Less heat than expected — but plenty of flavor!

It’s no secret, I’m a Burger King fan. After seeing the recent television commercials for BK’s new Angry Whopper, I was anxious to try it. The advertisements show people freaking out and getting angry from all the heat, but knowing that advertisements and reality are two totally separate things, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Would the burger actually be that hot and spicy? Would it still taste like the Whopper I’ve known and loved for years? I visited two different Burger King stores to get an impression.

The Angry Whopper is available in regular (single), double, or triple meat. I ordered the regular burger, and was initially blown away by it. The number of ingredients was impressive, but what stood out first, and most, was the jalapenos. Not surprisingly, in order to keep BK’s fast-food assembly-line running quickly and smoothly, they use pickled jalapenos from a jar/can instead of fresh. That typically results in less heat, as was the case here, but even though they didn’t have the same impact as the fresh jalapenos used on a Five Guys cheeseburger, they still gave it a small kick.

Other standard ingredients / toppings on the Angry Whopper are pepper jack cheese, “angry” onions, “angry” sauce, bacon, lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise, all loaded inside a big toasted sesame seed bun. There is no doubt, Burger King packed a lot of stuff into a single sandwich. There were moments when it felt like TOO much.

This burger is not nearly as hot or spicy as you might expect, so don’t worry if you’re the type who can’t normally take the heat. The veggies and mayo balance and tone down the heat of the jalapenos, so you shouldn’t be overwhelmed, though at times the flavor of the onions and jalapenos are quite strong. The angry onions look like onion rings that have been cut into pieces. They are breaded and deep fried, same as their circular cousins, but despite being called “angry” I didn’t notice anything spicy or special about them. Basically they tasted like regular onion rings to me. That being said, it had been awhile since I had onion rings on a burger, so it was a nice treat. The pepper jack cheese didn’t do much for me. Frankly, I wouldn’t have even noticed it without looking at the innards of the sandwich to verify it was really there.

The beef patty, lettuce, tomatoes, mayonnaise and bun are standard whopper items, and did not disappoint. The meat had the same great flame broiled taste BK is famous for. The bacon was OK, but with such a small amount, and with so many other ingredients fighting for my attention, it’s impact on the burger was limited. The problem might be solved by increasing the number of bacon strips, but that would almost certainly raise the burger’s price. BK’s angry sauce does not provide any extra heat, but has a good tangy flavor that I found to be unique and very enjoyable.

After visiting the other Burger King location, my love for the Angry Whopper wasn’t quite as strong. The second burger didn’t have as much angry sauce, and it also lacked the same level of (mild) heat and spiciness as the first one. I enjoyed eating it, but the second burger failed to impress as much as the first. Perhaps it was just an issue with that particular BK restaurant, but regardless of my slightly less satisfying experience there, I would order it again because it’s still a damn tasty burger.

Some people may find the Angry Whopper’s ingredient list a bit overwhelming, but I recommend you try it, especially if you’re already a fan of Burger King’s flame broiled beef. It doesn’t have the heat I was hoping for, but it’s got a nice little kick and a great overall flavor. This angry burger should put a happy smile on most faces.

Price: $3.79 / Website: BurgerKing.com

Fast Food Critic Score: B+

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Nutrition Facts - Burger King, Angry Whopper (single meat).

Calories - 880
Calories from Fat - N/A
Total Fat - 55 grams
Carbs - 59 grams
Saturated Fat - 18 grams
Trans Fat - 2 grams
Cholesterol - 110 milligrams
Sodium - 1670 milligrams
Protein - 37 grams

I’m going to preface this by saying that Burger King is my favorite fast food burger joint. McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Hardee’s/Carl’s Jr. and the others can’t really hold a candle to Burger King in my eyes. My fascination with the King started at a young age, with the golden crowns you could wear on your head, the Burger King Kid’s Club gang, and the toys that were way better than “Mickey Dees”. Those days are gone now, but Burger King still remains the go-to spot when it’s time to tickle my burger itch.

The Whopper Jr. (like most value menu burgers) is often overlooked by the majority of fast-food eaters. However, I’ve found them to be an awesome deal, especially when combined with a value menu fry and drink. The portions are smaller, making it a somewhat healthier option than the full-size burgers, and I find the bun to meat ratio as well as the toppings are both more consistent and more pleasant to eat on the smaller burgers. It seems these days everyone is going for the 1/4 pound or even larger monster burgers and these little gems are being forgotten.

The base of the Whopper Jr. is the 2.2 oz hamburger patty, about half the size and calories of the standard Whopper, which sits on top of a wonderful toasted sesame seed bun. The standard toppings are ketchup, mayonnaise, lettuce, tomato, pickles and sliced onions. I always add cheese, a .20 cent option. As with all Burger King Burgers, they are made to order and you can “have it your way”. According to BK, there are 221,184 possible different ways for a customer to order a Whopper”.

I’ll just stick to this way.

What makes the Whopper Jr. sandwich such a classic in my eyes is the balance of the ingredients. The bun, patty, and toppings combine into a perfect size and form. You don’t feel like there is too much meat and not enough toppings or vice versa, it’s also not too big to hold nicely in both of your hands. Additionally, since the Jr. has been a menu standard for so many years, it’s incredibly consistent throughout the chain’s locations. I’ve rarely (if ever) seen Whopper Jr. orders get screwed up.

Finally you have the flame broiled patty, which made Burger King what it is today, and in my mind delivers the knockout blow when comparing this burger to the other value menu sandwiches. It creates a flavor that just isn’t found elsewhere at this price point. The Whopper Jr. is available nationwide starting at only $1. This burger gets an ‘A’ from me, for being an exceptional burger, for an exceptional bargain price.

Price: $1.20 with cheese / Website: BurgerKing.com

Fast Food Critic Score: A

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Nutrition Facts - Whopper Jr. Sandwich with Cheese.

Calories - 420
Calories from Fat - N/A
Total Fat - 25 grams
Carbs - 32 grams
Saturated Fat - 8 grams
Trans Fat - 1 grams
Cholesterol - 50 milligrams
Sodium - 780 milligrams
Protein - 18 grams

Later this year Burger King will be introducing a new miniature version of it’s fast-food restaurants called “Whopper Bars”. They will be smaller than a normal Burger King, with a limited menu, but will offer up to ten different varieties of Whoppers, including some special burgers not normally available in other stores. The design will be very different from a normal BK, featuring an open-air layout with chrome, exposed brick, and glass counters like a deli where you can see your food being prepared. There’s also plans to have plasma TV’s playing looped videos of burning fires to remind customers of their flame-broiled burgers.

The Whopper Bars are small enough to fit in places where traditional restaurants could not exist, so this opens up all-new location possibilities for BK’s fast food, like convention centers, bus stations, train stations, airports, casinos, etc.