Pounders may seem like a simple, obvious decision. But it entailed major risks and disruptions to its supply chain.
www.cnn.com