McDonald’s and Burger King Half Pound Grudge Match

Review of the McDonald’s & Burger King Secret Menu Item Half Pound Grudge Match

What do you get when you combine a McDonald’s Quarter Pounder and a Burger King Quarter Pound Cheeseburger? Read on and we’ll show you…

Tonight Burger Lad® isn’t going to even bother giving this an introduction. Why!? Because this is the Half Pound Grudge Match burger… what do you get when you cross both the McD’s and BK Quarter Pounder burgers together? Andrew will take it from here…

Calories: 435 (BK) + 490 (McD) – 2 half buns, so around 800, I’d guess.

Price £3.89 for the BK, £2.69 for the McDonald’s.

Having taken an interest in off-menu items with the Land, Sea and Air Burger, I was on the lookout for anything else I could tackle.

From the suggestions on the internet, I couldn’t see too much that wasn’t a) already done by Burger Lad® b) not of interest or c) only available in America.

So what could I do? Just make one up.

Well now, this one involves a bit of tricky logistics, not least finding a location where there is a Burger King and a McDonald’s nearby to each other. It also involves one of my least favourite things in the whole world – eating in the car.

Eating in the car is necessary unless you want to carry a McDonald’s cheeseburger into Burger King or a BK cheeseburger into McDonald’s. A situation possibly not too different to walking into the wrong pub on derby day.

Why? Because this particular invention is created by putting together the respective quarter pounders. The McDonald’s Quarter Pounder with Cheese and the Burger King Quarter Pound Cheeseburger. (Reminds me a bit of the Monty Python sketch about the Judean Peoples Front).

So I set off, firstly to Burger King as it was slightly nearer. Both have drive thrus so no restaurant entry was going to be required.

Buy the BK, keep it warm, drive to McDonald’s, buy the second burger, park somewhere and assemble the Half Pound Grudge Match.

Half Pound Grudge Match
What’s in the bags…!?

In the car, I’m thinking how this is going to taste. I like both places and each has its distinct taste even before you add the toppings to the equation.

Which is going to come out strongest? Or will they merge together to create a loving harmony of flavour?

Let’s find out.

Well, the plan sort of worked, quick slick service at both locations, with only the slightest of queues. The dash between the two was terribly stressful though, and it was seven minutes between receiving the BK burger and receiving the McDonald’s burger.

Anyway, I parked up with my two packets and got stuck in. When I opened the respective packages, I discovered that the BK one was still warm (fantastic) and was slightly bigger in diameter than the McDonald’s one.

Half Pound Grudge Match
Quarter Pounder vs. Quarter Pounder…

As it was bigger, I thought it made more sense to use the BK bottom bun and the McDonald’s top bun.

My plan was quickly thwarted when I started to deconstruct the stacks, as I realised that would involve sacrificing too much of the McDonald’s cheese which, under the burger, had stuck to the bottom bun.

Half Pound Grudge Match
McDonald’s vs. Burger King…

So I put it together with a McDonald’s bottom half and a Burger King top half. It looked good, despite being a bit awkwardly top-heavy.

My first bite reaction was neither McDonald’s nor Burger King but CHEESE CHEESE CHEESE.

I had of course included both lots of cheese and it therefore had twice as much as either cheeseburger would have by itself.

Half Pound Grudge Match
Half Pound Grudge Match Burger…

The next strongest flavour was beef, which will surprise no one. The flamey BK scent powered to the taste-bud finish line first but it was close. After a couple of bites more though, it all merged into a gooey cheesy utopia.

The buns held together until the end, which is very admirable.

Throughout, I did get the odd pickle, ketchup and onion taste, but there was no denying this was a CHEEEEESE burger.

Half Pound Grudge Match
A Half Pound taste you can have your way…

Finishing it off, I reflected that it was all a bit silly and I wouldn’t have it again. Either company’s double cheeseburger would have been just as good… better probably, and frankly the seven minute dash between the two was one of the most stressful drives I’ve ever undertaken.

So, I wouldn’t do it again and I cannot honestly say that one was better than the other – they are both winners. As I said, I’d rather have either double cheeseburger, or indeed either of the quarter pounders by themselves.

As for the drive-thru experience, sitting alone in the car in the rain is bloody depressing, and I rarely understand the mumbles from the talking boxes.

Both McDonald’s and Burger King have revamped their restaurants to such a high standard these days that it’s very pleasant going in and sitting down. The early 90’s this is not.

So, the Half Pound Grudge Match. Certainly interesting, certainly tasty, but due to the choice on both menus, all a bit pointless.

Got a secret menu hack you want to share with us? Tweet us, email us and we could feature your creation on the number one urban burger website. Andrew just upped the stakes… I’ll have to raise him very soon!

Burger Lad®

2 thoughts on “McDonald’s and Burger King Half Pound Grudge Match

  • 05/06/2014 at 6:42 am
    Permalink

    Good review Andrew. Wimpy still have a half pounder on the menu so maybe worth a visit?

    ATB

    Mike

  • 06/06/2014 at 8:34 am
    Permalink

    Would love to, Mike, and thanks. Wimpy was my very first burger but these days the locations seem rather few and far between. If I ever coincide with one, I will certainly drop in.

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