False Alarm — There is No Fire — Still a good burger though.

The humorous Sonic TV commercials had me excited about the new item, but after eating multiple “Island Fire” burgers recently myself, and then sharing a couple with some friends, everyone involved was left disappointed with un-heated taste buds. Despite an otherwise solid burger — there is No Fire in the Fire Burger.

First, the only thing that makes this burger “Limited Time” is having two kinds of cheese, and the so-called “Exotic Fiery Habanero” sauce. Besides that, it’s a double meat sonic burger (”SuperSonic” on the menu) with bacon. That’s not a bad thing, because Sonic makes a fine burger, but with the sauce being such a disappointment, this seems unworthy of the special tag, promotion and hype. So let’s make this a review of Sonic burgers in general, since all share the same basic set of components. The photos are the new Island Fire version, with bacon and two cheeses.

Sonic Burger — A single 100% beef patty. Mustard (or Mayo), dill pickles, onions, lettuce and tomato. Served on a plain white toasted bun.
Sonic Cheeseburger — Add slice of American cheese.
SuperSonic Cheeseburger — 2 beef patties, 2 slices American cheese.
Sonic Island Fire Burger — 2 beef patties, bacon strips, slice of smoky cheddar, slice of pepper jack, lettuce, tomato and “Exotic Fiery Habanero” sauce.

*NOTE: Chili and Bacon are available to add-on any burger, at extra cost.

Somebody recently asked me what other fast food burger Sonic compares to, and I think they resemble Whataburger, on a slightly lesser scale. The 100% beef patties are thin, but large in diameter. The meat’s taste and texture is similar, the seasoning is close, and if you built a burger from each chain, with the exact same combination of toppings, they could be cousins. That’s a big compliment.

I order my Sonic Burgers without any changes from the standard menu, except for holding the tomatoes. Beef, Mustard, Pickles, Onions, Lettuce. Sound familiar? The same combination as Whataburger. I mentioned in that review, it was one of the few burgers I eat without ketchup. Here’s another. Sonic does not use ketchup on their burgers either, unless requested. Mustard (or Mayo) is the default.

And once again, there is a harmony between beef, mustard, pickle and fresh lettuce, that makes my southern soul sing with delight. It might seem odd to some who’d never think of eating burgers without ketchup, but Sonic and Whataburger have both been serving burgers this way forever. Texans love it, even as a kid I remember burgers with only mustard and black pepper served in school cafeterias.

The bacon is usually cooked well done and crispy at Sonic, as it was in the burger from today’s photos. I love thin crispy bacon. I can’t stand thick soggy slices.

Sonic’s veggies are OK, but Whataburger beats them in my opinion, with consistently fresher tasting and more flavorful toppings. Sonic also cranks out a barely-warm burger on occasion, which leads me to believe they are pre-cooking patties and leaving them on the side waiting for orders. It’s a common practice with many fast food restaurants. Not at Whataburger, and they win this category too. I’d have to search my mind long and hard to find an example of anything less than a piping hot freshly cooked burger from them. Granted, sometimes you wait a few extra minutes.

Sonic’s American cheese tastes decent, but the Smoky Cheddar and Pepper Jack on the Island Fire Burger are definitely an upgrade, and provide a nice amount of extra flavor. Both of them have a pleasant taste and hearty portion of real cheesy goodness. This is the only advantage it has over the regular burgers from Sonic.

Now we reach the defining ingredient for the limited time Island Fire version of Sonic’s Burger, the Exotic Fiery Habanero sauce. The problem here is a simple one.

It’s not exotic - it’s not spicy - and the habaneros have left the building.

This is not a case of having some spicy heat, and wanting more. It’s a case of missing spice and heat altogether. I’m not one of those people who likes really hot spicy food, and so I tend to stay in the mild range. For me to be completely underwhelmed by something in this way, is a bit surprising. My brother and close friend who have eaten this burger said the same thing. There was no heat, no fire, nothing.

