McDonald's burgers suck

[DukieInKansas]

quote="Jesus_hurley"
My office is in North Hills right over the AT&T joint by 5 guys. I have to limit myself or I'd clog all my arteries. They also give you enough fries for two or three people. /quote
Then you'll need to join us to spread the reputation points, err, fries that day then .

My plane arrives at lunchtime on the 17th. Just sayin' ;)

I'll have to try 5 guys - they are popping up around town.

I'll be at a meeting from about 1230-630 PM on Friday. On Saturday, I think we have plans for food and various libations from about sunrise until sunset somewhere in Derm . Maybe a CTN lunch at 5 Guys on Sunday. Is there a 5 Guys in Derm?

From the menu at the last Brunchgate, I'm not sure we should be hungry again on Sunday.

But I'm sure I will be.

[indoor66]

Have never seen a 5 Guys here in South Florida. We do have a good burger joint called Jack's. One at 6th St and 18th Ave in Pompano Beach and one on Federal Hwy south of commercial Blvd. It is quick food that is cooked to order. They also have a condiment bar with most anything you want - from sourkraut to slaw to pickles to onions and everything in between. A good meal.

[bjornolf]

Have never seen a 5 Guys here in South Florida. We do have a good burger joint called Jack's. One at 6th St and 18th Ave in Pompano Beach and one on Federal Hwy south of commercial Blvd. It is quick food that is cooked to order. They also have a condiment bar with most anything you want - from sourkraut to slaw to pickles to onions and everything in between. A good meal.

There are a bunch in and around Miami. Not sure where in South Florida you are.

[indoor66]

Have never seen a 5 Guys here in South Florida. We do have a good burger joint called Jack's. One at 6th St and 18th Ave in Pompano Beach and one on Federal Hwy south of commercial Blvd. It is quick food that is cooked to order. They also have a condiment bar with most anything you want - from sourkraut to slaw to pickles to onions and everything in between. A good meal.

There are a bunch in and around Miami. Not sure where in South Florida you are.

Northern Broward County. I checked and there is one on Glades Blvd. in Boca Raton and one in Margate. I'll have to check them out.

[knights68]

ok, so Tilly and I gave 5 guys a go (the Chapel Hell location) for dinner. Personally I was unimpressed.
Luckily, before I went I did some research and read up on some reviews (just to know what to expect, avoid and to try).
Seasoned fries... WAY over seasoned. But the regular fries were nice and adequate. Just adequate.
The burger, well seriously, I have had better (and cheaper) at Char Grill or Flame Grill or whatever those two places are. And their burgers are way bigger than 5 guys. not impressive at all.

A meal for two (two burgers, two fries and two drinks) $21!!

I will stick with Char Grill or what have you. The next test will be this "In and Out" burger joint.

[CathyCA]

ok, so Tilly and I gave 5 guys a go (the Chapel Hell location) for dinner. Personally I was unimpressed.
Luckily, before I went I did some research and read up on some reviews (just to know what to expect, avoid and to try).
Seasoned fries... WAY over seasoned. But the regular fries were nice and adequate. Just adequate.
The burger, well seriously, I have had better (and cheaper) at Char Grill or Flame Grill or whatever those two places are. And their burgers are way bigger than 5 guys. not impressive at all.

A meal for two (two burgers, two fries and two drinks) $21!!

I will stick with Char Grill or what have you. The next test will be this "In and Out" burger joint.

OMG! Do we have In and Out here in North Carolina? OMG! Do we?

[DukePA]

In and Out burgers, ymmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. I have to say though, that I adore going to a McDonald's drive through and getting a regular cheese burger, small fries and a small chocolate shake. It makes me happy

[YmoBeThere]

ok, so Tilly and I gave 5 guys a go (the Chapel Hell location) for dinner. Personally I was unimpressed.
Luckily, before I went I did some research and read up on some reviews (just to know what to expect, avoid and to try).
Seasoned fries... WAY over seasoned. But the regular fries were nice and adequate. Just adequate.
The burger, well seriously, I have had better (and cheaper) at Char Grill or Flame Grill or whatever those two places are. And their burgers are way bigger than 5 guys. not impressive at all.

A meal for two (two burgers, two fries and two drinks) $21!!

I will stick with Char Grill or what have you. The next test will be this "In and Out" burger joint.

OMG! Do we have In and Out here in North Carolina? OMG! Do we?

I'm 99.9% certain that they are still only on the West Coast. Okay, maybe a state or two in, i.e. AZ and UT.

[YmoBeThere]

In and Out burgers, ymmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. I have to say though, that I adore going to a McDonald's drive through and getting a regular cheese burger, small fries and a small chocolate shake. It makes me happy

Okay, I'll come out of the closet also. I like having a plain hamburger or three. After having an upset stomach I've found that a Bic Mac settles my tummy down.

[DukeUsul]

Hmm last time I went to Char Grill I just got a hockey puck on a bun.

