I was never a big fan of the fast food Angus burger. Burger King, Sonic, and others had added the Angus variety to their menus, but in my opinion, the selections simply weren’t very good. Many times, they tasted very pre-fab with a spongy and dry texture and they rarely bested the already existing hamburger choices on the menu.
In 2008, McDonald’s rolled out their Angus Third-Pounders. They seemed to go from the restaurant testing phase to the main menu very quickly, which one would figure, was a signal of their success. The buzz on the Angus choices was much greater and much more positive than many of McDonald’s burger experiments in recent years. While the Big N’ Tasty has been a menu staple for a few years, it still seemed rather obscure. My guess is that many people still don’t know what the purpose of the Big N’ Tasty actually is, aside from having an irritating moniker (by the way, it was meant to compete with Burger King’s Whopper).
I would say the McDonald’s Angus burgers have been a huge success, but there are a few reservations. These days, and especially since the microwave oven now plays such a huge role in how your food is served, quality is uneven. Most McDonald’s burger are no longer juicy. “Juicy” is nearly extinct since nuking became the rage. On the couple of occasions that I accidently received a juicier Angus burger, it was actually pretty good. There is a definite chemical seasoning that shapes this burger’s taste and it seems more prevalent on some than others. But, it’s not nearly as horrible or offensive as some of the injected smokiness or grilled tastes I’ve had elsewhere. I’ve had some less-discriminating burger lovers tell me how absolutely great they think the McDonald’s Angus burger is. While I could never go that far, I think it’s very serviceable and a much-needed update for their menu.
Are there better fast food burgers out there? You bet. If you put the Five Guys chain in with these fast food stand-bys, then you’ve got to consider them. Many times, even if you happen to hit a Wendy’s during rush hour, when the burger have not been drying out in the warmer, you’ll get a better burger. I can’t speak for In-N-Out Burger, Whattaburger, or other chains not operating in the northeast, because I simply don’t get to experience them.
What do you think about the McDonald’s Angus burger? Consumer Obsession would love to know.
