• Chicago Tribune, Tuesday, April 21, 2009 10:45 AM

The hefty, one-third-pound Angus burger that McDonald's has been testing in several markets since March 2007 will be part of the chain's national "Monopoly" promotion in October, according to an internal McDonald's document obtained by the Tribune. Mike Hughlett reports that it may roll out nationally even sooner, however. A franchisee tells him to look for it this summer.

The franchisee says that he believes the Angus will be a "promotional" product that shows up on the menu for a few months at a time. "It's not the next Big Mac, that's for sure," he says. It may end up being like McRib, a classic McDonald's promotional product that sells well when it's advertised heavily, but not much when it's not, says Dick Adams, a consultant to McDonald's franchisees.

McDonald's management told stock analysts in October that the Angus wouldn't roll out nationally for at least a year. In response to the latest report, a McDonald's spokesman says that the company doesn't respond to speculation.

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