I Tried Every McDonald’s Burger and Here Are My Honest Thoughts

Food & Drink
I Tried Every McDonald’s Burger and Here Are My Honest Thoughts
I Tried Every McDonald’s Burger and Here Are My Honest Thoughts
Does Mcdonald’s use seed oils?, Photo by website-files.com, is licensed under CC Zero

McDonald’s is special in the fast food world. We always go there to eat for ages, especially when we are short of money. It’s no surprise that it was named the best chain this year, or so the report says. I know it’s not super healthy food, okay. But seriously, their burgers and fries have been classics from the start.

Honestly, fast food is popular because it’s cheap. In our current economy, every dollar counts. People compare McDonald’s prices to those of Burger King and other fast food restaurants, and there is a difference between the two. But McDonald’s fries seem to be cheaper, you know? It’s not just the price that I started thinking about. Is the famous burger really the best? So I tried every burger on the menu.

My goal in trying these burgers was simple, I just wanted to feel like I was getting my money’s worth. I took every burger at face value, and of course, I ate a lot of all of them. Here are my thoughts on the first set I tried.

McDouble
The cheapest, most nutritious, and bountiful food that has… | Flickr, Photo by staticflickr.com, is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0

1. **Hamburger**: Let’s start with the classic plain hamburger. It costs $2.19, well that’s a really low price point. It has a simple patty, pickles, onions, ketchup and mustard. This is just about the most basic thing you can order. It seems to be made for simplicity itself.

Visually, honestly, this plain burger looks pathetic compared to the others. The patty itself was noticeably thin, that’s what I saw. It barely fills the bun, right? The bun itself was also small, and honestly it was really small. The bun inside was toasted, which is a nice plus. But honestly, the overall appearance isn’t outstanding, okay?

Flavor-wise, I thought it was really bland. Honestly, I think most burgers are going to need cheese, so the original flavor to begin with was a total drawback for it. This burger also needed more toppings. Like lettuce, tomato and extra pickles. That would definitely add freshness and moisture. That’s what I mean, the patty felt small and dry.

Recipe details: Classic Hamburger
Level: Unknown        Servings: 8
Total weight: 872.6 g        Calories: 1710.1 kcal
Energy: 1710.1 kcal        Protein: 97.8 g
Carbs: 103.5 g        Fat: 98.1 g
Dish Tags: american, sandwiches, lunch/dinner, Sugar-Conscious, Kidney-Friendly, Dairy-Free, Egg-Free, Peanut-Free, FODMAP

Ingredients:
1 lb. ground beef or chuck
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 soft white hamburger bun, split
4 1/4″-thick slices of a large ripe tomato
12–16 sliced pickles (optional)
4 small leaves iceberg lattuce
4 1/4″-thick slices peeled onion

Get the recipe: Classic Hamburger


Read more about: I Visited 3 Burger Kings in NYC: Here’s Why Fast-Food Giants Are Facing Major Challenges

Cheeseburger
Close-up Photo of a Cheeseburger · Free Stock Photo, Photo by pexels.com, is licensed under CC Zero

2. **Cheeseburger**: Well, next I tried the standard cheeseburger. It costs $2.49 and adds the all-important American cheese slices. Other than that, it was just like the regular hamburger before it.

You see, the cheeseburger has the familiar look of a bun problem. Those little buns always look cracked and dry. The burger patty inside is just as small.

Adding cheese really helped this burger, if you know what I mean. Now it seems that even a slice can do wonders. This cheeseburger won’t always be my first choice. But it still has a place as a quick, inexpensive option. It’s much more satisfying than the regular burgers of yore.

Recipe details: Bacon Cheeseburger
Cook time: Unknown        Total time: 30
Level: Unknown        Servings: 6
Total weight: 2044.8 g        Calories: 5026.4 kcal
Energy: 5026.4 kcal        Protein: 359.2 g
Carbs: 156.0 g        Fat: 327.4 g
Dish Tags: american, sandwiches, lunch/dinner, Low-Carb, Peanut-Free, Tree-Nut-Free, Soy-Free, Shellfish-Free, Crustacean-Free, Sulfites

Ingredients:
12 slices sharp cheddar cheese
15 slices bacon , divided
2 pounds ground chuck (80/20 lean to fat ratio)
1/4 sweet onion , diced
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly cracked pepper
6 Brioche hamburger buns

Get the recipe: Bacon Cheeseburger

Double Cheeseburger
File:McDonald’s McDouble burger.jpg – Wikimedia Commons, Photo by wikimedia.org, is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0

3. **Double Cheeseburger**: Now we’re talking substance, and I mean it. Here we have two beef patties and two slices of cheese. Plus the usual pickles, onions, ketchup and mustard. It costs $2.89, reflecting all the extra toppings inside. This feels more like a regular meal option.

It looks slightly sloppy from the outside, but it looks taller. Two patties and two slices of cheese make it look taller. The melted cheese runs down the sides and looks great. The pickles and ketchup add a little color to it, I can see. It definitely gave it a more inviting look than the smaller size.

