What's wrong with Burger King? (1 Viewer)

[Brian Perry]

There was an article in the Chicago Tribune today that explained that part of McDonald's problem was that they had changed the recipe to Big Mac's special sauce (to save money), and in fact had LOST the original recipe.

They finally found the original recipe and started using it again. Maybe I'll have to go back and try one.

Personally, I think Big Macs tasted better in the old polystyrene containers. They seemed to stay moister longer. The cardboard containers they've been using for 20 years seem to dry everything out.

And as someone who worked at BK during college, I think their hamburgers are superior. But I agree that pretty much everyone's fries stink. I like a thicker fry.

 

[Patrick Sun]

My local BK only charges extra for cheese (if it's not a cheeseburger already) and bacon. They don't charge extra for the extra pickles I usually order with my whopper order (and they leave off the tomatoes per my request).

I detest McDonald's fries because they are usually undercooked and soggy. I like BK's fries when they are warm/hot. Most fries taste horrible when they are cold, anyhow.

 

[Leila Dougan]

I'm surprised so many of you have Burger Kings around you. In the city I live, they've pretty much all gone out of business. You can't even find a BK to eat at if you wanted. But truth be told, I don't miss them. Wendy's has my vote.

 

[Bruce Hedtke]

I'm more of a chicken sandwich guy, so in that regard BK is kind of weak. The regular chicken sandwich is passable but I have to have a taste for it to go and get one. The chicken whopper is a step up, but man do they load up on the mayo and sauce on that thing. Plus it's on the rubbery side.

McDonalds has a good chicken sandwich. Sometimes they go a bit overboard on the mayo as well, but usually it's a really good combination of tomato, lettuce and mayo.

Wendy's, though, has the best chicken sandwiches as fast food goes. I can't remember a time when I got a chicken sandwich that wasn't cooked right...crispy on the outside but juicy on the inside. I'm not a fan of the lettuce at Wendy's so I discard that but everything else about the sandwich is very good. I have a real weakness for the spicy chicken

Bruce

 

[Chris]

Yep, that's why the thread.. plenty here in KC, but lots of other places they are going out of style.. I think the "playland" environment at mcdonalds attracts the weekend fathers, etc. (hell, wasn't there a movie about exactly that with Paul Reiser?)

There are several chains that used to be big around me that I can barely find anymore:

* A&W (there are still a couple, not many)
* Long John Silver's (this chain seems to have completely died, almost, and when it exists, it's combined with an A&W
* Arby's There are two near me I know of, that's about it.
* Hardees
* Little Ceaser's (effective ad campaign in the 80s, then dissappeared. there are a few local, and a large for $5 sometimes gets me)

Meanwhile, all around me, sprouting up are:

* Taco Bell
* McDonald's
* Wendy's
* Sonic

 

[Carl Miller]

Man, I miss Arbys. The last one around here closed about 6 or 7 years ago. I miss Roy Rogers too.

I like Wendys. BK's fries are enough to keep me away, so I never eat at BK anymore. Only thing I like at McD's are their new McNuggets.

Hey Chris, could I convince you to Fed-Ex me an Arbys Roast Beef sandwich?

 

[Philip_G]

If I'm hungry I'll go for carls jr or sonic over any others, then wendys, then BK or McD's. I don't know why I don't go to BK more often, their breakfast croisandwhich things are cheap, about half the cost of an egg McMuffin, and they're better.
I agree the "new" crispy fries at BK suck, I prefer McD's fries, wendys fries around here are always old, cold, and somewhat greasy. They're also too thick for my liking.
The rest mentioned here are good too, DQ, Arby's, I don't know why I don't go to them more often, I think it boils down to marketing as mentioned, you constantly see McD's and Wendy's ads so they're fresh in your head. We even have a new A&W here in town that I haven't visited yet, and I LOOOOOVE root beer floats.

 

[Shane Martin]

I don't like BK because of their fries or their terrible onion rings. If they changed that I'd probably go there more often that not.

MC D's to me has the best french fries or around here they do. They are always crispy and just enough salt on them. I can't remember the last soggy fry I've gotten at McD's.

Wendys though is the best of both worlds so I tend to frequent there more often that not. That and Arby's.
Subway has gotten god awful expensive now. The rest are not that much cheaper but they taste better. When I'm paying nearly $6 for lunch, I'll pay the extra and eat at Quizno's or Mr. Goodcents or Blimpies.

 

[Mark Shannon]

A&W has been on the rise lately in my area. I remember when there were alot of them, then not so many, and now they're makinga comeback. Their burgers are excellent, as is the root beer (of course).

The only thing that I don't like about Wendy's is their lack of identification on their wrappers. It's really a pain in the ass when you've gone through the drive through, and have to struggle to find the correct burger. One time, the cash person opened one of our burgers up and started poking around inside it to see what it was. Turned me off for the day.

