Fancy or cheap, McDonald's plans to offer a full range of burgers

Zlati Meyer | USA TODAY

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In the Big Mac's 50th anniversary year, McDonald's continues to hold down its stake when it comes to cheap burgers even as it is promoting its more upscale offerings.

That's because the same customer who forks over a buck for the most basic cheeseburger may very well be the one coming back the next day for a premium Double Bacon Smokehouse burger.

"Customers will dive up and down that menu ladder, depending on how hungry they are and what they feel like," CEO Steve Easterbrook told USA TODAY in an interview.

Driving the low end is the chain's $1-$2-$3 Dollar Menu, introduced nationally in January. The high end can be credited to the fresh beef Quarter Pounders, which debuted in May. Fresh beef also is now in Signature Crafted Recipe sandwiches, the chain's fancier line-up since May 2017.

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Comparable sales in the U.S. were up 2.6% due to bigger checks, the result of both changes in menu offerings and price increases, McDonald's said Thursday, when it released its second-quarter earnings

The birthday boy, the Big Mac, remains the chain's most popular item, though, Easterbrook said.

McDonald's breakfast catering may soon be coming your way In its quest for global breakfast domination, McDonald's is testing out catering for the day’s most important meal too.

Follow USA TODAY reporter Zlati Meyer on Twitter: @ZlatiMeyer