The Fast-Food Revolution You Didn’t Notice
Think about the last time you bit into a burger that made you stop mid-chew and actually taste what you were eating. That moment of “wow, this is actually good” might not have been your imagination—it could have been the result of a quiet revolution happening behind fast-food counters across America. The world’s largest fast-food chain made headlines in 2018 by finally introducing burgers made with fresh beef instead of frozen patties, but that isn’t the full story. While McDonald’s announcement grabbed attention, they weren’t alone in this shift. If a chain uses fresh beef, it’s nearly guaranteed that some form of marketing will be involved — in other words, these establishments proudly proclaim fresh beef. But some chains have been making this transition more quietly, understanding that the quality speaks for itself. Burger quality often depends on whether the chain uses fresh or frozen beef. The difference isn’t just marketing fluff—it’s science, economics, and customer satisfaction all rolled into one juicy patty.
McDonald’s: The Giant That Started the Domino Effect
However, in 2018, the chain announced that it had switched to fresh beef cooked to order for its beloved Quarter Pounders. This wasn’t a small change—McDonald’s U.S. President Chris Kempczinski called the switch to fresh beef Quarter Pounders the most significant change to restaurant operations since the company began offering all-day breakfast in 2015. The impact was immediate and measurable. In the first three months of 2019, McDonald’s sold 40 million more quarter-pound burgers in the United States than it did in the same period the year before, when it was still mostly using frozen beef. “Our suppliers have invested about $60 million updating their supply chain to be able to make this conversion from frozen to fresh,” Kempczinski told reporters. What made this move particularly significant wasn’t just the scale—it was that McDonald’s proved it could be done without destroying their famous speed of service.
Wendy’s: The Fresh Beef Pioneer That Never Wavered
While not a recent convert, Wendy’s deserves recognition as the chain that never gave up on fresh beef, even when it seemed like the whole industry was going frozen. Since 1969 when Wendy’s opened its first location in Columbus, Ohio, the burger chain has been dedicated to offering customers only fresh beef. One of the most recognizable names in fast food, Wendy’s stands apart from many of its competitors by the fact that it has been steadfast in its commitment to offering fresh, never frozen beef. To stay true to this freshness, Wendy’s delivers fresh beef to its locations several times a week using refrigerated trucks. Their famous “Where’s the beef?” campaign from the 1980s takes on new meaning when you realize they’ve been asking that question about quality all along. Competitors like Wendy’s have long used this to their advantage, even poking fun at McDonald’s in a famous 2017 Super Bowl ad. Their consistency with fresh beef helped pressure other chains to reconsider their frozen approaches.
Five Guys: Building an Empire on Never-Frozen Beef
Second, there are no freezers at Five Guys locations, only coolers. In fact, there aren’t even freezers in the restaurants; you’ll only find coolers here. This architectural choice tells you everything about Five Guys’ commitment to fresh ingredients. Your food is all made well within sight, so it’s easy to watch those burgers go on the grill as fresh patties, be smashed to perfection, and then dressed to your heart’s content. Beyond customization, Five Guys uses never-frozen patties that are hand-made every day. Not only does Five Guys not use frozen patties, they have ground beef shipped over and form the burger patties on-site. What’s remarkable is how Five Guys built their entire business model around this principle, proving that “fresh never frozen” could be profitable at scale. Their success helped demonstrate to other chains that customers would pay for quality and wait a bit longer for a better burger.
Shake Shack: Premium Positioning with Premium Ingredients
Shake Shack is all about quality, so it makes burgers that only use a fresh, never frozen, 100% Angus beef blend containing zero hormones or antibiotics, according to the chain. Shake Shack’s delicious Smashburgers are also made fresh and never frozen. The restaurant chain is also one of very few that have no antibiotics in its meat supply. “Our custom 100% Angus beef blend, never frozen, no hormones or antibiotics ever, humanely raised and grazed in the USA,” Shake Shack says. Because No. 1, supply chain and the fresh-never-frozen beef is at the core of who we are,” CEO Debbie Stroud told QSR. Shake Shack plans to triple its unit count in 2025, as well as foray into Central America by opening 12 Shacks across the Panamanian market by 2035, with the first opening in 2026. Their premium positioning has allowed them to charge higher prices while maintaining customer loyalty through consistent quality.
Culver’s: The Midwest Chain That Does Everything Right
It all centers around its signature ButterBurger, which uses never-frozen beef that is made into patties on-site daily. Those ButterBurgers are not cooked until the customer orders one, so you know that the food you are being served is as fresh as it gets. Fan-favorite restaurant Culver’s opened 53 locations in 2024, and shows no sign of slowing down with 55 restaurants planned for 2025. Fans of the chain love the high quality, excellent food on offer. The one commonality between all of the options is that they all include “100% fresh, never frozen beef,” according to the proudly displayed marketing on Culver’s site. Since 1984, the Wisconsin-based chain has been dishing out fresh, never frozen burgers. According to founder Craig Culver, “We never compromise on quality.” What makes Culver’s particularly impressive is how they’ve maintained this standard while rapidly expanding across the Midwest and beyond.
