Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Best Burger

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Posted by Aaron Garman (Member # 1653) on 05-12-2011, 11:01 PM:

I dunno why I thought of posting this, but I did a search and couldn't find a related thread. Anyhow, who do you think has the best hamburger out there?

I know it's sometimes hard to compare say a McDonald's to a pub burger, but let's say overall who has the tastiest.

I have two favorites, and they are both in the state of Michigan:

-Redamaks in New Buffalo, MI: perfect any day or after a visit to Lake Michigan.

-Miller's Bar in Dearborn, MI: they don't even have a menu. You order your burger, pick a cheese, and add toppings. Heck, they even work on the honor system and you tell the bar tender your order before you leave.

AJG

Posted by Tom Petrov (Member # 1534) on 05-12-2011, 11:30 PM:

I would have to say Apache Burger in Etobicoke Ontario.

They have a wall of photos with all of the famous hockey players who have made sure to stop by on a road trip, eat a burger and take a photo.

Brett Hull, Brendan Shanahan, coachs, someone once actually brought the Stanley Cup by.

As for fast food, Burger King all the way, but sometime I like a Double 1/4 pounder.

Your looking at $6 a burger.

Posted by Bobby Henderson (Member # 840) on 05-13-2011, 12:06 AM:

I can't remember for sure where this was discussed (recently). It might have been a bit of off topic drift in the Chipotle thread. Sonic was a big part of the discussion. Lots of different burger chains were mentioned.

I don't eat many burgers since my cholesterol tries to run a bit high if I'm not careful about what I eat and slack off on the exercise. But I do love burgers and I especially love steaks.

Here in Lawton I prefer Waynes Drive-Inn. The Meers Store nearby in the Wichita Mountains is a popular tourist stop and when the restaurant has its A-game going their original blood line Longhorn beef burgers are AWESOME. Food Network ranked the Meers Burger in the nation's top 10. The place can be inconsistent at times. Burgess Grill is another local restaurant that makes a great hamburger. Sometimes the service sucks though. Out of chains operating here I think Whataburger does the best job. We have several Sonic locations in the area.

In-N-Out Burger is extremely popular on the West Coast. The company just opened a distribution center in the Dallas Fort Worth metro and is in the process of opening 8 restaurants in the metroplex. In-N-Out never freezes its beef, so all its locations must be within a day's drive of the distribution center. Lawton is a 3 hour drive from Dallas. Hopefully that may lead to an In-N-Out location opening here within the next few years.

Posted by Richard Hamilton (Member # 321) on 05-13-2011, 05:00 AM:

quote: Aaron Garman
who do you think has the best hamburger out there?

grillin' season has just begun in Indiana [Smile]

Posted by Don Furr (Member # 1469) on 05-13-2011, 05:59 AM:

My favorite burger comes from a neighbor pub called The Brake Pad. Located very close the the Atlanta International Airport the Pad is an old Texaco gas station converted to a restaurant!! The burgers are always cooked exactly like you order. A+ in my book. [thumbsup]

Don

Posted by Bruce McGee (Member # 131) on 05-13-2011, 09:48 AM:

I've eaten there, Don. The burger was GREAT. It's all I could afford after the last warehouse visit I did with our friend Newton!!

Posted by James Wallor (Member # 6154) on 05-13-2011, 10:32 AM:

I greatly enjoy In-N-Out Burger, but I doubt it will ever come this far out because of the no frozen beef policy.

As far as chains go, Five Guys has a pretty good burger. And the triple prime from Applebees is pretty tasty too.

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 05-13-2011, 12:02 PM:

Hudson's Hamburgers in Couer d'Alene ID is a little burger store that has been in business since the early 1900s. You order a burger, they patty and grill it right in view. You usually have to wait for a seat in there. Here's a clip from a Yelp review that says it better than I can:

quote:
You all don't need me to tell you how amazing Hudson's is because you know it. Double cheeseburger with raw onions and pickles that create a groove in the cutting board (that changes every 8 months), fresh meat with each patty made to order, horseradish sauce that goes on to make the burger perfect, tradition, excellence, and a piece of homemade pie to top off the meal. Its worth the wait, we all know.

What you don't know is that I once drove 3 hours (each way) in early December just to have one of these hamburgers. YES. They. are. that. good.

Around here you can't get a good burger at all -- or sometimes you can (Speedway, right Mark?) but the quality is not consistent and sometimes you wait 45 minutes or more. We have no chain stores here except DQ and their burgers are OK for fast-food burgers.

Nope, if you're in Forsyth, MT you have to drive 45 miles to get a guaranteed good burger -- either Miles City (the 600 Cafe) or Ingomar (the Jersey Lilly, a place you will definitely never forget).

Of the chains, if we're in Billings I like Fuddrucker's.

Posted by Paul Mayer (Member # 355) on 05-13-2011, 12:13 PM:

I too now have to watch my cholesterol levels and so can't eat red meat burgers any time I feel like it without a lot of exercise to burn off the consumed fats. But still, if you find yourself in the West Los Angeles area, the Apple Pan is the place. Hand formed patties and cooked to order, plus a slice of apple pie to go with it if you like. To paraphrase the old Magnavox TV commercials, "Expensive, and darn well worth it."

Posted by Matt Fields (Member # 3211) on 05-13-2011, 12:22 PM:

Best chain burger I've ever had is Five Guys.

