After my reviews of McDonald’s Big Arch and its (very) local competitor, the Big Glenn, I found surprising demand for another burger review. So here goes. Since everyone’s talking about the “new Whopper,” my choice was simple.
The old ads used to say “it takes two hands to handle a Whopper.” But not anymore. Part of that is because my hands are quite large. Also, they now present it in a wrap for easy holding.
As you can see, it fits comfortably, at least in my oversized mitts. And it’s a good-looking burger. Compared to the old Whopper, the presentation is much better. The box means it arrives un-smushed, the garden looks fresh and healthy, the bun is a bit more substantial, and the cheese and ketchup stand out attractively. Visually, it’s a big improvement over the old Whopper.
But take a bite and, at least in my opinion, it’s not as good. I mean it’s fine, it’s a decent burger. But the substantial bun is (by design) kind of sweet. I don’t like that. I don’t like brioche buns and this is halfway there. They’ve changed the mayo and the “upgrade” is a downgrade to me. The old mayo was nicely tangy, the new one is kinda flavorless.
The tomatoes, pickles, onions, etc. are good — the grilled fresh onions are an upgrade — but worst of all, the meat is a big step down. My burger had not a trace of the flame-broiled taste I associate with a Whopper. Its primary overtone was saltiness. Between that and the flavorless mayo, I found the whole burger disappointingly bland.
Your results may differ — maybe you like bland burgers — but the new Whopper doesn’t deliver what I’m looking for when I order a Whopper. And while I don’t crave a Whopper super often, it’s a bit sad that now I won’t be able to get what I crave when I do.
Maybe I’ll wait a while and try again, but I’m disappointed. But hey, if that’s the worst disappointment I face this month, I’m doing okay.
Fill in your views in the comments!
Back in the 70s, I considered the Whopper the best fast-food burger you could buy. Then they discovered microwaves, and they would make the burgers in advance and throw them in a bin, to be microwaved when you put your order in. They went from tasting flame-broiled to just tasting hot. They ruined the Whopper and lost me as a customer.
When I saw the title, I thought you were going to be talking about a certain crooked Cambridge professor. (My bad.)