Honestly, I wasn’t expecting the Double Cheeseburger to be anything special at all. It turned out to be a very big surprise. The double layer of beef solved the size problem I saw before. The extra cheese and condiments balanced my tastes nicely. Overall, it exceeded my very low expectations, that’s for sure. This is where I saw how doubling up really works.

Recipe details: Roy Choi’s Los Angeles-Style Double Cheeseburger Recipe
Level: Unknown        Servings: 4
Total weight: 1604.8 g        Calories: 3848.5 kcal
Energy: 3848.5 kcal        Protein: 268.4 g
Carbs: 108.5 g        Fat: 262.7 g
Dish Tags: italian, sandwiches, lunch/dinner, Low-Carb, Peanut-Free, Tree-Nut-Free, Soy-Free, Fish-Free, Shellfish-Free, Sulfites

Ingredients:
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 Brioche hamburger buns, split
2 pounds ground chuck, shaped into 8 (1/4-inch-thick) patties
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
8 slices cheddar cheese
4 butter lettuce leaves
4 shiso or sesame (perilla) leaves
4 thin slices tomato
4 thin slices red onion
hot sauce, preferably Tapatio, for serving

Triple Cheeseburger
File:McDonald’s Triple Cheeseburger.jpg – Wikimedia Commons, Photo by wikimedia.org, is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0

4. **Triple Cheeseburger**: If two is good, would three be better? This triple cheeseburger has three beef patties. It has the same toppings as the other burgers. This high stacked burger retails for $3.99 and is sure to go up in price now. Keep in mind that this burger is clearly for meat lovers.

From the looks of it, this triple cheeseburger definitely impressed me. Mainly because it’s just so tall and has so much beef in it. Its size alone makes it a sight to behold. The cheese oozing out of the sides was a problem. Honestly, it looked a little curdled. Maybe that’s my fault because some of it was served sitting down. Letting it sit for a long time could make the cheese look bad, you know.

Flavor-wise, the third patty was too much for me. I was like eating three patties was too much. McDonald’s beef on its own doesn’t have much flavor, nothing really. Cheese and toppings are very important to balance the flavor of the beef. The extra meatloaf upsets the balance, you know. Honestly, it always overpowers the toppings too much. It didn’t feel as harmonious as the double burger.

Recipe details: Triple D Cheeseburger Soup
Cook time: Unknown        Total time: 110
Level: Unknown        Servings: 6
Total weight: 2546.9 g        Calories: 4226.1 kcal
Energy: 4226.1 kcal        Protein: 214.5 g
Carbs: 92.4 g        Fat: 335.8 g
Dish Tags: american, sandwiches, lunch/dinner, Low-Carb, Egg-Free, Peanut-Free, Tree-Nut-Free, Soy-Free, Fish-Free, Gluten, Wheat, Sulfites

Ingredients:
1 large onion, diced
3 tablespoons butter
1 lb lean ground beef (use very lean beef)
1⁄4 cup flour
1⁄2 cup water
16 ounces unsalted chicken stock
16 ounces Velveeta reduced fat cheese product
2 cups fat-free half-and-half
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
2 cups iceberg lettuce, chopped

Get the recipe: Triple D Cheeseburger Soup

Photo by Christian Wiediger on Unsplash

5. **McDouble**: The McDouble here may confuse some people. It has two beef patties and American cheese. It also has pickles, onions, ketchup and mustard inside. At $2.79, it’s cheaper than a double cheeseburger. Compared to the Double Cheeseburger, it does have something missing.

Visually, the McDouble looks pretty neat. I really appreciate its clean overall look. The second patty definitely adds to its height. It makes it look more substantial than the individual ones. But it did look a bit bland on the plate. Without the lettuce and tomatoes, it felt visually boring.

What difference does it really make, you might ask? It comes down to only one slice of cheese. The Double McDonald’s Burger only has one slice, while the Double Cheeseburger has two. Given the choice, I prefer the Double Cheeseburger. Honestly, both burgers taste almost identical.The McDouble is a solid, satisfying burger option. Especially considering its slightly lower price point, IMO.

McDonald
Photo by Carles Rabada on Unsplash

6. **Bacon McDouble**: It adds applewood smoked bacon to the standard McDouble. It’s still two patties, a slice of cheese and the usual toppings. It retails for $2.99, a modest price increase.

I was immediately excited to see this burger. Personally, I really liked how the bacon helped the burger overall. Seeing the bacon poking out of the sides was great for me. Aside from the look of the bacon, I thought it was neatly assembled. I think this is one of the neatest burgers ever tried. The only downside was that the bun on top was flattened a bit.

Okay, let’s talk about the bacon flavor of this burger. Some people say that bad bacon is still good, but I disagree. The bacon here really disappointed me. It felt thin and had no texture. If you can, skip the bacon. That way you won’t be disappointed and you’ll save a few cents.

Quarter Pounder With Cheese
File:McDonald’s Quarter Pounder with Cheese, Japan.jpg – Wikimedia Commons, Photo by wikimedia.org, is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0

7. **Quarter Pounder With Cheese**: I just started eating Quarter Pounder With Cheese to feel better. It costs $6.29. That’s a big leap from the smaller burgers here. But you get a bigger patty. It really is a quarter-pound burger. It’s got sliced onions and pickles on it. And ketchup and mustard. And two slices of American cheese.

