I was about to order a Mega Bacon McMassive Angus Fatburger...

[Atman]

...but then I saw the calorie count on the menu, and got a small side salad instead.

In what universe? If you're in line at Mickey D's, you don't give a shit about calories. Get real.

[MineralMan]

1. This is true.

About once a month, I go to Burger King and buy a Whopper with Cheese for lunch. Once a month. It's not going to kill me, and I like Whoppers with Cheese. I eat it in my car, and do the grocery shopping, since the supermarket is right there. At the grocery store, I buy lots of ingredients for healthful homemade meals I'll prepare.

It's a Whopper with Cheese. No fries. No soft drink. Just the burger. It's my once a month indulgence. I'd to go Smashburger, instead, because I like their stuff better, but I'd have to drive ten minutes, so I have a Whopper with Cheese.

[NightWatcher]

2. I had a whopper today for lunch. They're terrible...

Terribly yummy. It's my fav shit food weakness. Can't eat it often, however.

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

4. They're not as good as they were 20 years ago, though

That's a fact.

[MineralMan]

9. Yah, well, my sense of taste isn't what it was 20 years

ago, either. It's still a decent cheap burger. Smashburger's better though, but messy as hell. And there's no In-N-Out Burger in Minnesota, more's the pity. Here's the regular Smashburger:

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

11. I'm a Five Guys guy myself

But my heart and my wallet can't afford one of them every week.

[MineralMan]

12. Too Tall Burger. I won't buy those.

If I can't get my mouth on it, it's Too Tall.

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

13. The picture is one of the more extreme ones

But their "little burger" is a single patty.

[loli phabay]

14. now i want a burger or kfc bacon chicken as the bun thing, damn you all

[MineralMan]

16. See. A guy's gotta have a burger now and then.

Here's a story about the very best hamburger I ever ate:

I was on a bus tour with an orchestra and a choir in Europe. One day, in France, the bus stopped for lunch at some Hypermart somewhere in France. I can't remember where, if I even knew at the time. Everyone trooped inside to find something to eat. There was a McDonalds inside. Oof. While they were going inside, I looked around. On the edge of the parking lot was this trailer that was clearly cooking stuff, so I walked over.

Hamburgers. OK, I thought. So I stepped up and ordered one. What happened next was amazing. The trailer had a flat-top grill in it. On the grill was a huge pile of onions cooking down. He grabbed a chunk of beef out of the cooler, and then proceeded to hand-chop it with a couple of 12" chef's knives. The patty he formed was oblong in shape, about 7" long, and was at least a half pound. He slapped it down on the flat-top, after moving some of the onions aside. Then, he got a bowl, and whisked up some mayonnaise from scratch right there. Egg and lemon juice. That was it. He flipped the meat. Then, he got this beautiful roll out of the bread box and carefully cut it in half. Then, we waited a bit.

Finally, he shoveled a pile of the grilled onions, all brown and gooey over the meat, scooped it up and put it on half of the oblong roll he had sliced. He slathered the other half of the roll with the freshly-made mayo, put it in a paper box, and that was that. I had paid for the burger in advance, but I don't remember how much it was. About $5, I think. There was a roll of brown paper toweling, so I grabbed a nice long piece and went back to the bus, just in time to board, along with a bunch of people carrying McDonald's bags.

Best hamburger I've ever eaten, and the other folks on the bus cast longing looks at it as they ate their paste burgers.

[Lizzie Poppet]

30. Top noms!

Burgerville fan here:

[Bluenorthwest]

41. Burgerville rocks the fast food thang...

Yummm.

[Javaman]

43. Love Five Guys. nt

[Javaman]

45. As part of a New Years resolution...

I only have a burger once every 2 months.

I love my burgers and it's been a challenge but now when I have one I savor each and every bite.

My next one is due at the end of August, not that I'm counting the days or anything...

[Skittles]

28. I tried In 'n Out - WTF was that disgusting sauce they put on it?

Smashburger & 5 Guys OK but heck I'd take a Whataburger over any of them

[DJ13]

36. I like their burgers, its their fries I cant stand

They have the consistency and taste of sponge with salt.

[Javaman]

44. Sacrilege!!! You just don't understand...

[GeorgeGist]

39. I'm partial to Culvers but I'll keep my eyes pealed for Smashburger.

Heading North on Thursday for our annual pilgrimage to Grand Marais.

[MineralMan]

42. I don't think there's one up there.

The only one I personally know of is on Snelling in Roseville, just South of County Road B. There are a couple more in the area, but not many.

My wife and I were just up on the North Shore and were surprised at how few eating places there are on 61 north of Duluth. We thought we'd starve. We were heading for Ely, so we waited until we got there. I loved the Hwy 1 drive to Ely.

[Katashi_itto]

6. I like Sonic Burgers, I think they have alot more flavor.

Just me though

[tumtum]

19. We just had a Sonic Burger open last week.

Wife and I are going to try it out this weekend.
Still love Jack in the Box.

Tonight, we're splurging and having Pizza Hut stuffed crust Pizza.

[WCGreen]

23. I like the Sonic for the Chilie Dogs...

[theHandpuppet]

3. Um... you guys do know there's a strike going on?

Is your fast food fix really that important right now?

[Katashi_itto]

10. I have not visited a fast food joint since it started

[tumtum]

21. Not where I live.

[theHandpuppet]

40. It's called solidarity

The strike/protests are taking place in 7 of the largest cities to benefit workers everywhere. Think you could hold off on the fast food for just a couple days, on principle? Sheesh.

[KittyWampus]

5. Say you are on a road trip & McMassive Burger is the only place open. You usually eat whole foods

cooked at home but you are in a bind.

You walk up to the counter with no real clue what to order…. the calories might be useful to some people.

Just because you don't care doesn't mean that information shouldn't be available to those who do.