The Burgers from Sonic are tasty and satisfying overall, though not quite the same level of the Whataburgers they resemble. On a good day, they are capable of delivering a similar experience. This new Island Fire Burger is a disappointment however, after being led to believe it would have a spicy kick. Interestingly enough, a couple hours later I felt a tiny amount of heat. Perhaps it’s a time-release recipe.

The score below is for Sonic Burgers as a whole. The Island Fire version failed to deliver the spicy kick promised, but for only $0.30 more than a regular double-meat, includes bacon and two cheeses, which is cheap, so it all evens out.

Prices:
Sonic Burger with Cheese — $2.89
SuperSonic (double) with Cheese — $3.99
Sonic Island Fire Burger — $4.29
Website: SonicDriveIn.com

Fast Food Critic Score: B+

Click here for rating system details.

Nutrition Facts - Sonic Island Fire Burger.

Calories - 1010
Calories from Fat - 530
Total Fat - 59 grams
Carbs - 69 grams
Saturated Fat - 24 grams
Trans Fat - 2.5 grams
Cholesterol - 165 milligrams
Sodium - 1540 milligrams
Protein - 52 grams

Nutrition Facts - Sonic Burger, Single w/mustard and cheese.

Calories - 600
Calories from Fat - 280
Total Fat - 31 grams
Carbs - 54 grams
Saturated Fat - 12 grams
Trans Fat - 2 grams
Cholesterol - 75 milligrams
Sodium - 1050 milligrams
Protein - 27 grams

Nutrition Facts - SuperSonic Burger, Double w/mustard and cheese.

Calories - 870
Calories from Fat - 470
Total Fat - 52 grams
Carbs - 55 grams
Saturated Fat - 23 grams
Trans Fat - 3.5 grams
Cholesterol - 155 milligrams
Sodium - 1440 milligrams
Protein - 45 grams

It’s really not much to look at. The meat appears thin. The bun isn’t fancy. But just like the fresh home-made burgers that Mom used to make, the real beauty lies within. Once you’ve had that first bite, you will find yourself in a comfy, warm familiar place.

This is Whataburger. Your order is made from scratch AFTER the words leave your mouth. They never pre-grill burger patties or have them sitting around. The meat is never frozen, always fresh, 100% pure American beef from a local supplier. The veggies taste like you just made a trip to the supermarket produce section. The lettuce is cold and crisp, the onions are sweet and diced into large chunks, and the pickles are thick and tangy, with a home-made taste. A simple burger with fresh ingredients.

The 5-inch plain white bun is larger than most standard fast-food buns, and along with the large-thin meat patty, have become trademarks of the company. The buns are baked by Flowers Bakeries, who also supply several other large chains. Both sides of the bun get lightly toasted on the grill before the burger assembly, creating a thin layer of crispness that breaks open into soft fluffy warmth inside. This a big bun, but despite it’s appearance it doesn’t feel heavy or mute the great flavors packed inside.

“We don’t get fancy. We stick to what got us here. We choose the right way over the easiest, fastest, or cheapest.” — Whataburger.

The beef patty is not very thick, but at 5-inches it’s fairly large in diameter, weighing in at a respectable 1/4 pound (before cooking). That thinness helps the meat cook faster, keeping in mind that every order is cooked fresh, and they’ve got to keep that line of hungry customers moving along. It might seem too-thin just looking at it, but I’ve found the proportions of meat VS toppings and bread in each bite, to be almost perfectly balanced flavor. They offer a Double and a Triple meat option for those who want to get jiggy with it. I would often scarf down those bad boys when I was a bit younger, but these days quite honestly I find it’s too-much meat at once. Forgive me Meat Gods.

The standard “Whataburger” is: 1/4 pound beef, diced-onions, 4 pickles, 3 slices of tomato, shredded lettuce and Whataburger’s own famous Mustard. To that basic foundation, I add American cheese (the only cheese offered) and bacon. I also ‘hold’ the tomatoes. This is one of the few burgers I eat without ketchup. And Whataburger doesn’t include ketchup as a standard ingredient, you must request it. They taste fine with ketchup, and in fact Whataburger’s ketchup is excellent and has a cult following (as does their mustard) but there’s a special ‘balance’ between the meat, mustard and pickles going on here that’s worth preserving. If you’ve never had a Whataburger before, I suggest you stick with the original mustard and not add anything else.