Posted by Jason Burroughs (Member # 68) on 05-13-2011, 12:25 PM:

quote: James Wallor
I greatly enjoy In-N-Out Burger, but I doubt it will ever come this far out because of the no frozen beef policy

You never know, In-N-Out just opened 2 locations in the Dallas area (Frisco and Allen) with a slew more on the way. Just depends if there's a market big enough for a distribution center.

There were people camped out for days in anticipation of those locations opening. Lines were several hours long opening day.

Posted by Rick Raskin (Member # 1561) on 05-13-2011, 01:13 PM:

quote: Matt Fields
Best chain burger I've ever had is Five Guys.

Ditto

Posted by Mark Lensenmayer (Member # 134) on 05-13-2011, 02:36 PM:

I'm with Matt & Rick on this one...Five Guys is one tasty burger, and the best for any fast-food chain.

But my most favorite burger is the Triple Prime Burger at Ruby Tuesday's.

Posted by Michael Coate (Member # 757) on 05-13-2011, 02:43 PM:

quote: Paul Mayer
if you find yourself in the West Los Angeles area, the Apple Pan is the place

Posted by Bill Enos (Member # 440) on 05-13-2011, 03:10 PM:

Five Guys is OK if you stick with the small burger. If you opt for the bigger ones they just stack more of the scrawny small patties, they also only offer what they call cheddar cheese (actually rubber and tasteless "american" cheese.

One that I haven't seen mentioned here is Cheeburger,Cheeburger.
Their patties are made in store from fresh ground meat by hand--no patty presses and cooked to order, not to a corporate office doneness. Burgers are 1/3 lb. to 1 lb. and made from a single patty so the big ones take a lot longer to come out. They have several cheeses and many, many toppings. Worth trying if there's one in your area. And yes, that's Cheeburger with no SE

Posted by Sam Graham (Member # 2889) on 05-13-2011, 05:00 PM:

I can't name one specifically. It depends on what mood I'm in and what kind of burger I'm in the mood for.

I can tell you they absolutely don't include: Five Guys, Fuddrucker's, or Ruby Tuesday's Triple Prime.

Wichita-based Freddy's makes a great fast food hamburger. In-N-Out is good enough. The discontinued Ranch House Burger (topped with cheddar, mushrooms, steak bits, and of course, ranch) at the Cheesecake Factory was lovely. Smashburger's Mushroom Swiss is a current favorite of mine. I can still eat a half dozen White Castles (I turn them into doubles by discarding the top buns and folding two together...the bottom buns get the meat flavor in the steam cooking process). We have a local chain called B-Bops that makes a great charbroiled quarter pounder.

I can think of dozens of local joints where I've experienced burger heaven over the years.

Hell, I make a pretty good burger. Topped with a fried egg cooked in the hamburger grease, no less.

Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 05-13-2011, 05:25 PM:

Five Guys sucks ass. It's a piece of shit restaurant and it does not deserve to exist. All of the employees deserve to lose their jobs, be denied unemployment benefits and never be able to find any source of income again, withering the rest of their short lives away battling rats for scraps of discarded food. Same with their families and friends. Now I'll just sit back and wait for someone to request that I don't hold back, that I let every one know how I really feel, because that comment is so funny and original.

But really, Smashburger is fantastic. It is damn near one of the best I have tried. It is a chain and they have greasy-ass burgers that drip with lard. Each bite takes one year off of your life expectancy. Their fries are good, too (unlike Five Guys). Fat Burger is pretty good, but more expensive than Smashburger and you have to ask them for the mustard. Smashburger has mustard at each table. Screw places that don't have mustard at each table. They have weird-ass sauces that barely anyone ever tries, but not the ol' standby mustard? I want to punch Fat Burger in the face.

The Wazee Supper Club has a great burger (and pizza) as well. There is only one location. It's over on Wazee. It was formerly owned by our current governor, I think.

And screw you, Heidi's Deli, for offering so little food at exorbitantly high prices!

Posted by Emma Tomiak (Member # 1862) on 05-13-2011, 05:43 PM:

Fort Worth: Fred's Texas Cafe. Terrible website, amazing burgers. My choice is the Blue Cheese Burger, add mushrooms.

Dallas: Snuffer's. I love eating here before a show at the Granada Theater next door. I get the Mushroom Swiss burger.

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 05-13-2011, 06:32 PM:

I think I may have asked this in one of the other food threads, but...is there still a Fatburger across the street from Universal in Hollywood? I ate there in 1979. It was my first and last experience with Fatburger. It was excellent! (I don't eat mustard on burgers so the mustard wasn't an issue.)

Posted by Aaron Garman (Member # 1653) on 05-13-2011, 07:00 PM:

I'm also not a Five Guys fan: it's horribly overrated and just too greasy. The only one that is edible is the single burger. Any more patties make the bun way too soggy.

And the fries...just not right and again, soggy compared to some tasty ones.

I'd kill for an In-n-Out close to home.

AJG

Posted by Caleb Johnstone-Cowan (Member # 3710) on 05-13-2011, 09:15 PM:

The best chain burger I've had in North America is Fatburger.

We have a couple of casual dining burger chains here that are really good. The best Gourmet Burger Kitchen, they're only in London and a select few locations elsewhere in the UK. The bacon and avocado burger is amazing, two big rashers of bacon and pretty much a whole avacado on there and the burger itself is huge. Good proper English chips as well, not french fries!

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 05-13-2011, 09:31 PM:

Salt Lake City just won the number 2 spot in the country for burgers...

