What's the best fast food burger in N.L.? These judges found out
It was judgment day for patties across the province Saturday, when a group of burger lovers from around the Avalon held a definitive taste test to determine which signature sandwich reigns supreme.
Matthew Brake, 32, is no stranger to judging junk food: He once ate over 30 refrigerated chocolate bars to see which one tasted better cold.
This time, Brake wanted to find out where a Newfoundlander could get the best bang for their buck at eight of the island's major burger and chicken chains.
So he and six others — most of whom he only knew from Twitter — devised a rigorous ranking system, complete with weighted categories for flavour, meat-to-bun ratio and spread of toppings, to see which corporate patty came out on top.
"It's a bit complex," Brake acknowledged, but said the team was trying for as scientific an outcome as possible.
The seven judges met in Brake's kitchen Saturday, each contributing two burgers and a side of fries, which were presented to the panel and then doled out for scoring.
As the smell of mustard and hot lettuce wafted over from the pile of grease-laden fast food bags in Brake's kitchen, debate raged over how to divide up the iconic pickle on top of the Big Mary bun.
"I think this is my favourite sandwich," said one of the judges, "but I have a feeling, up against everything else, with its lack of toppings, I'm probably going to end up putting it lower."
Harvey's fries were a hit, but its patty took a pummeling, with judges likening it to a "chicken nugget, but with beef" and remarking that it tasted like meat that had been squeezed out of a tube.
McDonald's scored big points on its presentation and ratio of bun to toppings. But, suggested one judge, it's likely the most intensively "engineered" of all the sandwiches.
Dairy Queen, better known for frozen treats than fully-fledged meals, surprised judges with a succulent patty and balanced array of toppings, but Burger King's famous Whopper, drowning in onions, disappointed some.
Wendy's also came up relatively short, as the Dave's single — the joint's signature burger, according to a Wendy's social media coordinator, who confirmed the query for Brake over Twitter — led to mediocre reception, thanks to copious globs of mayonnaise.
The tasters tweeted their takes while fellow judge Robbie Hillier tallied the votes.
The winning meal? After a lot of math, Hillier determined A&W's Teen Burger and fries combo is the best bet when it comes to finding a cheap sandwich on the island.
Burger King's Whopper combo came in at a close second for overall meal.
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