A1 Steakhouse XT Burger

A1 Steakhouse XT Burger at Burger King

burgerking.com

D+

So I was reading this story about the fancy new robo-broiler Burger King is rolling out these days, and it reminded me that because of the flame broilyness, BK probably has the best tasting meat among your average bajillion dollar fast food franchises. It certainly sells the best tasting $1 double cheeseburger you can get from a drive-through window. So maybe the new burger getting pumped out of this high-tech device is worth a try.

Turns out, not really. The only real difference between the Steakhouse XT and the other BK offerings is the size and thickness of the meat patty. It's a 7-ouncer and it's a mouthful. Perhaps the thickness explains why it doesn't retained the fire-grilled flavor you'll get in a Whopper; it's too big to be permeated. The toppings include whatever is passing as American cheese, A1 steak sauce, fried onions, lettuce, tomato and an excessive amount of mayo. The steak sauce was almost undetectable, but the onions were crispy and nice and the veggies were fresh enough.

In the world of fast food, every brand has a flavor. It tastes like McDonald's. It tastes like Taco Bell. It tastes like shit, I mean, Arby's. Burger King tastes like Burger King, and that flavor comes from the fire. Lose that, and what have you got? (Answer: Jack in the Box.)