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC 4 News) - A survey published by Travel an Leisure ranked Salt Lake City number two in the country for best hamburgers.

The survey asked readers to list their favorite features of 35 major cities and Salt Lake City just fell short behind Houston, who was ranked number one in the country.

"Locals have lined up in droves ever since the streamlined burgers of In-N-Out have come to town, but otherwise the area's burger personality is quite a bit more decadent-as in, pastrami burgers," according to the magazine's website. "To try a quarter-pound patty piled high with more beef, check out Crown Burger, where they also add Thousand Island dressing, lettuce, onions, and cheese."

Following Houston and Salt Lake City in the top five were Providence, R.I., Denver and Austin, Texas.

Da Burger Story

Posted by Edward Havens (Member # 4715) on 05-13-2011, 09:58 PM:

I'm throwing in my vote for Apple Pan as well.

Posted by Bobby Henderson (Member # 840) on 05-14-2011, 11:56 AM:

quote: Joe Redifer
Smashburger is fantastic.

I haven't tried that burger chain yet. They just started expanding into Oklahoma. Currently Smashburger has two locations in Tulsa. They're opening three locations in Oklahoma City soon, two this summer and one more in the fall. I'll check out their burgers then or the next time I'm in Colorado Springs (there's a Smashburger on Powers Blvd).

Posted by Tom Petrov (Member # 1534) on 05-14-2011, 12:31 PM:

quote:
ive Guys sucks ass. It's a piece of shit restaurant and it does not deserve to exist.

well way to go!

I was just going to go down to one of the few locations in my area....I guess I won't be doing that now [Frown]

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 05-14-2011, 12:49 PM:

quote: Joe Redifer
Five Guys sucks ass.

quote: Aaron Garman
I'm also not a Five Guys fan: it's horribly overrated and just too greasy. The only one that is edible is the single burger. Any more patties make the bun way too soggy.

And the fries...just not right and again, soggy compared to some tasty ones.

Agreed. I've eaten there once and not only did I fail to enjoy the food, my stomach failed to have a peaceful evening and my toilet still has not forgiven me. McDonald's is WAY better and that's not saying much.

quote: Aaron Garman
I'd kill for an In-n-Out close to home.

Yeah well I've got one 5 minutes away now. [Razz]

Come visit sometime.

Posted by Tom Petrov (Member # 1534) on 05-14-2011, 12:54 PM:

quote: Brad Miller
Agreed. I've eaten there once and not only did I fail to enjoy the food, my stomach failed to have a peaceful evening and my toilet still has not forgiven me

my day has been ruined [Frown]

I'm going to eat raw vegtables for the rest of the day

Posted by Aaron Garman (Member # 1653) on 05-14-2011, 01:32 PM:

quote: Brad Miller
Agreed. I've eaten there once and not only did I fail to enjoy the food, my stomach failed to have a peaceful evening and my toilet still has not forgiven me. McDonald's is WAY better and that's not saying much.

Been there...done that.

quote: Brad Miller
Yeah well I've got one 5 minutes away now. Come visit sometime.

Would said trip include a movie in the screening room? [Big Grin]

That location is probably the closest to Indiana if I'm not mistaken.

And Tom, eating all those raw vegetables could give you similar toilet problems too. [Eek!]

AJG

Posted by Mark Lensenmayer (Member # 134) on 05-14-2011, 01:47 PM:

If you want to make the very best hamburger, use a meat grinder or a grinder attachment to a stand mixer. Buy almost any inexpensive cut of beef, grind it and then immediately cook it on a grill or griddle. It beats any restaurant burger. AND you have total control over the fat content.

Posted by Tom Petrov (Member # 1534) on 05-14-2011, 02:13 PM:

Anyone want to talk me into going to Five Guys?

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 05-14-2011, 03:47 PM:

I agree Five Guys isn't the best by far, but come on Brad, you know it's a lot better than those smashed wafers of beef that pass for burgers at McDonalds.

Posted by Aaron Garman (Member # 1653) on 05-14-2011, 04:06 PM:

I'd argue a Big Mac is more enjoyable: the meat to bun ratio is astonishingly good.

AJG

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 05-14-2011, 04:30 PM:

quote: Aaron Garman
Would said trip include a movie in the screening room?

For you, sure.

quote: Tom Petrov
Anyone want to talk me into going to Five Guys?

Yes, be sure to eat 10 triples in one sitting and 3 sacks of fries.

quote: Mike Blakesley
I agree Five Guys isn't the best by far, but come on Brad, you know it's a lot better than those smashed wafers of beef that pass for burgers at McDonalds.

Maybe they served me a burger made out of the fat sections they cut away, but no joke given the option I will choose McDonald's EVERY single time.

Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 05-14-2011, 04:38 PM:

I, too, will choose the normal McDonald's cheeseburger over 5 Guys. It's downright delicious in comparison. When I see a 5 Guys I make sure to break the speed limit a little just so I get out of the vicinity faster.

I still have never tried In and Out. I remember that Wataburger wasn't bad. However they don't sound very appetizing any more after I saw pictures of that one nasty apartment posted online. It was the messiest apartment ever and had Wataburger cups and bags all over. So now I think of that whenever I think of Wataburger and end up losing my appetite.

Posted by Frank Angel (Member # 248) on 05-14-2011, 06:04 PM:

In Brooklyn we've got Rollin Roaster. They have burgers what are made with ONLY ground sirloin and they taste like a medium rare steak on a bun. Best burger I ever had. You know a burger is awesome when it tastes great even if you don't put anything on it. If you've got to pile extranious vegetables and crap on it to cover the taste of M E A T for it to taste good, you might as well be a vegan.

