Fast food chains are constantly in competition with each other, and this week both McDonald’s and Burger King have released rival burgers in the hope of tempting customers to hit the Drive Thru.
McDonald’s has a new 'McCrispy burger' to replace their iconic 'Chicken Legend,' while Burger King has brought out a 'Memphis Crispy Chicken burger.' But which of the two new offerings is the best for taste, appearance, and value for money, too? There was only one way to find out.
Manchester Evening News reporter Bethan Shufflebotham put the two burgers to the test to see which one came out on top.
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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 is too hard to resist.
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, the Burger King Memphis Crispy Chicken burger is £6.99 or £9.49 as a meal.
What’s on them?
Burger King’s new offering is £2 more than McDonald’s, however, that’s because you’ll find a lot more on it. The 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% 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
MEN reporter Bethan found McDonald’s packaging immediately felt more premium, as the McCrispy is served in a sunny yellow cardboard box, whereas the Memphis is wrapped in branded paper and placed in a brown paper bag.
"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," she said.
"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 messier, 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
Looks aside, the taste is obviously the most important part of any burger.
Biting into the McCrispy, reporter Bethan said there was an obvious crunch - both from the lettuce and the coating on the chicken fillet. The soft bun also 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," Bethan said.
"The flavour was good, with a bit of a spicy kick, from the black pepper and cayenne, cooled by the mayonnaise."
In comparison, the Burger King offering was said to have "so much going on it was almost difficult to keep track." Featuring bacon rashers, cheese, and onion rings, Bethan said the burger was a "whole meal on its own" and wouldn’t necessarily have needed the fries that 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," she said.
"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
So which is the best? For Bethan, the Memphis Crispy Chicken burger at Burger King was the clear winner.
She felt that the extra £2 was totally worth it for the number of toppings you get, and said it seemed like much better value for money than the McCrispy as a result.
"I’d be grateful for either meal if I were hungry, but the southern-style offering from BK definitely feels more indulgent," she said.
"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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