# Pesto-Topped Chicken Burgers McDonald's is Currently Testing Out a Gourmet Pesto Mozzarella Melt By Katherine Pendrill | Published 2016-09-15 | Lifestyle Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/pesto-mozzarella-melt References: [chewboom](http://www.chewboom.com/2016/09/09/pesto-mozzarella-melt-spotted-at-mcdonalds/) Customers at a [McDonald's](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/new-chicken-big-mac) in Pasadena, California, recently spotted a brand-new addition to McDonald's menu of Signature Crafted sandwiches: the Pesto Mozzarella Melt. In recent years, the fast food chain has been elevating its menu with [globally inspired ingredients](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/international-heist-menu). Now it is drawing on [Italian cuisine](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/chicken-parm-sandwich) to add the nutty taste of pesto to its hearty chicken sandwiches. The new Pesto Mozzarella Melt is a gourmet, Signature Crafted sandwich that consists of a marinated grilled chicken breast filet topped with two generous slices of melted mozzarella, sliced tomato, baby greens, basil and a creamy pesto sauce. The whole thing is served on a toasted artisan roll to complement the delicious medley of flavors. While it is unclear if the new sandwich will be rolled out nation-wide, the Italian-inspired creation demonstrates McDonald's ongoing commitment to offering consumers more high-end ingredients. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 0.4/10 - Popularity: 4% | Activity: 1% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Lifestyle](https://www.trendhunter.com/lifestyle) > [Food](https://www.trendhunter.com/food) ## Key Themes ### What Makes This Trend Stand Out - **Gourmet Fast Food:** The introduction of gourmet ingredients in fast food chains presents an opportunity for disruptive innovation in the fast food industry. - **Global Flavors:** The inclusion of globally inspired ingredients in fast food menus opens up opportunities for disruptive innovation in the restaurant industry. - **Elevated Sandwiches:** The use of artisanal bread and premium ingredients in sandwiches offers disruptive innovation opportunities in the sandwich industry. ### Sectors Adopting This - **Fast Food:** Fast food chains can adopt gourmet ingredients to disrupt the traditional fast food market. - **Restaurant:** Restaurants can incorporate global flavors into their menus to disrupt the market with more diverse options. - **Sandwich:** Sandwich shops can experiment with high-quality ingredients and artisanal bread to create innovative and elevated sandwich choices. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Double Patty Chicken Burgers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/new-chicken-big-mac.md) - [Ranch-Covered Chicken Burgers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/bacon-ranch-mccrispy.md) - [Parmesan-Crusted Sourdough Sandwiches](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/basil-pesto-chicken-sandwich.md) - [Tempura-Battered Chicken Sandwiches](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mcdonalds-chicken-big-mac.md) - [Spicy Fast-Food Chicken Burgers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/arrabiata-ricotta-chicken.md) - [Exclusive Cheesy Chicken Sandwiches](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cheesy-mcchicken.md) - [Creamy Parmesan Sauce Burgers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/creamy-parmesan-bacon-quarter-pounder.md) - [Elevated QSR Chicken Sandwiches](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mcdonalds-mccrispy.md) - [Supersized Chicken Sandwiches](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/grand-mcchicken.md)