[CathyCA]

Hmm last time I went to Char Grill I just got a hockey puck on a bun.

I haven't been to CharGrill since 1989, but I stopped going because the meat was dry and charred. I thought the restaurant was aptly named.

I like juicy burgers.

[bluebutton]

Being from VA, but having lived in LA from 2001-2009, I was introduced to In n out as an adult.

Overrated.

Do not go to In n Out the next time you are in Vegas or CA and expect to be wow-ed. Marvel at the efficiency of the operation and the simplicity of the menu. Maybe if you like looking up all the "secret" combos and ordering one of those, that's kind of fun. My order is a cheeseburger, protein style and fries well-done. But as a burger, it is a well-done thinish patty on bread (unless protein style -- then it's wrapped in lettuce). Oh and the fries -- they are like cardboard if you let them get cold. They are, however, made from whole potatoes cut before your eyes. This is why I get them well-done; they hold up better. We usually did In n Out on road trips because the service is fast and the food is predictable. Awesome? No. But predictable yes -- and when you have all the dietary landmines my husband and I do, predictable is a great feature on a road trip.

I agree that 5 guys is meh. I had it before I was diagnosed as gluten sensitive, so I had it bun and all. Nothing particularly stood out about the Charlottesville establishment except the peanut shells on the ground.

Now for the best burger I've had, I will recommend The Counter in LA http://www.thecounterburger.com. The beef quality is excellent and you can order it medium and it will come medium. There are to my mind way too many optional toppings and dressings that can disguise the quality of the meat. I usually got the burger in a bowl with just lettuce, onions, and tomatoes, although I hear great things about their buns.

I will admit that in high school I really liked the BK Whopper and would definitely have chosen it over McDs. But I was usually too cheap to go out and get fast food. Oh well.

I really miss eating burgers with buns. Sigh.

[bjornolf]

ok, so Tilly and I gave 5 guys a go (the Chapel Hell location) for dinner. Personally I was unimpressed.
Luckily, before I went I did some research and read up on some reviews (just to know what to expect, avoid and to try).
Seasoned fries... WAY over seasoned. But the regular fries were nice and adequate. Just adequate.
The burger, well seriously, I have had better (and cheaper) at Char Grill or Flame Grill or whatever those two places are. And their burgers are way bigger than 5 guys. not impressive at all.

A meal for two (two burgers, two fries and two drinks) $21!!

I will stick with Char Grill or what have you. The next test will be this "In and Out" burger joint.

1. It's In N Out. And you have to fly a few hours to try it.

This is what I've learned from hundreds of trips to 5 Guys:
2. No couple should need two orders of fries from there. My family of five is fine with one order. If you need more than one order, that 5 Guys is jipping you and you should write to the website.
3. They put the old bay seasoning on the counter. We just season our own.
4. With free refills, you don't need a large drink.
5. 1/2 lb. of beef isn't enough for you? Wow. I feel so inadequate. How big are the ones at Char Grill?
6. If you don't like the burgers, try the bacon cheese dog. Those are absolutely heavenly. And lastly, trying the Chapel Hell location was your first mistake. ;)
7. When my wife and I go there, we spend about $14.
8. And come on, the peanuts while you wait ROCK! No mention of those?

[captmojo]

I find it amusing that Hardee's and Carl's Jr. scored differently.

Well...they are different. Carl's builds theirs with barbeque sauce and an onion ring that even if removed, has flavor strong enough to burn through the sauce and the senses for decades yet to come.

[knights68]

This is what I've learned from hundreds of trips to 5 Guys:

1. It's In N Out. And you have to fly a few hours to try it.

I understand. But would like to think.... one day

2. No couple should need two orders of fries from there. My family of five is fine with one order. If you need more than one order, that 5 Guys is jipping you and you should write to the website.

Ya see? I should have hit you up for info beforehand. An oversight. My apologies.
And you are right.... two orders of fries for a couple... WAY too much!

3. They put the old bay seasoning on the counter. We just season our own.

Nope, not there at the CH locale. No seasoning on the counter other than the usual.

4. With free refills, you don't need a large drink.

Where there is your "DUH" moment! lol

5. 1/2 lb. of beef isn't enough for you? Wow. I feel so inadequate. How big are the ones at Char Grill?

The burger I got was NOT 1/2 lb of meat. Not a chance! It was like a small burger with a double patty. If that was a 1/2 pound of meat, then I weight friggin 600 pounds!

6. If you don't like the burgers, try the bacon cheese dog. Those are absolutely heavenly.

Oh gosh, I was actually gonna try that, but I thought I should, on my first time , try a burger. The much ballyhooed burger and fries. Bah Humbug

And lastly, trying the Chapel Hell location was your first mistake. ;)

Not even gonna try. You are right. We was wrong, so bery bery wrong! lol

7. When my wife and I go there, we spend about $14.

I can see that now if only one order of fries and the small hamburgers versus the $4.49 sandwich. But again, this was our first forray to give 'em a go.