 

[Chris]

Arby's has the best lunch deal of the bunch too.. 5 Arby's Roast Beef Sandwiches for $5. Hard to beat that.. and they are good, fresh cut meat, which is the joke of their new commercials "let me show you something you won't see at Subway.. a MEAT SLICER!"

 

[Chris]

That and you have to buy the mug when you go, almost a rule

That having been said, they also make one of the better full-length chilidogs on the market.

 

[Malcolm R]

I see their ads on TV all the time, but I've never seen one of their restaurants in my life. Not sure where they all are. You'd think they'd have a bit more national presence if they're running a national ad campaign.

 

[Chris]

My wife, being born in Jamaica, grew up after 5 in Miami, 3/4 Chinese, often jokes that she would never go to a seafood restaurant in the midwest.

That having been said, she won't eat seafood at all anyway, considering her parents seemingly eat it every meal..

 

[Philip_G]

what IS the deal with fast food prices anyway?
Back in the 90's all the chains had their main meal priced around 2.99, a big mac combo, whopper combo, a Jr whopper combo was 1.99!
Now I think a big mac meal is something like 4.50 at my local McD's

 

[Chris]

Yeah, I think that's why Wendy's is growing.. you can get a Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger for .99 cents, combine with a small drink at .69 and fries .99, and you've got a meal @ 2.69.. lots of people are doing the "value meal" but I'll tell you, McD's value meals are terrible.. the McChicken is hard to tell whether or not the thing is actually chicken.

 

[Kyle McKnight]

Anyone eat at steak-and-shake? They're way over priced. I ate there last week (for the 2nd time) because of coupons I found. It was a double bacon cheesburger with small fries for $3.50. Burger wasn't very big....the normal price for this was over $6. That's crazy.

If I go to wendy's I get the Spicey Chicken sandwich, and I've I'm extra hungry an order of chicken nuggets.

Other than Wendy's, the only fast food (besides a sandwich shop) that I eat is Taco Bueno. I love a couple of bean burritos with their garden caliente sauce and jalapenos.

 

[Philip_G]

the wendy's 99 cent menu has declined too though, it used to be a biggie coke and biggie fry for 99, and the quarter pound double stack with cheese.... now it's a medium and just hte Jr cheese :frowning:

 

[Chris]

Wow.. I haven't seen a Taco Beuno in a long while.

Maybe tomorrow I'll try "Baja Fresh" I hear they are decent.

They sounded like mall food, of course, until I saw a storefront for them..

I officially had the worst pizza I've ever eaten today, though (Costco) talk about greasy.. you could fill up three or four napkins of just greese alone.. I know, I did.

And to go along with the "What's wrong with BK" what's wrong with Dunkin' Donuts? Damn, I really don't like Krispy Kreme.. way, way, way too sweet. It's like eating a sugar ball. I miss the nice, thick cinnamon donuts ala Dunkin, but you can't hardly find one of those here in the midwest lately.

 

[Chazz_S]

Here's the my SoCal perspective on fast food as far as how each chain is doing:

Mcdonalds- obviously still the king in terms of coverage. I probably eat here more than any other because it's the closest and cheap too. I mainly just get the 99cent chicken sandwiches.

BK- doing ok I guess, I haven't eaten here in literally about a year. Not sure why. Probably the combination of lack of craving and price. There's one fairly close to me. The 'new' fries do indeed suck, probably the worst fries of any major chain imo. I remember that the whopper used to be their 99 cent sandwich. This of course stopped being true long time ago, and it just feels like a rip of to pay more for it. Anyone still have 99cent whoppers near them? Price could vary a bit I suppose by store.

Carl's Jr. - Probably the third or even second place around So Cal in terms of business. Tons of commercials, and I think there may even be more locations than BK. Food's pretty decent but I rarely eat there. This is the west coast version of "Hardee's" from what I can remember.

Jack in the Box - Also seems pretty popular, again, I rarely eat there.

In N' Out - Seems to be the 'hometown favorite'. A good number of locations for a non-national chain. Just about everyone who's eaten these seem to agree that they have the best burgers (even out of towners). I like em OK, but people seem to go nuts over In N out.

Wendy's - Doesn't seem to be that big in Socal. I can only think of two locations off the top of my head.

Arby's - Seems to be dying. I see commercials on TV, and they work on me, problem is, there's none around me. I'm not driving 20 minutes just to go grab some fast food roast beef. IF there were one near me, I'd eat it.

Subway - Solid business. You should see how many are in Burbank alone.

Taco Bell and Del Taco - Taco Bell almost seems to be losing popularity if anything. I think these two chains are almost neck and neck in Socal.

KFC and Popeye's - KFC seems like it's doing ok. Popeye's are less common. I personally much prefer Popyeye's over KFC.


Missing from socal: Sonics, Long John Silvers(I know of only one), A&W, Arby's, Roy Rogers(is this gone nationally)?

 

[Chris]

Roy Rogers acquired Hardees a while back, and I think they are the same now.. not sure.

Is Church's chicken a regional one?