[Sunday Culture] The Reason for Going to McDonald's in Autumn... The Story of the 'Tsukimi Burger'

Limited Release in Fall with Stable Egg Supply
Steady Seller Enjoyed Every Autumn

It is already full autumn. The scorching summer heat is now so unimaginable as the weather has turned chilly.

How do you feel that autumn has arrived? Some of you might be going to see the autumn foliage, while others might be enjoying seasonal autumn foods like jeoneo (gizzard shad). I also like to go out and take a walk, smelling the autumn air when the night atmosphere changes.

In Japan, there is a must-eat food in autumn, and that is the hamburger. You might wonder why a hamburger when there are so many seasonal autumn foods, but it is surprisingly popular because it is a limited-time hamburger available only in autumn.

Today, I will tell you about Japan’s autumn hamburger, the "Tsukimi Burger."

This year's Tsukimi Burger series presented by McDonald's Japan. (Photo source: McDonald's Japan official website)

Tsukimi (月見) means "moon viewing." In short, this burger is a moon-viewing burger. The image and name fit well with the tradition of going to see the moon around the autumn Chuseok (harvest festival). This burger is characterized by having a fried egg, with the yolk resembling a full moon, which is where the name comes from. The autumn release season and the full moon evoked by the yolk perfectly match.

In Japan, franchises like McDonald's, Mos Burger, and Lotteria all release Tsukimi Burgers as autumn limited editions. The packaging design features a bright moon on a dark background symbolizing the night sky. Every year, related search terms like "When does Tsukimi Burger go on sale?" and "Tsukimi Burger 2023" appear on Japanese portal sites, showing its popularity. The distinctive feature is the fried egg inside the hamburger.

The most famous brand is McDonald's, which first introduced the Tsukimi Burger. It seems to be the brand with the most certification shots posted on social media (SNS).

Japan McDonald's Tsukimi Burger was born in 1991. At that time, a public opinion survey was conducted on ingredients that would be good in a hamburger, and eggs ranked first. So McDonald's decided to make a burger with a fried egg and released it as a limited edition in autumn when egg supply is stable.

The developers reportedly ate countless fried eggs to create a burger flavor that pairs well with eggs. The sauce was also developed specifically for the Tsukimi Burger. At that time, only 5 out of 200 new product ideas were commercialized, so this burger was born after overcoming fierce competition.

Tsukimi Burgers introduced by McDonald's Japan over the years. (Photo by McDonald's Japan)

During this period, limited edition side menus and sauces are also released with the Tsukimi Burger, so people tend to visit fast food restaurants as an annual event in autumn. The "Tsukimi Pie" is also a popular menu item, a dessert with red bean paste and mochi inside a crispy pie crust.

There have been various series over the years, such as the "Cheese Tsukimi Burger" with cheese from 1998 to 2014 and in 2016, and the "Double Tsukimi Burger" in 2008. Additionally, in 2014 there was the "Mushroom Tsukimi Burger," and in 2015 the "Hokkaido Cheese Tsukimi Burger" featuring cheese from Hokkaido, famous for its dairy products, showing the versatility of the burger.

It’s interesting that a hamburger is included among seasonal foods. Please be careful of the temperature difference in autumn and have a great weekend.