Though organic food is rapidly gaining popularity, it doesn’t come close to the super stardom of fast food. I decided to become the paparazzi to two of the most popular of these fast food celebrities, McDonald’s and Burger King. I’m going to trail them around the central Mass area to dig up some dirt and answer the important questions: Does the same food taste the same at different places? Is all fast food equal? Which one is really better?
I scouted out the McDonald’s on South Main Street Milford at about 4:30 pm on a Friday; it had excellent food and average service. I ordered chicken nuggets, a cheeseburger, and French fries; everything came out correctly made. The nuggets were crunchy on the outside, tender on the inside, and devoid of weird squishy pieces. They even remembered my ranch dipping sauce! The cheeseburger was warm and juicy, but so little ketchup was used that you couldn’t always taste it. The fries were warm and crispy, with just enough salt.
I visited the McDonald’s on Providence Road in Whitinsville, at about 4 pm on a Tuesday; it was he complete opposite. The service was slow and disrespectful; the woman at the drive-through sounded disinterested and annoyed that she had to bother with customers. My chicken nuggets were soggy and cold, the cheeseburger tasted like it had been made hours ago, and the fries were stale and unsalted.
I checked out the Burger King on Providence Road in Whitinsville at 5 pm on a Wednesday and the Burger King on Turnpike Road in Westboro at 12:30 pm on a Saturday; they were almost identical in food and service. Their chicken nuggets were a little spicier than I usually like, but the cheeseburger was gigantic and delicious. It tasted freshly grilled and there were just enough condiments to add to the burger without making it messy. The fries were golden brown and crunchy, but a little greasy. The service was unremarkable, but not bad.
My conclusion? I’ve been a McDonald’s fan for many years now, but I must say Burger King was more consistent, had better service, and provided good food. McDonald’s was delicious, but if you’re in the central Mass area, you’ll have better luck at Burger King.
Burger King: ****
McDonald’s: ***