For the record, eating at Five Guys is about as close as you can get to eating out of a dumpster.

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 05-14-2011, 06:13 PM:

...and you take that McD's quarter pounder cheeseburger, pull it apart and take that packet of BBQ sauce that you asked to get while your at the counter, soak that BBQ sauce over that pitiful thing and it will help you forget how dry the buns are usually are at McD's.

Posted by Paul Mayer (Member # 355) on 05-14-2011, 06:31 PM:

For 'Vegas chain burgers, we too now have three Smashburgers in town, to go along with the already existing Fat Burgers and In-and-Outs and Cheeburger Cheeburgers and Tommy's. I liked the Smashed ones.

There are no Five Guys that I know of here, but I've eaten them in Carson, CA and Seattle, WA. I thought they were OK.

Cheeburger Cheeburger is the closest to where I live, about four miles away. When I worked at Allegiant Air, we ordered in from there one time. The prices were ridiculously high and hence, that was the only time anyone ordered burgers from that place.

Posted by Tom Petrov (Member # 1534) on 05-14-2011, 08:10 PM:

Gave Five Guys a try.

$13 later = was ok

Doesn't have McDonalds beat, but McDonalds doesn't beat it. Five Guys is probably the worst fast food establishment, but it really is more like a local burger joint. It didn't give me that fast food fix (like McDonalds, Burger King etc)...

I will give them some points for a number of things:

1. It didn't feel like they were trying cut costs anywhere. No need to ask for napkins, there were piles and piles of them. Same with the straws, lids and ketchup.

2. They do give you a ton of fries.

3. Burger is always well done. This is good because I like my patties well done.

4. Never frozen.

5. Cut the potatoes at the store. Unlike all the others.

Repeat, not anytime soon. But I will go back.

Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 05-14-2011, 08:41 PM:

The Five Guys I was at had lots of bins filled with peanuts. Why? It gave the place a very trashy feel. Peanuts are hobo food.

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 05-14-2011, 08:41 PM:

quote: Tom Petrov
Doesn't have McDonalds beat, but McDonalds doesn't beat it.

Please explain.

Posted by Tom Petrov (Member # 1534) on 05-14-2011, 08:53 PM:

Here's why Mike. They IMO don't really compete with one another. Five Guys is all fresh, never frozen...McDonalds is all frozen simply heated up.

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 05-14-2011, 09:12 PM:

I;m stayin out of the mickey dee's thing. They don't even rate on my board. It flat out isn't even food.

Mark

Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 05-14-2011, 09:30 PM:

Yes it is.

Tom, everything compares. Simply answer this question: Which do you like more?

Posted by Tom Petrov (Member # 1534) on 05-14-2011, 09:41 PM:

Joe- McDonalds for my fast food fix. Five Guy is like a local burger joint. When I think I fast food, I will not think of Five Guys.

Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 05-14-2011, 09:46 PM:

When I saw this thread I was SURE it must have been Tom's... [Eek!]

Posted by Aaron Garman (Member # 1653) on 05-14-2011, 10:06 PM:

Comparing Five Guys to McDonald's in respect to burgers, it may be a little tough: Five Guys is more of a dine in or carryout place, whereas McDonald's is a super fast, efficient, drive thru.

Comparing them as two businesses that sell edible food: and McDonald's wins.

AJG

Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 05-14-2011, 10:09 PM:

Tom, quit avoiding the question and just answer it. WHICH TASTES BETTER TO YOU? Your mental capacity must be extremely limited as to not to be able to answer that question. It's stuff like this that makes people so angry at politicians... skirting around the questions with no real answer, just useless fluff. Now stop being useless and answer the damn question! It doesn't matter what kind of place Five Guys is, but when I was there it certainly wasn't any slower than McDonalds.

Aaron, you spelled "through" incorrectly. And I rarely ever use the drive through, going in is usually much faster.

Posted by Tom Petrov (Member # 1534) on 05-14-2011, 10:18 PM:

quote: Aaron Garman
Five Guys is more of a dine in or carryout place

You can actually order online at Five Guys.

Aaron, it is tough to compare each. And Joe is not getting that. They are both too different. I was expecting something like a McDonalds, Wendys or BK..What I got was something totally different.

McDonalds = Burger King
Ruth Chris = Mortons
Five Guys = Apache Burger

Five Guys would be in the running for the towns "Best Burger" joint, not sure where it would place....McDonalds would never be in that running.

Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 05-14-2011, 10:23 PM:

I was correct. It's like when people say "You're comparing apples to oranges, you can't do that IT'S LIKE DIVIDING BY ZERO!! My brain just locked up heeeelllppp meeee!!!" Bullshit. I like oranges better than apples.

I will try to state the question so that perhaps you can understand better: If you had the choice of either a Five Guys burger or a McDonald's burger... both were free and either would be delivered to you instantaneously wherever you were, which store's burgers do you think you would choose most often?

PS - A burger which you said was "OK" would be in the running for the towns "best burger"? Explain that one, troll.

Posted by Tom Petrov (Member # 1534) on 05-14-2011, 10:27 PM:

quote: Joe Redifer
If you had the choice of either a Five Guys burger or a McDonald's burger... both were free and either would be delivered to you instantaneously wherever you were, which store's burgers do you think you would choose most often?

