6 mins read

I attempted the signature burgers from McDonald's, Wendy's, and Burger King. Probably the most iconic was my least favourite.

As a fast-food reporter, I’ve tried and examined many fast-food burgers through the years.

fast-food burgers and author holding burger

I’ve tried burgers from virtually each fast-food chain.

Erin McDowell/Insider


Whereas I’ve examined the largest burgers at fast-food chains and virtually each fast-food double cheeseburger that exists, I made a decision to deliver it again to the fundamentals and take a look at the signature burgers from three of the most-beloved chains in America. 

I attempted the McDonald’s Large Mac, Wendy’s Dave’s Single, and the Burger King Whopper to find out which basic fast-food burger is finest.

 

My least favourite of the signature burgers I attempted was McDonald’s Large Mac.

mcdonalds big mac

McDonald’s Large Mac.

Erin McDowell/Insider


Arguably probably the most iconic fast-food burger, the Large Mac is a staple on the McDonald’s menu. Created by proprietor and operator Jim Delligatti of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in 1967, the primary “Large Mac” featured a triple-decker burger and bought for 45 cents.

The burger rolled out throughout the US in 1968 and shortly turned the chain’s signature burger. Immediately, an estimated 900 million Large Macs are bought annually all over the world.

A Large Mac comes with two 1.6-ounce beef patties, pickles, shredded lettuce, chopped onions, a slice of American cheese, and layers of Large Mac sauce on a sesame-seed bun.

mcdonalds big mac

McDonald’s Large Mac.

Erin McDowell/Insider


The Large Mac value me $6.29, excluding tax, at my native McDonald’s in Massachusetts. 

Instantly, I wasn’t obsessive about the flavors or texture of this burger.

mcdonalds big mac

McDonald’s Large Mac.

Erin McDowell/Insider


I felt just like the burger I acquired was principally lettuce, which smothered the flavors of the cheese, meat, and sauce. I wished extra of a tangy taste from ketchup, mustard, or just extra Large Mac sauce.

My second-favorite burger was the Dave’s Single from Wendy’s.

wendys daves single with cheese

Wendy’s Dave’s Single with cheese.

Erin McDowell/Insider


Named after Wendy’s founder Dave Thomas, Dave’s Single is Wendy’s signature burger. It’s out there in a number of sizes, from the only all the way in which as much as a triple-stacked burger.

It options certainly one of Wendy’s signature square-shaped patties and is the chain’s model of a basic cheeseburger. 

The Dave’s Single burger comes with one quarter-pound beef patty, a slice of American cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickles, ketchup, mayo, and onions.

wendys daves single with cheese

Wendy’s Dave’s Single with cheese.

Erin McDowell/Insider


The burger value me $5.49, excluding tax, from my native Wendy’s in Massachusetts. It was the most cost effective burger I attempted.

The burger was noticeably saucier than each the Whopper and the Large Mac.

wendys daves single with cheese

Wendy’s Dave’s Single with cheese.

Erin McDowell/Insider


It was virtually dripping sauces, which I did not essentially thoughts. Among the flavors have been barely coated up by the 2 condiments, however I believed the cheese was tangy and the onions reduce by way of the sweeter components of the burger.

There was additionally a beneficiant serving of pickles and a big slice of tomato.

General, I believed this was a very good, basic cheeseburger.

wendys daves single with cheese

Wendy’s Dave’s Single with cheese.

Erin McDowell/Insider


Nevertheless, if I needed to change one factor, I’d take away or ask for a half-serving of mayonnaise. It was a particularly moist burger due to the condiments and juicy beef patties, and that wasn’t essentially pleasing.

The flavour of the meat did not examine to the Whopper both, however I discovered that it was an total strong selection for a late-night snack — particularly in case you do not wish to break the financial institution.

My favourite burger was the Whopper with cheese from Burger King.

burger king whopper

Burger King Whopper with cheese.

Erin McDowell/Insider


Burger King’s signature burger has been round for many years. Launched in 1957, simply 4 years after the chain opened, the Whopper was 37 cents in comparison with Burger King’s unique burger, which value 18 cents.

Whoppers — and all Burger King burgers, for that matter — stand out in comparison with different chains given the truth that they’re flame-grilled, giving their burgers a definite smoky taste.

You may order a Whopper with or with out cheese.

burger king whopper

Burger King Whopper with cheese.

Erin McDowell/Insider


For the sake of this experiment, I made a decision to order a Whopper with cheese in order that it will be a good comparability with the opposite signature burgers. 

The Whopper value me $7.99, excluding tax, at my native Burger King in Massachusetts, which made it the most costly burger I attempted.

A Whopper comes with one quarter-pound beef patty, pickles, onions, lettuce, tomato, ketchup, and mayonnaise on a sesame-seed bun.

burger king whopper

Burger King Whopper with cheese.

Erin McDowell/Insider


Instantly, I may inform this burger was going to pack tons of taste. Thick layers of ketchup and mayonnaise oozed out the edges of the burger, whereas the bun was giant and held the opposite elements collectively completely. 

The burger was tremendous flavorful, and it was my favourite by way of style and texture.

burger king whopper

Burger King Whopper with cheese.

Erin McDowell/Insider


The lettuce, tomatoes, and onions all tasted very recent, and so they added a scrumptious crunch to the burger.

The burger patties had a ton of smoky, savory taste that made the sandwich style as if it was recent off the grill. I additionally thought the form of the patties, which have been bigger in circumference however flatter than a number of the different burgers, made the sandwich simpler to eat. 

General, I believe the burger was definitely worth the barely increased price ticket.

When evaluating the three signature burgers, I discovered myself feeling like a fast-food-eating Goldilocks: one burger was too dry, one was too moist, and one was simply proper.