scorecardI ordered the same meal from McDonald's and Burger King and found they couldn't be more different
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I ordered the same meal from McDonald's and Burger King and found they couldn't be more different

Erin McDowell   

I ordered the same meal from McDonald's and Burger King and found they couldn't be more different
An Insider reporter compared the same meal from McDonald's and Burger King to determine which one tasted better and was the best value.Erin McDowell/Insider
  • I ordered the same meal from McDonald's and Burger King to determine which was better.
  • I compared the chains' double cheeseburger, fries, chicken nuggets, and honey mustard dipping sauce.
  • The Burger King meal, which cost half the price of the McDonald's meal, was better value.

My meal from Burger King came in a brown paper bag. I got it delivered and it was warm when it arrived.

My meal from Burger King came in a brown paper bag. I got it delivered and it was warm when it arrived.
Burger King bag.      Erin McDowell/Insider

My Burger King meal cost $7.97, not including taxes and delivery fees. I ordered it through the Seamless app from my local restaurant in Brooklyn, New York.

I ordered a double cheeseburger, medium fries, a 10-piece chicken nugget, and honey mustard sauce from the restaurant's a la carte menu.

I ordered a double cheeseburger, medium fries, a 10-piece chicken nugget, and honey mustard sauce from the restaurant
My meal from Burger King.      Erin McDowell/Insider

For the purpose of this taste test, I ordered a double cheeseburger and 10-piece chicken nuggets from each chain. While my normal order would usually be one or the other, I wanted the option to try more than one classic main item from their expansive menus.

I decided that after I'd tasted all of the items, I'd share any leftovers with my very grateful roommate so nothing was wasted.

A double cheeseburger from Burger King cost me just $2.29.

A double cheeseburger from Burger King cost me just $2.29.
Burger King double cheeseburger.      Erin McDowell/Insider

For less than what I usually pay for my morning coffee, this sandwich was definitely worth the price.

It comes with two of the chain's signature flame-grilled beef patties, American cheese, pickles, mustard, and ketchup on a sesame seed bun.

It comes with two of the chain
Burger King double cheeseburger.      Erin McDowell/Insider

The burger's biggest difference from the McDonald's version is that it doesn't come with chopped onions and it has one slice of cheese, not two.

This burger was super filling.

This burger was super filling.
Burger King double cheeseburger.      Erin McDowell/Insider

Right away, I tasted the thick beef patties. Despite traveling a little over 15 minutes from my local Burger King to my apartment, the meat was still juicy and the cheese was nicely melted.

The pickle slices were thick and crunchy and I enjoyed the addition of a sesame seed bun, which added a nice textural element. However, I thought there was just a little too much ketchup, which will likely vary depending on who's making your burger on any given day.

It was also a little heavy for my liking — it definitely filled me up a little more than I anticipated before jumping into the rest of the taste test. Still, for just over $2, that may be more of an asset than a hindrance if you want a filling, inexpensive lunch.

I also ordered Burger King's chicken nuggets, which cost just $2.29.

I also ordered Burger King
Burger King chicken nuggets.      Erin McDowell/Insider

Burger King is by no means famous for its chicken products — it is a burger chain, after all. However, I decided to give its nuggets a try to see if I would order them again.

I thought the crispy fried coating of the chicken nuggets was seasoned well, but it was also a little thick and hard to bite into.

I thought the crispy fried coating of the chicken nuggets was seasoned well, but it was also a little thick and hard to bite into.
Burger King chicken nugget.      Erin McDowell/Insider

In my opinion, chicken nuggets are best when the fried outer shell has a little chew to it when you bite in — these didn't really have that. However, I still thought they were really flavorful and delicious. The nuggets tasted peppery and would pair nicely with a variety of sauces.

The serving size of Burger King fries I received was really generous.

The serving size of Burger King fries I received was really generous.
Burger King fries.      Erin McDowell/Insider

Fries were literally spilling out of the carton and into the bag ... however, I wasn't really complaining. An order of medium fries cost me $3.39, which was surprisingly more expensive than the burger and the chicken nuggets.

I tried the fries both plain and with a little honey mustard dipping sauce.

I tried the fries both plain and with a little honey mustard dipping sauce.
Burger King fry being dipped into the honey mustard sauce.      Erin McDowell/Insider

Like the rest of the Burger King items I tried, the fries were really filling. They were thick and had more potato than other fast-food french fries I've tried.

However, I thought they were just a touch bland on their own. They worked really well as a vehicle for sauce but could have used just a touch more salt.

My meal from McDonald's arrived warm and ready to be eaten.

My meal from McDonald
McDonald's bag.      Erin McDowell/Insider

My meal from McDonald's cost $14.17, not including taxes and delivery fees. I also ordered it through the Seamless app from my local restaurant in Brooklyn, New York.

I ordered a double cheeseburger, medium fries, a 10-piece chicken McNugget, and honey mustard sauce from the restaurant's individual items menu.

