McDonald’s has quietly dropped Angus beef burgers from its menus across Australia 17 years after they were first served.

Angus beef burgers were first added as a promotion item in the US and Australia in 2009, but became so popular they were made permanent.

The AFR reported that McDonalds sold $2m worth of Angus beef burgers per week when they were first introduced to Australia in 2009, exceeding expectations.

McDonald’s director of marketing Helen Farquhar told the newspaper it was their most successful launch in a decade.

Rising beef prices saw the item dropped from menus in the USA four years later, but it is unknown why they were removed from the Australian market in May.

The burgers initially sold for about $6.75 but had climbed to $17.55 by 2026 — almost 50 per cent more expensive than a Big Mac.

McDonald’s Australia has been contacted for comment, but a spokesman for the food chain told media they had a long history of working with Aussie farmers and would continue to serve great-quality 100 per cent Aussie beef across their menu.

“While these items won’t be available as part of our core menu in Australia, we’re always exploring new menu innovations and limited‑time offers to keep our menu fresh and exciting,” a spokesman said.

“We’ll keep listening to feedback and exploring new ways to bring more of what our customers love to menus across Australia.”

The delicacy burgers were advertised as a premium product by McDonald’s, which used the slogan “A little bit fancy” to market the items.

The burger chain also promoted pub style food with a Bistro Béarnaise Angus range earlier this year.