What Is New Zealand's Kiwiburger?

The Kiwiburger has been popping off and on New Zealand's McDonald's menus for over 30 years. It might seem like your typical burger, but the addition of beetroot (and an egg) are what make it a fixture in New Zealand culture. No Kiwis or kiwis are involved in the down-under delicacy. The name of the beloved burger is rather an homage to New Zealand's national bird.

Before the Golden Arches' foray into Oceania, adding beets to a burger was already an iconic dish in the region. It can be traced back to the '30s, and the burger's popularity was well established by the '50s and '60s. Beets are a major cash crop for the country, as well as a staple in New Zealand cuisine and livestock feed. Many older New Zealander's grew up with this style of burger and don't consider it a true hamburger unless it has slices of beetroot on it. 

One of those passionate kiwis was Bryan Old, who bought into the McDonald's franchise in 1980. For a decade he lobbied for the inclusion of the region's popular style of burger on the menu. Finally, Old's continued badgering proved successful, and for its delicious debut in 1991, he coined the name The Kiwiburger.

The Kiwiburger is to New Zealand what the McRib is to the United States — elusive and exclusive. While it was most recently removed from fixed menus a few years ago, Maccas — New Zealanders' affectionate nickname for McDonald's — pushed for a reintroduction of the Kiwiburger in 2023. Leaning into the nostalgia of it all, the new slogan "The best of '91 is back" adorns throwback style billboards with a cheeky call for people to send in a fax for a free Kiwiburger. The newer commercials play on the original ads from the early '90s, which sandwiched the ingredients amongst other national icons like rugby, pāua shells, and Maori Hakas.

McDonald's may be responsible for the rise of this unique burger, but plenty of local restaurants carry the burger on their menus as well. You will find it under various pseudonyms because a subsidiary of McDonald's maintains the rights to the Kiwiburger moniker. Reburger in Auckland refers to its version as "The Legend," while Burgerfuel calls its burger "Biofuel" — no doubt for how deeply rooted beet burgers are for New Zealanders. Perhaps the U.S. should start referring to the iconic Big Mac as the EagleBurger. Maybe the rebranding could be incorporated into the other big changes you'll see at McDonald's in 2024.