McDonalds Debuts New Gourmet Burgers, High-End Toppings

DETROIT (CBS Detroit) America's fast food pioneer is making strides in its effort to get a leg up on casual dining competitors.

McDonalds is unveiling a trio of new things to our neighbors across the pond -- including a thick, gourmet beef patty, a new tap screen ordering system and a lowfat chicken patty.

If it sticks in Great Britain, plans are to bring them to America.

First up is the beef patty, called a premier burger. It was reportedly created in consultation with Michelin starred chefs, and meant to compete with gourmet burgers served at places like Five Guys.

Interestingly, the patties take some time to cook, so they're being unveiled in conjunction with a plan for table service at 28 restaurants in London. They will be rolled out to 400 more British establishments over the summer and make their way to the U.S. if they're a hit.

"When the chef council started to develop this new premium offering, we worked with a brief generated by our customers – they told us they wanted thicker beef patties and high quality ingredients, freshly prepared," said Duncan Cruttenden, food development director, to The Guardian.

Also debuting in the UK are touch screen menus that let consumers order at a kiosk and have their McDonalds meal delivered to a table. The high-tech options comes with free tablets at every table so patrons can play games, check email, and more.

The kiosk lets users customize their burger with whatever they can dream up.

You can even make your sandwich healthier by substituting a low-fat grilled chicken patty for the traditional beef. Ingredients like mozzarella cheese, guacamole, cole slaw and ciabatta bread are among the new options.

For some, it might be worth a trip overseas.