The cheese slice is thick and fairly tasty for fast-food American. The bacon is excellent, crispy on the edges, tender and chewy in the middle. Bacon on hamburgers is usually a good thing, but fresh bacon on fresh beef, grilled fresh together… awesome!

The entire experience, from the first bite to the last napkin swipe of mustard on my chin, was delicious. This is FRESH Fast Food, and Whataburger deserves a lot of credit for it. They are more concerned with quality than speed. That sometimes leaves you waiting a few minutes longer than other fast food joints, but it’s worth it.

The Whataburger with Bacon and Cheese is delcious. A true fast food classic, for those lucky enough to live in the Southern US. The West is quite proud of their famous IN-N-OUT Burger, and Whataburger holds the same level of recognition and respect in the South. Starting with good tasting beef, fresh ingredients, and plenty of room for customizing. You can add extra meat, extra cheese, even Jalepeno peppers. It’s one of the best fast food burgers I’ve ever eaten, remaining on my short “go-to” list.

Price: $3.90 / Website: Whataburger.com

Fast Food Critic Score: A+

Click here for rating system details.

Nutrition Facts - Whataburger with Bacon and Cheese.

Calories - 780
Calories from Fat - 380
Total Fat - 43 grams
Carbs - 59 grams
Saturated Fat - 16 grams
Trans Fat - 0.5 grams
Cholesterol - 98 milligrams
Sodium - 1997 milligrams

“Loaded with disappointment” should be the title of this review.

The folks at Burger King came up with the interesting and unusual idea of putting a baked-potato topping on their latest burger creation. What is a baked-potato topping? Tonight I found out, when I tried the new Loaded Steakhouse Burger with Angus Beef.

It turns out to be a thin paste of potatoes, with chives and bacon bits, spread over the top bun. It tasted like plain old mashed-potatoes to me. Anyway, mystery solved. That was boring, but it’s nothing compared to the overall disappointment I have with this product. At a price of nearly $5, I’m so unsatisfied — I want my money back.

After searching my soul all evening, I simply cannot find a more accurate description for my honest feelings and opinions about this burger. First of all, it’s ridiculous to call this burger “loaded”. There’s hardly anything on it. From the onions and bacon, to the A1 Thick and Hearty Sauce, and even the new potato topping — the portions were like something from a kid’s burger. The following exchange took place between myself and a good friend who was trying the new item with me today. This says it all.

My Friend: When you placed the order did they say anything about running low on toppings or ingredients?

Me: No. Nothing.

My Friend: Is yours like mine?

Me: Hell yeah, where’s all the stuff?

The “crispy onions” were almost non-existent, and what few I got were anything but crispy. They tasted good though, and very similar to the french fried onions served on green bean casseroles. The bacon is supposed to be thin and crisp. It’s thin alright, and I doubt it’s possible for them to give us any less. There was very little flavor from the bacon, and like the onions, it failed to meet the “crispy” claims. Both of these ingredients should have played important roles, but they were limp and soggy.

The baked-potato topping that’s created the buzz around this burger is nothing but a couple teaspoons of mashed potatoes with a few little green and brown flakes that represent chives and bacon. It’s got a pleasant enough ‘potato’ taste, but it’s dull, bland and I swear it’s stealing flavor from the beef, making the whole burger suffer. There was so little A1 sauce, it was barely detectable. “Thick and Hearty” my foot.

The only things of any decent proportion are the meat, cheese and bread. The meat is the only part of this burger that satisfied me. It’s not very thick but it’s large in mass, and it’s square instead of round. The 100% Angus beef patty has a good smokey flame-broiled flavor, and the texture and consistency felt like I was eating quality beef. It’s a shame the surrounding cast is so inferior in either quality or quantity.