In-N-Out: The West Coast Legend That Never Compromised
Since the beginning, In-N-Out has made their patties from fresh, 100% USDA ground chuck without any additives or fillers that could pollute the flavor. According to the chain’s website, in fact, everything in every one of its restaurants is fresh, with zero microwaves or freezers on the premises. “We have always made our hamburger patties ourselves using only fresh, 100% USDA ground chuck — free of additives, fillers and preservatives. We deliver them to our stores direct from our own patty-making facilities in Baldwin Park, California; Lathrop, California; and Dallas, Texas. We control the whole process, so we can be certain of the quality and freshness of every patty we make.” In-N-Out, in contrast, places freshness at the heart of its business model, but has resisted the temptation to expand to the East Coast due to the difficulties of distributing fresh patties across long distances. Their geographical limitations actually prove their commitment to quality—they won’t compromise freshness for growth.
Whataburger: Texas-Sized Commitment to Fresh Beef
In Whataburger’s “Commitment to Freshness,” the company says their burgers have one of the quickest production-to-grill times in the entire fast food industry. That means you won’t be served a stale, less-than-juicy patty if you happen to visit any of the chain’s numerous locations scattered throughout Texas, which has the most Whataburger spots of any state. “Whataburger prides itself on using fresh, never-frozen ingredients, including its beef. “As a burger company, our beef is the cornerstone of our commitment to fresh,” the company says. “We don’t just tell our customers it’s fresh, we prove it every day, 24/7. Your Whataburger doesn’t hit the grill until you order it. And our beef has one of the quickest production-to-grill timelines in the quick service restaurant industry”. Their expansion beyond Texas has been methodical, ensuring they can maintain their fresh beef standards even as they grow into new markets.
Fatburger: The California Original That Started It All
For over 70 years, Fatburger has been doling out juicy burgers made only using hand-pressed, never-frozen beef patties that, according to its menu, are hand-ground fresh and contain 100% lean beef. Beyond high-quality beef, Fatburger also uses fresh, never-frozen chicken for its chicken wings, makes its chili from scratch, and hand-scoops the ice cream for its milkshakes. Once called Mr. Fatburger, this chain got its start in 1947 as a little stand. The chain dropped the honorific when founder Lovie Yancey split from her husband in 1952. They use fresh never frozen patties and add their FATBURGER magic to create one of the most delicious unforgettable burgers. What’s remarkable about Fatburger is how they’ve maintained their standards for over seven decades, proving that fresh beef isn’t just a modern trend—it’s been a marker of quality all along.
The Science Behind Why Fresh Beats Frozen
“Frozen patties tend to be dryer. They lose moisture through the thawing process,” Jim Perillo, executive chef at The Otesaga Resort Hotel in Cooperstown, New York, tells AllRecipes. “Pre-cooked frozen patties that have been sitting also leave much to be desired. Nothing beats a fresh burger.” A burger is as good as its patty, and frozen beef is a one-way ticket to flavorless disappointment. Ice crystals that form during freezing can affect the meat’s texture and drain it of its juicy, mouthwatering potential. The first and biggest reason is taste. While opinions vary on whether fresh beef truly tastes better than frozen, many customers report that the new Quarter Pounder is a lot juicier and more flavorful than the old version. The molecular explanation is simple: when meat freezes, ice crystals form and pierce cell walls, causing moisture loss when thawed. Fresh beef retains more of its natural juices, creating a more satisfying eating experience.
Why This Shift Matters More Than You Think
The move from frozen to fresh beef represents more than just a taste upgrade—it’s a fundamental shift in how fast-food chains think about customer experience versus operational convenience. The use of frozen beef, and in fact, frozen food in general is really very common in the restaurant industry. Transporting frozen food is one of the better ways to ensure quality, especially for food that has to travel far. Storing frozen food also allows restaurants to keep a supply of ingredients on hand that often suffer from supply chain issues. Yet chains are choosing to embrace the complexity of fresh beef logistics because the payoff is worth it. Two in 5 operators say burger sales have increased over the past year, while only 4% say sales have decreased. On average, American consumers eat three burgers a month from foodservice operators, and a vast majority of those burgers are from fast-food (QSR.) Casual dining chains are starting to take some more burger business, though, as rising prices make the jump to a full-service dining experience easier. When you’re competing for customers who eat burgers that frequently, quality becomes the differentiator. These chains understand that in a saturated market, the ones serving the best product will ultimately win the most loyal customers.