I ordered a double cheeseburger, medium fries, a 10-piece chicken McNugget, and honey mustard sauce from the restaurant
My meal from McDonald's.      Erin McDowell/Insider

I was excited to see how the meal from McDonald's would compare to its Burger King counterpart, especially since it was more expensive.

McDonald's double cheeseburger cost me $3.79.

McDonald
McDonald's double cheeseburger.      Erin McDowell/Insider

It was slightly more expensive than Burger King's version but also had more toppings. It came with an extra slice of American cheese, plus chopped onions, and was still really affordable.

The double cheeseburger from McDonald's comes with two beef burger patties, pickles, chopped onions, ketchup, mustard, and two slices of American cheese.

The double cheeseburger from McDonald
McDonald's double cheeseburger.      Erin McDowell/Insider

I was interested to see if the added toppings would amp up the flavor.

I thought all the ingredients came together well in this burger, but the bun was a little lackluster.

I thought all the ingredients came together well in this burger, but the bun was a little lackluster.
McDonald's double cheeseburger.      Erin McDowell/Insider

The bun held everything together and was a good size, but was a little too soft and didn't have a lot of flavor on its own. However, I really enjoyed the amount of condiments and didn't find them to be overpowering.

The chopped onions also added a lot of flavor and the burger patties were juicy despite not being as thick as the Burger King ones. I liked the added cheese, but I didn't think it was totally necessary.

The smallest number of chicken nuggets I could order from Burger King was 10, so I followed suit and ordered the same from McDonald's.

The smallest number of chicken nuggets I could order from Burger King was 10, so I followed suit and ordered the same from McDonald
McDonald's chicken McNuggets.      Erin McDowell/Insider

It cost $6.69, which I thought was a little pricey. However, this chain lists its nuggets as an entreé rather than a side, as Burger King does.

The chicken McNuggets from McDonald's were a little meatier than Burger King's.

The chicken McNuggets from McDonald
McDonald's chicken McNugget.      Erin McDowell/Insider

The breading was also chewier, which I prefer but is totally up to personal preference.

The fries from McDonald's cost $3.69 and came with two sauces.

The fries from McDonald
McDonald's fry being dipped into the honey mustard sauce.      Erin McDowell/Insider

The fries were crispy and well-salted, though starkly thinner than Burger King's.

When it comes to comparing the two meals, Burger King's double cheeseburger gives total bang for your buck. However, I thought the flavor of the McDonald's burger was better.

When it comes to comparing the two meals, Burger King
Burger King double cheeseburger (left) and McDonald's double cheeseburger.      Erin McDowell/Insider

Burger King's double cheeseburger is ridiculously inexpensive at just $2.29, compared to $3.79 for the same menu item from McDonald's. The burger patties were thicker and therefore more filling.

However, the additions to the McDonald's burger really did take it over the edge. In my opinion, it's worth spending a little extra to get a lot more flavor. Whereas the Burger King version really only tasted of the meat and condiments, this burger had layers.

The fact that you can get 10 chicken nuggets from Burger King for just over $2 is too good a deal to pass up.

The fact that you can get 10 chicken nuggets from Burger King for just over $2 is too good a deal to pass up.
Burger King chicken nuggets (left) and McDonald's chicken McNuggets.      Erin McDowell/Insider

Even though I personally liked the McDonald's chicken nuggets' texture slightly more, the Burger King nuggets were really flavorful and an amazing bargain for what you get.

This menu item is definitely going to be a new late-night treat for me moving forward.

The fries from Burger King were a better value, but they were just a tad too under-seasoned to grab the win for me.

The fries from Burger King were a better value, but they were just a tad too under-seasoned to grab the win for me.
McDonald's fries (left) and Burger King fries.      Erin McDowell/Insider

The fries, at $3.39, were just a little less expensive than the McDonald's version and came with way more. However, I personally preferred the salty crispiness of the McDonald's fries in terms of flavor.

Though the honey mustard sauces looked pretty different, they tasted almost exactly the same.

Though the honey mustard sauces looked pretty different, they tasted almost exactly the same.
Burger King honey mustard sauce (left) and McDonald's honey mustard sauce.      Erin McDowell/Insider

The McDonald's honey mustard had grains of mustard flecked throughout the sauce and was slightly tangier. However, both were delicious and paired well with the fries.

In the end, I had to give the win to McDonald's for flavor, but Burger King for value.

In the end, I had to give the win to McDonald
I enjoyed trying out both chains.      Erin McDowell/Insider

The meals were quite different from each other in terms of ingredients, flavor, and value, despite me ordering the same exact menu items from both chains.

Burger King definitely was the best value. After all, my meal ended up being nearly half the price of what I ordered from McDonald's. However, there were certain elements of the McDonald's meal that I simply preferred on taste alone. I thought the burger and fries were more exciting to eat.

While Burger King did win on its price and crispy, well-seasoned chicken nuggets, the meal from McDonald's was just ever-so-slightly more delicious.

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