8. And come on, the peanuts while you wait ROCK! No mention of those?

[/quote]
Peanuts?? What peanuts? There were not peanuts, atleast none I saw. The place was barebones in decor and condiments and the sort. And definitely no peanuts.

[bjornolf]

3. They put the old bay seasoning on the counter. We just season our own.

Nope, not there at the CH locale. No seasoning on the counter other than the usual.

See my point about the location you went to. Every 5 Guys I've ever gone to hear in VA has Ol' Bay on the counter right next to the malted vinegar for the fries.

5. 1/2 lb. of beef isn't enough for you? Wow. I feel so inadequate. How big are the ones at Char Grill?

The burger I got was NOT 1/2 lb of meat. Not a chance! It was like a small burger with a double patty. If that was a 1/2 pound of meat, then I weight friggin 600 pounds!

Each patty is 1/4 lb. before cooking, the same as a quarter pounder. At least they are up here. One trick is that if you like bacon cheeseburgers, they don't charge for extra bacon. One of the ONLY places I've ever seen that. ;)

6. If you don't like the burgers, try the bacon cheese dog. Those are absolutely heavenly.

Oh gosh, I was actually gonna try that, but I thought I should, on my first time , try a burger. The much ballyhooed burger and fries. Bah Humbug

Not to beat the dead horse (TOO LATE), but it sounds to me like you just went to the wrong franchise. (we need a beating dead horse smilie...I think I'd use that almost every day!)

And lastly, trying the Chapel Hell location was your first mistake. ;)

Not even gonna try. You are right. We was wrong, so bery bery wrong! lol

7. When my wife and I go there, we spend about $14.

I can see that now if only one order of fries and the small hamburgers versus the $4.49 sandwich. But again, this was our first foray to give 'em a go.

How recently did that location open? Sometimes they go through some growing pains the first few months.

8. And come on, the peanuts while you wait ROCK! No mention of those?

Peanuts?? What peanuts? There were not peanuts, atleast none I saw. The place was barebones in decor and condiments and the sort. And definitely no peanuts.

Now THAT is a TOTAL travesty! The peanuts are half the fun, at least for me and my kids! They have huge boxes of salt-roasted peanuts in the shell. Great for munching on and letting your kids pulverize while waiting. Another thing that I take advantage of is the ability to call ahead your order. And if you absolutely KNOW you'll be there in a few minutes, tell them to go ahead and drop the fries. You'll save TONS of time.

[Johnboy]

I find it amusing that Hardee's and Carl's Jr. scored differently.

Well...they are different. Carl's builds theirs with barbeque sauce and an onion ring that even if removed, has flavor strong enough to burn through the sauce and the senses for decades yet to come.

You got one of the Western Bacon burgers if you got an onion ring. Carl's does use a kind of ketchup based "special sauce" on their burgers, though I'm not sure I'd go so far as to call it a barbecue sauce (the Western burgers have a KC Masterpiece kind of bbq sauce). I used to work for Hardee's Food Systems, Inc. in their legal department both before and just after Carl's* bought Hardee's. Carl's burgers and Hardee's burgers are kinda like the old GM products - most models have an equivalent in the other brand (Chevy Camaro/Pontiac Firebird). I think it's pretty damn funny that Hardee's burgers rated higher than Carl's.



*Technically, CKE Restaurants, Inc., the parent company of both Hardee's and Carl's Jr.

[CathyCA]

I find it amusing that Hardee's and Carl's Jr. scored differently.

Well...they are different. Carl's builds theirs with barbeque sauce and an onion ring that even if removed, has flavor strong enough to burn through the sauce and the senses for decades yet to come.

You got one of the Western Bacon burgers if you got an onion ring. Carl's does use a kind of ketchup based "special sauce" on their burgers, though I'm not sure I'd go so far as to call it a barbecue sauce (the Western burgers have a KC Masterpiece kind of bbq sauce). I used to work for Hardee's Food Systems, Inc. in their legal department both before and just after Carl's* bought Hardee's. Carl's burgers and Hardee's burgers are kinda like the old GM products - most models have an equivalent in the other brand (Chevy Camaro/Pontiac Firebird). I think it's pretty damn funny that Hardee's burgers rated higher than Carl's.



*Technically, CKE Restaurants, Inc., the parent company of both Hardee's and Carl's Jr.

You worked in their legal department, and I worked on the line!

I know how to make Hardee's breakfast biscuits from scratch. You all would not believe how unsanitary the entire process is.

"May I take your order, please?"

[captmojo]

I once met Gilbert Giddyup.



OK, I was stoned at the time but the bastard did look like a cartoon!

[CathyCA]

I once met Gilbert Giddyup.



OK, I was stoned at the time but the bastard did look like a cartoon!

"Hurry on down to Hardee's where the burgers are charco-broiled!"