In order to stay fresh, trending and relevant, fast food chains are constantly in competition with each other, whether it’s to have the best loyalty app, or the hottest new menu item. And this week, both McDonald’s and Burger King have released crispy chicken burgers to tempt customers to hit the Drive Thru.
McDonald’s have dropped their new McCrispy burger, replacing the iconic Chicken Legend, while Burger King have brought out a Memphis Crispy Chicken burger to rival the Maccies offering.
But which of the two new offerings will be crowned the best on not only flavour, but appearance and value for money, too? There was only one way to find out.
Burger King’s Memphis Crispy Chicken burger launched on Tuesday, October 18, with McDonalds’ McCrispy hitting menus the following day. On Wednesday, I visited both branches, ordering one of each, to pit them against one another in the ultimate taste test.
Price
With the cost of living crisis, many people are keen to save money and cut costs - but sometimes, convenience, busy lifestyles, and the simple desire for a treat wins out.
McDonald’s brand new McCrispy comes in at £4.99 individually, or £6.49 as a meal, served with a drink and side of fries. Meanwhile, I paid £6.99 for my Burger King Memphis Crispy Chicken burger, which would have been £9.49 as a meal.
What’s on them?
Although Burger King’s new offering is £2 more than McDonald’s, that’s because you’ll find a lot more on it. BK’s southern-style burger features a chicken breast, sandwiched between crispy bacon slices, melted American cheese, three golden onion rings, creamy mayo and Burger King’s signature smoky BBQ sauce, all served in a toasted brioche bun.
By comparison, the McCrispy, said to be the 'crispiest, crunchiest chicken burger' yet, is made with 100 per cent chicken breast fillet, marinated in black pepper and cayenne, with a four-inch glazed bun with a sweet nutty toasted flavour, dressed with lettuce and mayo.
Appearance
For me, McDonald’s packaging immediately feels a bit more premium, with the McCrispy being served in a sunny yellow cardboard box, whereas the Memphis is wrapped in branded paper and placed in a brown paper bag.
That said, side by side, both burgers look pretty sophisticated and if you were served them in a pub, you’d be happy paying upwards of a tenner for them.
The McCrispy has a glossy, sesame topped bun, light lettuce and a crispy chicken fillet and looks pretty neat and tidy in its box. Burger King’s offering is a little more messy, but the good kind - the kind of dirty burger you need a napkin for because the contents are bound to go slipping from the sides.
Taste
The important part, right? Let’s dive right in. Biting into the McCrispy, there was an obvious crunch - both from the lettuce and the coating on the chicken fillet. The soft bun added a contrasting texture, and sweetness to the seasoned chicken.
The chicken was moist and felt more like a Chicken Select than a chicken nugget, with the Mayo Chicken more akin to the latter. The flavour was good, with a bit of a spicy kick, from the black pepper and cayenne, cooled by the mayonnaise.
Over at Burger King though, there was so much going on it was almost difficult to keep track, from the bacon rashers to the cheese and delightful addition of onion rings, this burger was a whole meal on its own, and wouldn’t necessarily have ever needed fries to accompany it.
There’s not just one measly piece of bacon here either, it’s pretty generously filled, and the cheese was a great idea. Burgers should always have cheese. The chicken itself was crispy, although it was softened slightly by the BBQ sauce - but the different flavours going on in the Memphis were totally dreamy.
Winner
For me, the winner has to be the Memphis Crispy Chicken burger at Burger King. The extra £2 is totally worth it for the amount of toppings you get, and it feels like much better value for money than the McCrispy, which seems pretty bland in comparison.
I’d be grateful for either meal if I were hungry, but the southern-style offering from BK definitely feels more indulgent and a bit naughty. Whoever thought of putting onion rings in a burger needs a gold star.
You can find the McCrispy and Memphis Crispy Chicken burgers at McDonald’s and Burger King restaurants respectively now.
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