Which McDonalds burger are you talking about?

Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 05-14-2011, 10:29 PM:

Whichever one you want. McDonalds is McDonalds, anything on their menu is valid (so long as it is a burger in this question). Why must you make everything so difficult, Tom? That really is a serious question.

Posted by Tom Petrov (Member # 1534) on 05-14-2011, 10:30 PM:

Joe-I am not making it difficult. Its just very hard to choose one over the other as they are too different to compare.

quote: Joe Redifer
PS - A burger which you said was "OK" would be in the running for the towns "best burger"?

So in Toronto. We have, Apache, Motorcycle Burgers, South St Burger, Hero Certified....I would put Five Guys into that list.

McDonalds or Burger King would never, ever be considered for that list.

quote: Joe Redifer
Explain that one, troll.

Seriously, there is no need for this. I am not try to egg you on, I am just saying that Five Guys should not be compared to McDonalds

and Joe-Technically, some McDonalds items such as the Big Mac are classified as a sandwich. Early advertising actually stated "McDonald's Big Mac- Its a meal disguised as a sandwich"...This would remove the Big Mac from a comparo vs Five Guys...but thats technically speaking.

Posted by Chris Slycord (Member # 4239) on 05-15-2011, 12:17 AM:

quote: Tom Petrov
and Joe-Technically, some McDonalds items such as the Big Mac are classified as a sandwich.

A hamburger is a type of sandwich; all of them are classified as a sandwich.

Posted by Chase Pickett (Member # 5975) on 05-15-2011, 12:42 AM:

Tom, if Five Guys cannot compare to McDonald's, you must have been thinking that before comparing them here. Especially with a b.s sentence I'm sure you thought was clever, but just made you look like a tard.

quote: Tom Petrov
Doesn't have McDonalds beat, but McDonalds doesn't beat it.

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 05-15-2011, 11:40 AM:

Well if a Five Guys was next door to a McDonalds I would get my burger from Five Guys, then I would go next door to the McDonalds to get my fries. Then I'd go find a Dairy Queen for a milkshake.

If you guys really want to compare similar products, just do it this way: Consider the regular hamburger from each place. Not the Big Mac, not the Quarter Pounder. Just the regular "HAMBURGER" on the menu with one patty. In that case, Five Guys should win easily. But if you're going to start talking different kinds of menu items, it muddies the argument.

Posted by Frank Angel (Member # 248) on 05-15-2011, 12:13 PM:

quote: Joe Redifer
The Five Guys I was at had lots of bins filled with peanuts. Why? It gave the place a very trashy feel. Peanuts are hobo food.

When I was visiting friends in Lexington KY, we wound up at 5 Guys (first time ever for me) and like you, I thought, what's with all the damn peanuts? Do peanuts traditionally go with burgers out here? Not wanting to seem like a city slicker dude, I said nothing.

Then we all went to a burger joint the name of which I can't remember, and not only did they have bowls of peanuts EVERYWHERE, but as you shelled them, you THREW THE SHELLS ON THE FLOOR! I kid you not. Everywhere you walked, peanut shells crunched under your feet. And of course the first thing I said was, WTF?! Seems that's a tradition in these here parts, partner.

Far be it for me to critized...heh heh.

Posted by Aaron Garman (Member # 1653) on 05-15-2011, 12:37 PM:

quote: Joe Redifer
Aaron, you spelled "through" incorrectly. And I rarely ever use the drive through, going in is usually much faster.

Not my spelling, theirs! [Smile]

AJG

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 05-15-2011, 01:00 PM:

That doesn't mean anything. There are signs that say "Krispy" and "Kidz Korner" and "Kar Kare" and "Kwik" all over the place but that doesn't mean the words are spelled right! [Big Grin]

quote: Frank Angel
not only did they have bowls of peanuts EVERYWHERE, but as you shelled them, you THREW THE SHELLS ON THE FLOOR! I kid you not.

I've seen these places too. I don't get it either.

Posted by Bobby Henderson (Member # 840) on 05-15-2011, 01:03 PM:

I'll say one thing for McDonald's. They definitely have the most effective sign out of any burger chain as well as any other company for that matter. Those signs stand out for miles and score a great deal of business on impulse sales.

Buffalo Wild Wings isn't known as a burger joint but they do make a pretty good cheeseburger.

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 05-15-2011, 01:49 PM:

When I think of McDonalds I think of that secretary that bought her kid a happy meal but it got put way in the back of one of her desk drawers. Three years later when she found that Happy meal it looked exactly the same as the day she bought it. One thing is for sure... that preservative crap isn't going into my stomach and oddly she apparently did not notice any foul odors the three years it sat in her drawer. She just discovered it one day while cleaning out the desk... [Eek!]

Mark

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 05-15-2011, 02:44 PM:

Tom, at this point you are being a troll so I'll make you a deal. Answer this question and I won't boot you from the forums.

A group of troll haters have captured you and are holding you at gunpoint. They have setup both a McDonald's kitchen and a Five Guys kitchen in the back room and will bring you ANY burger on EITHER company's menu as fresh as is physically possible (meaning they won't drive across town to fetch it for you). It won't cost you a penny and you will either place your order with them and consume the burger, or they will kill you for being a troll.

What will it be? Don't make this be your last post. There are only 2 correct possible answers.

1. McDonalds
2. Five Guys

Posted by Tom Petrov (Member # 1534) on 05-15-2011, 02:59 PM:

Five Guys

Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 05-15-2011, 04:00 PM:

See, now was that so hard?