The American cheese was average for fast food burgers, no better or worse than most. Basically that means it wouldn’t be a very satisfying cheese on it’s own, but has enough flavor and real-cheese content to make an acceptable topping. The bun was good, with a thin crunchy shell, soft center and dusted with ground corn. Take this beef patty and bun, start over with the other ingredients and you might have a good burger. As it stands now, I would never consider paying $5 to eat this again.

The Loaded Steakhouse Burger from Burger King gets credit for trying something different, but penalized for failing at it. The main things this experience gave me are the sad feeling of paying too much, and the heartburn that started 2 hours after eating it. Who would have thought a burger with such a variety of promising ingredients, and a large dose of fat and calories would provide such a lackluster and boring final result. With a price of almost $5 this is one of the worst values I’ve seen. This burger is not a jewel in the King’s crown, it’s a blemish, a patch of rust in the shiny metal.

Price: $4.79 / Website: BK.com

Fast Food Critic Score: F

Click here for rating system details.

Editor’s Update: I have tried this burger multiple times at multiple BK locations, and the situation was no different. They need to increase the toppings or cut the price.

Nutrition Facts - Burger King, Loaded Steakhouse Burger.

Calories - 970
Calories from Fat - Company has not published this info.
Total Fat - 55 grams
Carbs - 63 grams
Saturated Fat - 22 grams
Trans Fat - 2 grams
Cholesterol - 155 milligrams
Sodium - 2190 milligrams

Wow, that’s a big burger. And it looks great. Those were my first thoughts after seeing my BBQ Bacon Sirloin Burger from Jack In The Box. And since I just got a new camera, this was a good opportunity for a close-up. Aside from the poor lighting, the shots came out nicely. There’s no denying this burger is a thing of beauty, at least by fast-food standards. But we all know looks can sometimes be deceiving, so let’s start eating and see if this burger has the brawn to back up the beauty.

My first bite was impressive, with a smokey flavor that reminded me of something cooked at home on the grill. The meat was tender, and still had some juices left inside. The sirloin heritage of the patty is obvious, and it has a better taste and texture than average run-of-the-mill fast food burgers. Believe it or not, it’s also attractive, with a natural beef look, as opposed to the Quarter Pounder’s clone-like appearance.

On top of the big sirloin patty are onion rings, bacon strips, American cheese and barbecue sauce. It all sits inside a bun that looks like a bakery roll, and has another slice of American cheese on the bottom half. Each component was tasty, cooked properly, and made it’s own contribution to a great package. The toasted roll had a buttered outer-layer and soft doughy center. The onion rings were crunchy and slightly sweet. The bacon was sliced thin and cooked crisp. The cheese was melted around the patty and bun. And the tangy barbecue sauce was the perfect finishing touch.

MMMMMMmmmmm — I said out-loud while eating and taking the photos. I cannot comment on the source or nutritional value of the ingredients used in this product, but from the standpoint of a pure fast-food eating experience — This burger rocks!

It’s a wonderfully delicious combination of flavors and textures. The kind of thing that inspires people to re-create the same recipe at home. It also inspires angry words and sometimes even lawsuits. Carl’s Jr says this new burger from Jack In The Box is a “Blatant Rip-Off” of their Western Bacon Cheeseburger, an item they have been serving for over 25 years with the same basic ingredients. So there’s more spice to this story, than just in the burger I’m currently eating and writing about.

I would do a head-to-head comparison of the burgers, but Carl’s Jr has not migrated to my city yet. In fact I believe there’s only 3 locations in the entire state, but I will find the closest store and see if anything is possible. Maybe a road trip? Who knows.

The new BBQ Bacon Sirloin Burger from Jack In The Box is delicious. The first bite made woke up my taste-buds and when I finished eating I felt happy and satisfied. There’s no mistaking the sirloin patty for a prime cut at the butcher, or the whole package for a hand-made creation at a custom burger joint, but this is a pretty darn good burger for fast food. The combination of ingredients is great. I can understand why Carl’s Jr. would be trying to protect the idea, but it seems unlikely they can. It’s a fairly basic recipe made from common items. Anyway, since there are no Carl’s Jr. locations near me, I’m glad that Jack in the Box is serving them up so I could enjoy that great combo of sirloin, onions, bacon, cheese and barbecue sauce.

