Protein is having a moment, and restaurants have been scrambling to meet increased demand.

“The percentage of Americans trying to consume protein is on the rise: In 2022, 59% said they try to consume protein, 67% in 2023, 71% in 2024, and 70% in 2025, according to the annual IFIC Food & Health Survey.

The 2025 IFIC Food & Health Survey also revealed that a “high protein” diet was the most common diet that Americans followed in the past year, and that consumers use “good source of protein” as the top criteria to define a healthy food.

“Because protein delivers so many important health benefits, people are trying to incorporate more of this key macronutrient throughout the day,” Cargill Senior Consumer Insights Director Cory Lomell said in a press release. “Beef, poultry, and other animal protein continue to be a go-to source for main meals.” 

The trend has been further accelerated by the growing use of GLP-1 weight loss drugs.

GLP-1 medications suppress appetite, which can lead to significant weight loss but also raises the risk of losing muscle along with fat.

“What’s less often discussed is that the number on the scale doesn’t tell the full story. Along with fat loss, some people also lose lean body mass, which includes muscle, water and other tissues. In some studies, lean mass has accounted for a meaningful portion of total weight lost,” according to the Mayo Clinic.

McDonald’s has responded to customer demands for more protein in multiple ways. First, it introduced The Big Arch, a two-patty larger burger created to lean into the trend. Now, the chain has quietly let customers know how to add more protein to their meals without spending a lot of extra money.

McDonald’s “secret menu” protein hacks

McDonald’s Vice President of Menu Strategy Gina Hardy shared some menu hacks for customers looking for more protein with The Takeout.

• Many of the McDonald’s burgers on the menu allow bacon to be added, which results in an increase of 6 grams of protein.
• If you’d prefer to stick to beef for your burger, the McDouble and the Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese can have another two beef patties added for a total of four patties.
• Each standard McDonald’s beef patty is 7 grams of protein and each Quarter Pounder beef patty has 18 grams.

Hardy also shared a mistake many customers make when it comes to protein — eating their burger without the bun.

“It has 5 grams of protein,” Gina Hardy revealed, “many people trying to hit goals remove it believing there is only carbs and sugar.”

McDonald’s does not have an official secret menu

McDonald’s, it’s important to know, does not set prices for its franchise operators, so prices for add-ons like bacon and added burger patties can vary by location. In a broad sense, however, here is what these additions cost, based on a visit to a local McDonald’s in South Florida.

• Regular burger patty: $1.20
• Quarter-pound burger patty: $2
• Adding bacon: $1.50

Prices will vary, and not every McDonald’s will allow customers to add extra patties via their app.

“Franchisees, as independent owner/operators, have the right to set menu prices for their restaurants based on their own business judgment and market conditions,” according to the National Owners Association’s Franchisee Bill of Rights, Restaurant Business reported.

McDonald’s has been rolling out improved burgers globally.

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Beef prices are rising, and McDonald’s has an answer

Rising beef prices have forced chains like McDonald’s to look for alternatives like chicken because they can’t raise burger prices to offset their increased cost.

Fixing beef prices will take time because the American cattle herd is at its smallest size in 75 years, the Associated Press (AP) reported.

“The national herd size isn’t the only factor that determines what beef costs at the grocery store. Still, the dwindling number of cattle is a key reason the average price of all uncooked ground beef in the U.S. was $6.86 per pound in March, 3 cents off the record high set in February, according to federal statistics. That price in March is up nearly 48% from March 2021,” added the AP.

While McDonald’s has worked to improve its burger lineup with its Best Burger rollout and adding The Big Arch, it has also stepped up its chicken offering.

“Just as a reminder, this global category is 2x the size of beef and faster growing. We grew our chicken category share across our top 10 markets in 2025 and believe we’re well on our way to increasing our share by at least 1 percentage point by the end of 2026 versus where we were in December 2023,” Chief Restaurant Experience Officer Jill McDonald said during the chain’s fourth-quarter earnings call.

A 3-piece McCrispy Chicken Strips has 30 grams of protein, according to the chain’s menu. That’s 18 grams more than a traditional Classic McDonald’s Hamburger.

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