I'd choose McDonald's in that scenario (though they'd have to be caveman haters in my case). But if it were Five Guys and Hamburger Stand, I think I'd take the bullet.

Posted by Pravin Ratnam (Member # 1417) on 05-15-2011, 06:24 PM:

I am a huge fan of the simple Cheeseburger. Just add a little spread of ketchup and/or mustard, maybe little of relish, onions. But not enough to interfere with the taste of the beef patty.

The Vortex in atlanta has my favorite restaurant burger.
It has the charbroiled taste on the outside combined with the medium well done juiciness.

I like Five Guys, but I cant seriously consider it for Best Burger when they refuse to serve Burgers medium well or stop the practicey of repeated flattening of those patties as they cook them. It;s like they are trying to kill the cow all over again. And as others pointed, out the size of the patty limits it.

One of the best big chain fast food burgers I ever had was the Whopper at Burger King(maybe three or four times in my entire life). Then again, the Whopper, some of the times at certain BK stores, has been one of the worst I ever had. Burger King is the worst at quality control. And BK is more often terrible than good. I am still amazed at how good the Whopper tasted on those 2 or 3 fluke occasions.

Posted by Bobby Henderson (Member # 840) on 05-15-2011, 06:53 PM:

I would like Burger King more if the company didn't have such a militant policy of slathering copious amounts of mayonnaise onto their burgers. I really HATE mayo on burgers. I prefer mustard. BK has a very very very very very very difficult time at making a burger with mustard and no mayo. It just doesn't compute with them.

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 05-15-2011, 07:08 PM:

I see that problem at most fast food chains. They have that caulking gun dispenser for the condiment and BLECH there goes this huge glob of goop onto the bun that just ends up oozing out the sides.

Less is more (and I agree Bobby, mayonnaise is just nasty).

Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 05-15-2011, 07:08 PM:

The burger at the Jersey Giant is the best especially there lamb burger

Posted by Frank Angel (Member # 248) on 05-15-2011, 10:03 PM:

Bobby, doesn't BK claim that they will "have it your way"? At least that used to be their original marketing hook. Although I haven't heard it for a long time, presumably you could tell them to hold the mayo and use mustard instead. Of course that have it your way thing goes only so far -- you can't tell them to you want it medium rare -- but I think the condiments and their amount could be determined by the customer.

As for the actual taste of the burger, I say BK beats McDonnald's pretty roundly.

Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 05-15-2011, 10:12 PM:

I'd have a Burger King (called Hungry Jack's here) burger over a McDonald's one any day of the week.

Posted by Jake Spell (Member # 5294) on 05-15-2011, 10:21 PM:

As for fast food my fav burger is Harde's (AKA Carl's Jr.) and sit down would have to be melvins or bessengers, two locally owned restaurants that can make one tasty cheese burger. Of course nothing beats grilling out on the porch when the weather is nice.

Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 05-15-2011, 10:39 PM:

Bobby, what are you ordering at BK? When I eat there, I simply order a cheeseburger or a double cheeseburger. It comes with ketchup, mustard and pickle. The pickle can easily be removed so I don't bother asking them to hold it (plus I don't really mind BK pickles). Mayo is just nasty.

When I order from McD's, I command them to make a double cheeseburger without onions and pickle. For one, it helps make sure it's not a "heat lamp special" as they'd likely need to make it to order. I haven't tried McD's Angus burger or whatever they call it yet. McD's seems to go crazy on the ketchup in my experience.

Posted by Chris Slycord (Member # 4239) on 05-15-2011, 10:40 PM:

I believe it's called Hardee's. Although around here it's called Carl's Jr; they're owned by the same company and have the same logo (just with the different name).

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 05-15-2011, 10:50 PM:

quote: Joe Redifer
I haven't tried McD's Angus burger or whatever they call it yet.

I tried one a few months back. Very dry and blah.

Posted by Aaron Garman (Member # 1653) on 05-16-2011, 12:52 AM:

Wendy's makes a decent burger. Waaay better than BK. The problem with BK is the bread: it's always always soggy. Yuck.

Anyone ever go to Steak N' Shake? Not the best, but every once in awhile it hits the spot.

AJG

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 05-16-2011, 03:05 AM:

Steak and Shake now has the "Royale burger"! Order it without the disgusting mayonnaise and enjoy the egg goodness. [thumbsup]

Posted by Frank Angel (Member # 248) on 05-16-2011, 03:22 AM:

quote: Bobby Henderson
I'll say one thing for McDonald's. They definitely have the most effective sign out of any burger chain as well as....

....the most obnoxious visual blight across the American landscape.

Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 05-16-2011, 05:01 PM:

quote: Aaron Garman
Wendy's makes a decent burger.

Yeah, they're not bad at all. And at least in recent years, they have never messed up my order. I always order them with nothing but ketchup (they spell it as catsup) and mustard (and cheese, of course). They also have two sizes of burgers/ So if you order a double cheeseburger, you'll be paying $4-$5. If you order the slightly smaller "double stack", you pay maybe a touch over $1. It makes ordering there very weird if you're not familiar with their menu system.

quote: Frank Angel
....the most obnoxious visual blight across the American landscape.

And McDonald's is indeed American. I don't see anything wrong with it. You see those signs all over the world now. One of our successful exports I'd say. Just be glad the stuff isn't made in China and imported these days.