MORE information about products from large corporations is better, don't you think?

[Pretzel_Warrior]

7. I've based my order on calorie count dozens of times. not just McDonalds

you can go to a regular restaurant and think a salad or fish entree is a healthy option, then when you see the calories and fat...steer clear and go for another menu item.

why do you think it is unproductive to have more info for the consumer?

Or is it the guilt you experience when your mind can clearly see you're about to wolf down 50 fat grams and 2000 calories but your will power is not strong enough to stop you from a bad decision?

[Robb]

8. Amusingly, I've paid attention recently.

I've been low-carbing for a good while, with results that have made me unbearably evangelical about it.

Anyhow. I was conned into going to McDonald's for breakfast a few weeks ago, where I discovered the lowest-carb thing on the breakfast menu was, paradoxically, the hash brown football thing. So wrong on so many levels that this is so; the ancillary health benefit of this strike cannot be overstated.

[hlthe2b]

26. ditto here... for a year now. I keep it under 70 grams and amazed at how much better I feel.

I'd eat an egg mcmuffin (or two) sans the muffin.

[Ron Green]

15. Anecdotal eating won't kill us,

but statistical eating will.

[KittyWampus]

22. what a wonerfully whimsical reply!

[PowerToThePeople]

17. MMMmmmm, yummy..Mega Bacon McMassive Angus Fatburger

[tumtum]

24. Now that's a burger.

[tumtum]

18. Favorite fast food place is Jack in the Box.

Last edited Tue Jul 30, 2013, 04:57 PM - Edit history (1)

Love their Ultimate Bacon Cheeseburger and they're tacos. Yummy.

[Skittles]

29. those disgustingly greasy JITB tacos are my all-time favorite fast food crap

yes INDEED!!!

[Paladin]

46. JITB tacos: Best beer food EVER. (nt)

[Javaman]

47. oh my god!

I haven't had one of those in years.

Many moons ago, Jack had Taco Tuesdays. My friends and I would buy them by the bag. And back then, they were really spicy!!! Oh god they were soooooo good.

I have a problem talking about food. Sorry.

[Xyzse]

20. I tend to pay attention to see how much I still have on my allocated daily caloric intake

Of course, that went out the window for a bit.

[hlthe2b]

25. Once I essentially stopped going to fast food restaurants (3 years now)

it is amazing how my tastes (and appetites) have changed. I would once order the quarter pounder or similar, but no more...

On the rare occasion I'm traveling and have no choice about the matter, I've found a single small (junior?) cheeseburger to more than suffice, with a small salad--and I don't even eat the bun. But damn are they salty.

[Javaman]

48. I tried going gluten free to hope fix an eczema issue, sadly it didn't work, but....

I tried having a burger in a lettuce wrap.

I felt so much better after eating it that way, that although I'm no longer doing the gluten free thing, it's the only way I eat a burger now.

[Cali_Democrat]

27. True

[Rex]

31. True, poor people eye the dollar menu and don't worry

about calories or health...since they don't have health insurance anyway. More along the lines of mere survival at that point.

[JI7]

32. it could help in that someone will know not to eat that way all the time

they can decide not to get the fries and high calorie drink with the burger.

they might get a grilled chicken sandwhich instead.

knowing the calories on many of their shakes and similar drinks helped me . i never knew they were so high .

[burnodo]

33. This must have been some time ago

since they discontinued the Angus in March or April.

By the way, were you FOR the Mega Bacon McMassive Angus Fatburger before you were AGAINST the Mega Bacon McMassive Angus Fatburger?

[Silent3]

34. If only a small percentage of customers take advantage of the info...

...it's still good to have the info available for everyone. And perhaps over time this information will either make a few more people modify their orders, or simply lead people to show up at places where most of the food isn't too healthy less often.

I ate at McDonald's for the first time in quite a while last week, I was happy to see the calorie information, and I did figure that info into the running calorie total I keep in my head over the course of the day. Since I've typically been burning 900-1400 calories/day via exercise 6 days per week lately, I can usually afford the calories.

I don't eat at McD's or similar places very often, however, because I want most of my calories to be healthier and more filling if I can manage it, and if I'm going to indulge myself, I'd rather spend my spare calorie budget on a brownie sundae or a slice of cheesecake.

[meaculpa2011]

35. My guilty pleasure is...

sitting at the bar at The Capital Grille and having a cheeseburger with parmesan truffle fries and a very, very dry Martini.

Once every few months... so...

[WCGreen]

37. The problem for me isn't the fat content nor the calories...

Since having some junk food now and then isn't going to kill most people.

My reason for passing up the fast food drive through on a whim is the blandness that has permeated with the process.

When I was a kid, fourth and fifth grade, my aunt married a butcher who had a little butcher shop on the corner of Madison and Cohassett here in Lakewood.

Fresh Kielbasa was his specialty and he would make up a bunch for the Polish Club on every Friday that did't fall in Lent. Loved that stuff with sauer kraut.

The steaks, the chops, even the cube steaks were better than anything I eat now.

But then again, back in the late 60's and early 70's, the fast food joints were starting to pop up all over Cleveland. I know for sure that way back then, most of the ingredients were purchased from local distributors.

So, the food had a fresh taste.

Now, the crap they use to make that stuff gives me the willies.

I do like to dine out now and then. So I decided to go out once a month to grab a great marbled steak and forgo all the crappy food for they sell on any corner...

[Warpy]

38. Actually, many people do count calories

The human body was designed to handle serious amounts of rubbish as gathering season ended and hunting season began. By the end of hunting season, any saved gathered foodstuffs were degraded, to say the least.

I know a lot of calorie counters and even whole foods cooks who eat junk food once in a while as a treat.

It's just rubbishy stuff to try to live on full time and they know it.