It has recently been postulated on this very website that the Big Mac, the flagship sandwich of McDonald’s, is the best fast food burger to be found. Some would say the “king” of fast food burgers. Well, as someone who eats his fair share of drive-thru and has been around long enough to see burgers come and go, that is a Whopper of a opinion.
(See what I did there?)
Because as anyone who considers themselves a fast food aficionado can tell you, Burger King has the King of Burgers and has had it for almost 70 years and counting. And that burger is of course, the one and only Whopper.
The Whopper is just as much an iconic fast food menu item and a part of the American experience as the Big Mac. And unlike certain other chains, Burger King has always made it a point to remind everyone that you can have your Whopper “your way.”
Why exactly is the Whopper the one fast food burger to rule them all?
The Whopper was born way back in 1957, the idea of Burger King co-founder James McLamore. The legend goes that McLamore noticed that one of his competitors was selling a larger burger and having great success doing so. He figured he’d develop something similar and went with the name Whopper because it gave the impression of something big.
Back then you could get a Whopper for a whopping 37 cents and soon Burger King had a massive hit on their hands. The Whopper Jr. followed in 1963 and other fast food chains have been trying to create something similar to the Whopper ever since.
Can’t really say that about a Big Mac, can you?
But regardless of the sandwich’s origins, why it is a far superior sandwich to the Big Mac is fairly simple. First, there is the aforementioned size. I mean, have you ever taken a Big Mac apart and really looked at the contents? The patties are tiny when compared to the Whopper. Miniscule even. How is something that small supposed to fill you up at lunch?
Then there is the taste. Burger King has long advertised their flame-grilled process for cooking their burgers and for good reason. It makes for a much better tasting sandwich. The patty is juicer, it tastes amazing and the sandwich is actually hot when you take a bite, not kinda-warm-but-not-really like a Big Mac.
You can have a Burger King Whopper exactly the way you want it.
But what makes the Whopper, and really all of Burger King’s sandwiches different is that you can get them exactly the way you want, no questions asked. Hate pickles? Gone! Like extra mayo and ketchup? Done and done. Want bacon but no lettuce? Your wish is their command. In other words, you get your Whopper customized to your specifications. Which makes for a more enjoyable and better tasting sandwich.
Now, I can hear some people already going on about the “Special Sauce” that you find on a Big Mac and yes, it is something you don’t get on the Whopper. But you know what? You can add it if you want. You know why? Because the Big Mac “Special Sauce” is nothing more than Thousand Island salad dressing.
Sorry, don’t mean to burst anyone’s bubble but it’s the truth. Thousand Island dressing. That’s the secret.
The Health Factors of eating a Whopper sandwich.
This is where I would normally start to detail the nutritional values of the Whopper such as calories, fats, etc, etc.
But you know what? Who cares.
If you are worried about calories and fats, then you shouldn’t be eating at any fast food restaurant. Full stop. And honestly, most people don’t go to Burger King or McDonald’s looking for healthy options because they know there aren’t any.
Why do you think plant-based foods at fast food chains have yet to really catch on? Why do you think every time someone decides to try to make a “healthy” version of a fast food classic it never works? Because fast food isn’t supposed to be healthy. It’s supposed to be a guilty pleasure (something we know all about) and fun to eat.
You don’t get a Whopper because you’re worried about your cholesterol. You get a Whopper because it tastes amazing, you can get it just the way you like it and it so, so much better than a Big Mac. Don’t take our word for it, go try one and see for yourself.
What do you think Guilty Eaters? Which iconic sandwich do you prefer and why is it the Whopper? Leave a comment below and let us know or join the conversation on our Twitter and Facebook pages.