Honestly, it felt good to open the carton. Compared to the squashed buns we’ve seen on small burgers. The bread was noticeably different. It was shiny and seedy. The whole thing looks better. It was a big improvement. Or maybe it’s because the box is sturdier. The larger patties finally filled the bread.

Flavor-wise, the ingredients in this Quarter Pounder haven’t changed much. But everything about it feels more flavorful. The bread is thicker and has a better bite. The cheese melts just right. The pounder now fills the bread correctly. The meat fits snugly between the bun and the meat with each bite. These simple things elevate this burger. It went from “okay” to “really good.” This is my usual choice, you know.

Recipe details: Hubby’s Favorite Quarter-Pounder Meatballs
Level: Unknown        Servings: 8
Total weight: 581.1 g        Calories: 1642.7 kcal
Energy: 1642.7 kcal        Protein: 94.2 g
Carbs: 22.8 g        Fat: 128.0 g
Dish Tags: american, main course, lunch/dinner, Low-Carb, Sugar-Conscious, Kidney-Friendly, Keto-Friendly, Peanut-Free, Tree-Nut-Free, Sulfites

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
1 egg
1/4 c Italian bread crumbs, eyeball it
1/4 tsp onion salt
2 tbsp Parmesan cheese
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tbsp olive oil
Fresh parsley, to taste
Sea salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

burger on brown wooden table
Photo by Kevin Lanceplaine on Unsplash

8. **Bacon Quarter Pounder With Cheese**: Naturally I had to try the bacon flavor next. This version includes all the standard Quarter Pounder. but adds applewood smoked bacon. Bacon costs $7.49.

Visually, seeing the strips of bacon you can see where the potential lies. However, the appearance suffers a bit. Leakage of condiments and grease inside was noticeable. But it was still neatly presented. Comes in a box nicely too. But it did look a little soggy.

Sadly, my experience with bacon is still the same here. Just like the bacon McDonald’s before it. Some people say any bacon is good bacon. I don’t agree with that statement. Regardless, the bacon itself was disappointing. It was thin and had no texture. It does have a flavor that makes it seem artificial. It pulled the attention from underneath the delicious burger. Honestly, save more than a dollar on the difference. Just skip the bacon part.

Double Bacon Quarter Pounder With Cheese
File:BBQ Turkey Bacon Double.JPG – Wikimedia Commons, Photo by wikimedia.org, is licensed under CC BY 2.5

9. **Quarter Pounder With Cheese Deluxe**: This one uses the classic Quarter Pounder With Cheese. and adds some fresh elements. Lettuce, tomato, and mayo are added to the mix. This time the price is $6.69. Slightly higher than the standard model. Adding classic toppings makes the burger more flavorful. This time I had high hopes.

Looking at this I was happy that the color was the main thing. The addition of lettuce and tomato brighten the whole thing up. Fast food is usually visually dull. Honestly, the presentation of the ingredients can be a mess as well. The piles were uneven and some fell to the side. The mayo was already oozing out the side.

Flavor-wise, this burger had a lot of potential. But too much mayo took it completely out of color. The thick, soupy mayo was hidden underneath the glossy bun. I usually like mayo on my burgers, and this was just too much. Rarely was there fresh lettuce. These few bites showed how good this burger was. It would have been better with less mayo. It was frustrating because of the freshness. It gave me the crisp texture that I missed before.

Double Quarter Pounder With Cheese
McDonald’s Double Quarter Pounder Cheese – Big Mouth! | Flickr, Photo by staticflickr.com, is licensed under CC BY 2.0

10. **Double Quarter Pounder With Cheese**: Now let’s talk about beef servings. This one has two quarter-pound beef patties. And two slices of cheese. And all the other standard toppings. Onions, pickles, ketchup, and mustard are all there. This is the most expensive burger at $7.79.

From the outside, this burger looks like a beast. Stack two patties on top of each other and it gets tall. The sandwich looks impressive. However, my assembly process for this burger was a bit confusing. One patty was clearly stuck on the outside. Though it wasn’t a big problem. The melted cheese looked really good. It did produce a mesmerizing waterfall effect. The cheese waterfall caught my eye. It made me want to eat it right away.

When tasting it, the question arose. Do I need to eat so much beef on a regular basis? Maybe not every meal. But I enjoyed this particularly thick bite of beef There’s meat and cheese here, and voila. The double patty provided a rich experience. It’s hard for me to eat a whole burger. It’s basically half a pound total. If you’re very hungry, it will satisfy you.

McDonald's fries and burger LED signs
Photo by Simon Ray on Unsplash

I feel that some people will benefit from this full assessment. No matter which burger you are looking for, there is always a relative advantage and a suitable demographic. I must say that McDonald’s has a wide range of audiences for so many types of burgers.

Related posts:
McDonald’s Burger and Fries: How Do Prices Compare To Other Fast Food Options?
Fast Food Chains With The Highest (and Lowest) Quality Burgers
I Tried McDonald’s Entire Burger Menu & Only One Was Juicy and Tender

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