Fast Food Review: McDonald's Triple Cheeseburger

I have mentioned before that I like McDonald's McDouble. No, it will never be confused with a Double-Double or even a properly-grilled backyard burger. But for a cheap, fast-food-chain burger, I like it more than anything that Wendy's, BK or Jack in the Box serve. (Hell, last December I even wrote about doctoring up eleven McDoubles.) So a few weeks ago, when I read that McDonald's would be introducing a Triple Cheeseburger, I figured it might be even better than the McDouble.

But I didn't rush out to try it. McDonald's - well, all fast food - was a much bigger part of my life back in California. With all the delis, pizza joints and Chinese take-outs close to me in Brooklyn (I would walk by at least a dozen of them combined before I got to the nearest fast food joint, other than Five Guys), fast food doesn't really figure into the equation.

The other day I was walking by and, for the first time, did not see a line of people inside McDonald's. (Often the line literally goes out the door.) So I decided to pop in and try the Triple Cheeseburger. It was $2 plus tax.

It felt light when I held it in my hands. I know the patties aren't exactly large, but I was curious, walking the four blocks back to my place, if they had given me the wrong burger. (Remember, my only other time at this McDonald's was trying the Spicy Chicken McBites, when they gave me a smaller size than I paid for.)

But when I unwrapped the burger I realized that it did indeed have three patties... it was just kind of a pathetic little burger, looking like it had been thrown against the wall.

I think the thing I have always liked about the McDouble are the several slices of pickle and ample amount of chopped onion. This had only one pickle and a small amount of onion.

Not quite as appetizing as the advertisement, eh?

I was disappointed. Sometimes less is more. The combination of all the flavors that I enjoy in the McDouble - which were already skewed because of the paltry toppings - were even worse here with the addition of the third patty. It may look like a good deal for only two bucks, but the McDouble is usually $1.19, and I like it much more. It could be that the McDonald's closest to me isn't a good one - they are now 0-2 with my customer satisfaction -and other McDonald's will do a better job with the Triple Cheeseburger. But I doubt I'll ever make the effort to find out. There are too many other places to try, not to mention too many other burgers I can make at home.

One of which I'll be making tonight...