Price: $4.99 / Website: JackInTheBox.com

Fast Food Critic Score: A

Click here for rating system details.

Nutrition Facts - Jack In The Box, BBQ Bacon Sirloin Burger.

Calories - 1010
Calories from Fat - 440
Total Fat - 49 grams
Carbs - 91 grams
Saturated Fat - 19 grams
Trans Fat - 5 grams
Cholesterol - 150 milligrams
Sodium - 2190 milligrams

EDITOR’S NOTE: Anybody who eats hamburgers should be aware they are not typically considered health food, no matter where they are served, or by whom. Burgers of this size, with these type of ingredients, are going to rack up the calories and fat. That’s just a simple fact of life, and food. You should try to eat a ‘balanced’ diet, make educated choices and practice moderation.

I grew up eating McDonald’s food, and no matter what anybody else says about them, there will always be a place in my heart (no heart-attack jokes please) for items like the Quarter Pounder, Chicken McNuggets and their world famous French Fries.

These classic favorites from my past are showing their age, but it’s nice to visit the old friends to see how they are doing. Today it’s the QPC from MickeyD’s.

The Quarter Pounder with Cheese from McDonald’s is a 1/4 pound beef patty, 2 slices of processed American cheese, sliced onions, pickles, mustard and ketchup, on a sesame seed bun. There is no lettuce, tomato, bacon or anything else to get in the way of the feature trio: meat, cheese and bread. To that end, even the onions and pickles that are included in the deal, are small in size and few in number.

It’s a good size burger. The 1/4 pound meat patty is substantial, and on first inspection looks attractive enough, playing the role of the leading man in our fast food story. But a closer look, and one bite — and you know this plot is going to have some twists and turns. The burger looked identical to the last one I bought. Sure, I realize that fast food burgers these days are produced in an assembly-line fashion, with ingredients and proportions that have been carefully planned and measured, but even the meat patties themselves looked exactly the same, like twin brothers. Not so much in the cute happy way, more the (creepy) my brother has been cloned… way. I guess that’s the results of mass produced, pre-formed, frozen or freeze-dried burger patties. As a kid I didn’t notice these things, but as an adult I can say it doesn’t look or feel natural to me.

The meat is a little soft and mushy, and it doesn’t feel as substantial as it looks. It appears over-processed compared to a fresh home-cooked burger. However, it’s got a pleasant taste, and despite the lack of trimmings, this basic meat, cheese and bread package comes together to create a fair amount of flavor. I think seasoning plays a big role here, which is an area McDonald’s has long excelled.

Another area where they excel is consistency. From the first bite, to the last bite, and the bites I remember from 10 years ago — they all taste the same. Nobody mass produces burgers with the quality and consistency of Mickey D’s. I think in some ways, McDonald’s has become the ‘comfort’ food of the fast-food industry.

I want to make note of the buns. They tasted fresh, and were toasted just the right amount. There was a micro-thin layer of crunchy shell followed by a soft pillowy center. You can see from my photo above, it’s a good looking roll.

The Quarter Pounder with Cheese from McDonald’s is not going to win any best burger awards, but it’s still a decent burger for a decent price of $2.89. In the world of fast food, it’s a tried-and-tested product, and one that can be enjoyed exactly the same from coast to coast. Some people may be turned-off by that clone-like quality, but it’s a formula that’s worked well, and helped to make McDonald’s into a McGiant.

Price: $2.89 / Website: McDonalds.com

Fast Food Critic Score: C

Click here for rating system details.

Nutrition Facts - McDonald’s Quarter Pounder with Cheese.

Calories - 510
Calories from Fat - 230
Total Fat - 26 grams
Carbs - 40 grams
Saturated Fat - 12 grams
Trans Fat - 1.5 gram
Cholesterol - 90 milligrams
Sodium - 1190 milligrams