Free will or fate? God or no God? The Chicken or the egg? These are all ageless questions that every man must answer before he can call himself a man.
Our modern society has provided us with new questions one must answer to be a man (or woman, of course) of the 21st century. Not the least among these is the endless debate: McDonald's or Burger King?
A very wise man once told me that the most important questions are those that do not have answers. This is not one of those questions. When it comes to fast food supremacy, the crown clearly goes to the King.
Mickey D's brings plenty of competition to the table. The Big Mac is as American as Uncle Sam driving a stock car blasting Toby Keith tunes; the Happy Meal was and still remains a pioneer; and the breakfast selection is second to none in the fast food community. But somewhere along the line the golden arches lost their way and Burger King picked up the slack.
In the aftermath of Morgan Spurlock's "Super Size Me" documentary and the "Jared Craze," burger joints from coast to coast tried to fat-proof their menus. Words like side salad, veggie wrap, and java mocha latte started sneaking out of fancy French coffee shops and into drive-thru menus. Words that would make Ronald McDonald or Dave Thomas turn over in their graves.
One place, Burger King, stayed true to their principles and in doing so set itself apart from the rest. While McDonald's was cleaning the grease out of its deep fryers, Burger King introduced the BK Stacker.
Your choice of up to four beef patties drenched in cheese, bacon and grease that serves as a microcosm of what BK is all about - if you can actually call something that massive "micro."
The King's court understands the role they play in the oxymoron that is the fast-paced and overweight American society. Instead of trying to convince themselves that they were a healthy establishment they went the complete opposite direction. They told their patrons to man up and they deserve to be saluted for it. If I wanted a salad I would go to Au Bon Pain; when I need a cheeseburger I'm heading to Burger King.
It's also time to dispel the myth that McDonalds' fries are better. On occasion, if you are lucky enough to snag a fresh batch hot out of the fryer they taste delicious. But more often than not, you are stuck with a soggy mess of potatoes that turn cardboard into transparent tissue paper. They are the kind of fries that make the entire state of Idaho shake its head in disgust.
Burger King, on the other hand, is a model of consistency. Almost 10 years ago, in a campaign headed by Mr. Potato Head himself, Burger King changed their fry recipe, and since then they have maintained the right level of crispness and flavor. You may win the fry lottery at McDonald's, but the safe bet has to go the King on this one
Fast food certainly isn't as pressing as of an issue as the economy, our historic new president or getting rid of the BCS. But while you are busy sorting through those issues, you know you can count on Burger King to keep you full.
