After a week long of teasing campaign, the king has arrived. Burger King, home of the Whopper and Big King has launched the Big King, which somehow makes things a bit confusing, since they have the Big King XXL. You’ll find yourself standing in front of the counter confused while wondering what's what and what includes what… Honestly speaking, even the staff seems lost… But remembering that the Big King XXL has always been my old time favorite burger in fast food chains, I wanted to go give the new one a try…
It seems things have changed with time.
But one thing is clear here. Burger King has copied McDonald's by releasing the Big King, which is an exact copy of the Big Mac despite the fact that photos of the Big Mac are more appetizing than the other.
To try them both, fresh and ‘a la minute’ we went to City Centre Beirut, where both franchises are available.
At first glance, and while looking at the images displayed of each of the burgers, you’ll notice a difference. The Big King’s onions are presented in rings while McDonald's Big Mac’s onions are shredded... Pickles in the Bing King are too bulky.
Let's start the experience:
Burger King and McDonald's are both slow and unorganized in service. They both employ kids who know nothing about the hospitality industry. We waited 15 minutes for a burger.
Burger King’s offer is for LBP10,000 while the equivalent at McDonald’s is for LBP16,000. Intriguing, I thought at first, but I then understood why. The minute I received them I knew why the price was lower. Burger King’s burgers were two tiny ones -the photos displayed are fake- that won’t even satisfy a kid’s craving. Both meat and chicken burgers contained half the ingredients of that at McDonald’s. And the worst part for me was that they looked unappetizing, close to disgusting.
Now wait until you taste them.
The burgers:
- Chicken
The Big King is a small unappetizing burger. The bread, covered in sesame, is hard, stale and chewy with hints of milk like that found in pain au lait or brioche. A bread hard to swallow. The unpleasantly chewy bread contains a super small piece of chicken and slice of cheese I didn't even feel. The lettuce used is not up to par. Check the quality of chicken eaten alone and the difference is clear, Burger King being gooey sliding under the teeth.
Big Mac is a Big Mac. The meat is edible at least - whatever people claim it contains; the sauce is flavorful, generously filling the sandwich, the pickles add a hint of sweetness, while the lettuce adds some freshness, and let’s not forget the bread that’s always tender, moist and enjoyable.
- Meat
Burger King: In an overdose of chewy dry bread, you’ll find a piece of meat that’s like non-existent and disgusting, a stingy piece of cheese that you don't even feel, and the sauce is tasteless and hardly felt at the end. The sweetness of the pickles isn't here. A disaster! It’s really disgusting and unacceptable.
Big Mac is a Big Mac, the renowned tender and fluffy Big Mac always enjoyable with its rich sauce, cheese and the sweetness of those fine pickles. The meat eaten alone is edible while the competitor’s meat isn't.
The verdict:
McDonald's:
- Presentation: 07/10
- Look: 07/10
- Taste: 07/10
- Flavor: 07/10
- Value for money: 08/10
Total: 14,4/20
Burger King:
- Presentation: 03/10
- Look: 01/10
- Taste: 03/10
- Flavor: 02/10
- Value for money: 06/10
Total: 06/20
Why copy when the Big King XXL is a world success with two meat patties laid one on top of the other preserving their juiciness. Adding this middle bread layer in the Big King dried out the sandwich.
A failure is the least that can be said.