Posted by Aaron Garman (Member # 1653) on 05-16-2011, 05:30 PM:

I love eggs and I love burgers: I can't imagine the two together though. It's one step closer to a heart attack. And the only heart attack I'd ever want between two buns is during [sex]

AJG

Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 05-16-2011, 07:25 PM:

Here at the corner stores you can get a 'burger with the lot' that's too big to fit in your mouth.

Cheese
Bacon
Onion
Mince
Beetroot
Tomato
Gerkhin (Pickles)
Mustard
Ketchup
Egg
Pineapple
Lettuce

Man...my arteries are clogging up just thinking about them. [eyes]

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 05-16-2011, 09:06 PM:

quote: Aaron Garman
I love eggs and I love burgers: I can't imagine the two together though.

Try it before you knock it. I thought it was weird the first time I tried it too, but damn it is good.

Posted by Chris Slycord (Member # 4239) on 05-16-2011, 10:37 PM:

Beetroot on a burger? That's just weird.

Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 05-17-2011, 06:16 AM:

Try it, baby. [thumbsup]

Posted by Jean-Marc Toussaint (Member # 4784) on 05-17-2011, 09:40 AM:

When I was living in SoCal, I was into Carl's Jr (had to find something to counterbalance my wife's guilty pleasure of dining at Arby's). But, yes, definitely, like some respected members said here, the Apple Pan on Pico Bvd is one of the best burger experiences ever.

Posted by Rick Raskin (Member # 1561) on 05-17-2011, 12:20 PM:

In 1998 when I was in Sydney, McDonald's was selling the McOz. Essentially it was a quarter-pounder with beets. I didn't try it though -- I had to leave room for the VB.

Posted by Sam Graham (Member # 2889) on 05-17-2011, 02:59 PM:

I had the Steak n Shake Royale yesterday. WITH the mayo (and without the lettuce and tomato).

Perfectly decent.

Posted by Bobby Henderson (Member # 840) on 05-17-2011, 03:46 PM:

quote: Joe Redifer
Bobby, what are you ordering at BK? When I eat there, I simply order a cheeseburger or a double cheeseburger.

I'll usually get a Whopper™ with Cheese. Sometimes I'll get a Steakhouse XT Burger or a double cheeseburger. If I forget to request mustard instead of mayo the burger will be loaded with mayo. Even if I specifically request mustard I'll often still get the burger loaded with mayo anyway. It's frustrating, especially for the fact Burger King's flame broiled burgers do indeed taste better than the burgers at McDonald's.

quote: Frank Angel
....the most obnoxious visual blight across the American landscape.

In terms of signs and visual blight across the landscape, McDonald's signs are FAR from being the worst culprit. People can complain about McDonald's signs in part because they are so much more effective than most other signs. They're one of the first things that comes to mind when people think of signs. That may be a reason why Ronald McDonald was the gun toting bad guy in Logorama.

The only gripe I have with McDonald's signs is they're not very durable. Parts of the sign faces blow out pretty easily in a garden variety severe thunderstorm. Sometimes the owner/operator of the store will drag his feet on getting the sign fixed. No sign looks good when it is broken.

The worst visual blight in terms of signs often comes from small businesses. Many put up cheap, unsightly, ineffective garbage. When the stuff breaks they often go for great lengths of time before getting anything fixed. It could be blown out sign faces, burnt out lamps or transformers or any number of other issues. Some businesses try to get away with using banners or other temporary displays as permanent signs. I like the Meers Store in the Wichita Mountains for its burgers but its store front looks more like a flea market than a tourist spot.

I can usually tell the difference between a part of town that is thriving or run down based only on how the signs look in that neighborhood. McDonald's locations look pretty much the same regardless of how the area is doing. The visual quality of signs and store fronts from smaller businesses will vary far more widely between good and bad depending on the condition of the neighborhood.

quote: Joe Redifer
And McDonald's is indeed American. I don't see anything wrong with it. You see those signs all over the world now. One of our successful exports I'd say.

That, Cola-Cola and a number of other American brands (like Apple) are projections of American pop cultural power. Some see that as being a good thing while others see it as bad.

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 05-17-2011, 04:00 PM:

quote: Bobby Henderson
burnt out lamps

That's a pet peeve of mine, especially signs that have florescent lighting. Seems like more often than not, ONE bulb will be burned out in these signs, making a dark spot in the sign.

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 05-17-2011, 04:03 PM:

quote: Bobby Henderson
Steakhouse XT Burger

I don't care much for Burger King and don't eat there often, but please oh please tell me XT does not stand for X-Treme or anything pathetic like that.

Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 05-17-2011, 04:33 PM:

quote: Bobby Henderson
I'll usually get a Whopper™ with Cheese.

See, that's your problem. Don't get the specialty stuff like a Whopper™ or a Big Mac™. They are created to be a certain way (and usually have special sauce/man-goo applied). I take it you like lettuce, tomato and crap like that on your burgers and that is one of the few ways to get that at such a place?

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 05-17-2011, 05:25 PM:

quote: Joe Redifer
They are created to be a certain way (and usually have special sauce/man-goo applied).

That's the big problem with burgers in restaurants today. It's so hard to just get a freaking HAMBURGER. You don't need lettuce, or a kaiser roll, or a slice of tomato or a side of fries, or a glop of mayo or "sauce." All that crap (plus making the patty freakishly huge) is added so the place can charge you $10 or more for an item that should cost less than $5.

Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 05-17-2011, 07:34 PM:

A man after my own heart!

Posted by Bobby Henderson (Member # 840) on 05-17-2011, 08:15 PM:

quote: Joe Redifer
I take it you like lettuce, tomato and crap like that on your burgers and that is one of the few ways to get that at such a place?

I don't see why it should be a problem for a counter person to apply some lettuce, pickles and other stuff on a burger and still remember if the customer wanted mayo (yuck) or mustard. If I just want a slab of ground beef on a hamburger bun and nothing else I certainly wouldn't want to pay more than a couple bucks for it. How easy does the burger have to be for the restaurant to make it successfully? Shit, a peanut butter and jelly sandwich is more complicated than a piece of beef between two buns!

BTW, regarding the McDonald's logo/sign bit of thread drift, for those who haven't seen Logorama you definitely need to watch it. It won the 2009 Academy Award for Best Animated Short. The video is not family friendly (there's a lot of profanity) but it is clever. There's a few movie-oriented logo references -like the Dolby "double d" showing up a few times on buildings as double doors.

Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 05-17-2011, 09:54 PM:

Hey Bobby, thanks for that link...I'd never seen it before. [thumbsup]

Posted by Aaron Garman (Member # 1653) on 05-17-2011, 10:32 PM:

Very cool!

AJG

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 05-17-2011, 11:52 PM:

America’s Saddest Man Eats 25,000th Big Mac Today

quote:
Hamilton Nolan —America's Saddest Man Eats 25,000th Big Mac TodayCongratulations are in order for Don Gorske, 57, America's saddest man, who earned his very own story in his hometown Fond du Lac (Wis.) Reporter yesterday, on the eve of his consumption of his 25,000th Big Mac sandwich.

What did we learn about Don?

* Don Gorske ate his first Big Mac on May 17, 1972, at the McDonald's on Military Avenue in Fond du Lac. Today, he'll eat his 25,000th Big Mac right there at the same location. "A person like me, I just don't change too much," Don said.
* "It's pretty much two Big Macs a day. When I can travel to sporting events, I like to take my Big Mac along," he added.
* "Tuesday also will be Gorske's retirement party. He has spent 25 years as a scheduling officer at Waupun Correctional Institution."
* Don ate his 10,000th Big Mac in 1990. A tornado hit his house that year.
* He sure is looking forward to eating that 25,000th Big Mac today. Although he won't necessarily be able to taste it; "since birth his taste buds have fluctuated in sensitivity, possibly worsening when he worked inside tanks at a factory."
* "The need to keep track of his Big Mac consumption is part of the obsessive-compulsive disorder he has dealt with since childhood."

Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 05-18-2011, 12:33 AM:

quote:
He sure is looking forward to eating that 25,000th Big Mac today. Although he won't necessarily be able to taste it

Well, that explains how he was able to stomach 25,000 of them. [puke]

Posted by Aaron Garman (Member # 1653) on 05-18-2011, 02:30 AM:

I had a Big Mac tonight...it was yummy.

AJG

Posted by Jean-Marc Toussaint (Member # 4784) on 05-18-2011, 07:01 AM:

No wonder he's sad, the lad is from Fond du Lac, which translates to "Bottom of the Lake". [Smile]

Posted by Scott Jentsch (Member # 1681) on 05-18-2011, 02:59 PM:

The best national chain hamburger I've ever had was at the McDonalds HQ in Oakbrook, Illinois. I worked down the street and the food there actually looked like it does in the photos, and from time to time, the executives were the ones behind the counter.

That exception aside, I have a general policy of avoiding McD's whenever possible. Their meat shouldn't be allowed to be called beef, and I'm pretty sure that its countries of origin are nowhere near here. If forced to choose between Burger King and McD's, I'll take BK any time.

Fortunately, we have decent alternatives in this area. If you ever get to the Milwaukee area, check out the Kopps Frozen Custard locations, and a little place up I-43 called Solly's Grille. Kopps has great burgers that will fill you up, but their fries are the scrawny style served by McD's (I prefer crinkle-cut from Culvers).

Solly's is a better bet, but good luck finding somewhere to sit. Except for one or two small tables, it's all counter seating, and only for about 20 people.

Speaking of Culvers, their fries are the best, but their burgers can tend to be dried out because they are on the thin side. The best choice is their Sourdough Melt.

The best meat by far is the stuff that's in my freezer. My dad raises grass-fed Angus beef cattle, and we fill the freezer every 10-12 months.

Cooked slowly on the Weber using real wood charcoal, served on a freshly baked bun (no preservatives, thanks), and not having to put up with fast food. Priceless!

Oh, and I can eat that burger while watching a movie. There's something McD's can't provide!

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 05-18-2011, 07:59 PM:

I dedicate this link to Tom Petrov.

link

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 05-18-2011, 10:21 PM:

That's pretty cool, Tom went from nearly getting banned to having a link dedicated to him within 2 pages! [Big Grin]

Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 05-18-2011, 11:11 PM:

Maybe he left anyway...he's not been back, at least not in this thread.

Posted by Aaron Garman (Member # 1653) on 05-19-2011, 12:31 AM:

Well he did say he went to Five Guys...

AJG

Posted by Joshua Waaland (Member # 287) on 05-19-2011, 09:37 AM:

Wisconsin has "Butter Burgers" which are drenched in butter from what I understand. I had one on one of my many trips up there, but could never taste the butter. I avoided them mostly because it sounds like a heart attack on a plate.