[Drinkit Pick] Tasting the Most Expensive Hamburger from Each Brand!

Correlation Between Price and Taste, #HonestReview

Editor's NoteSimilar ingredients with the same name! There are so many foods to eat, but you don't know what to choose? Which food will earn you the reputation of having 'eaten well'? If you're wondering, follow the 'picks' of the DrinKit editors! We carefully examined essential criteria for reasonable food purchases such as taste, flavor, and price. We even ranked them by combining all factors! Who will be the number one winner?

Everyone has different standards for what makes a good hamburger. The taste of beef or shrimp patties is a given, but factors like the presence of lettuce, tomato, onion, the harmony of sauces, the amount of patty or cheese, or the price can change the repurchase rating. Despite thinking hamburgers have become uniformly good, we have recently been able to access them even more easily. Cost-effective franchises like No Brand Burger and Frank Burger have emerged, and you can also find many gourmet burger places that you can't dismiss as expensive.

Since hamburgers vary widely in taste and price, we wondered where and which product would be the 'foodie-worthy' choice. We recalled the three major hamburger franchises and decided to compare their most expensive burgers. Starting from 8,000 won for a single item to burgers well over 10,000 won, we carefully examined what ingredients were inside and whether they were worth the price. We also added honest one-line reviews from the editors, so let's get started!

Choice 1
[Lotteria] Double Hanwoo Bulgogi (802kcal)

The first candidate today is Lotteria's Double Hanwoo Bulgogi, sold as a single item for 12,000 won. Part of our Hanwoo burger series, it uses domestically sourced Hanwoo beef patties. True to its reputation, it uses two patties to fully capture the taste and aroma of Hanwoo beef. You can find pickles, tomato, onion, and notably a generous amount of lettuce. The 11cm diameter Double Hanwoo Bulgogi, tasted at Lotteria, which is considered the original bulgogi burger. First, the sweet teriyaki sauce flavor was strong. Just when you think you can't tell much difference from a regular bulgogi burger, the ample lettuce brings a fresh sensation. The soft bun even had a square stamp labeled 'Hanwoo,' which made it feel more trustworthy. However, something happened during delivery as the burger failed to hold its shape firmly and the fillings were scattered freely, making it inconvenient to eat. It was definitely in a box, though?

SunDitor: A strange burger that makes you think of rice while eating it! I want to introduce it as a K-hamburger to foreigners.

BomDitor: The nostalgic taste of the burger moms used to buy for us during elementary school sports day!

AeDitor: If you don't have much money, go for the regular bulgogi burger; if you want to splurge today, choose the Double Hanwoo Bulgogi.

Choice 2
[Burger King] Stacker Whopper 4 (1,707kcal)

The second candidate is the 'King' worthy Stacker Whopper 4 from Burger King, with a bun diameter of 12cm, making it the largest and thickest among today's candidates. The moment you unwrap it, its weight and overwhelming visual impress you. The Stacker Whopper comes in options from 1 to 4, indicating the number of patties. Naturally, more means more expensive, and the single item price for the Stacker Whopper 4 is 14,400 won. Although ordering it alone is somewhat pricey, it also raises curiosity about why it's so expensive. Upon unwrapping, the aroma of four flame-grilled 100% pure beef patties filled the air. You might think it would be greasy or dry, but the spicy red sauce, white sauces like mayonnaise, and melted cheese balance it out. Also, the spicy and pungent raw onions help lighten the burden of the four patties. Even though three editors shared one burger, each eating a quarter, they agreed the taste was good but joked it felt like their arteries were clogging.

SunDitor: Definitely not a light eater, but I want to split it with a friend.

BomDitor: I've always liked Burger King, and as expected, it's a fail-proof taste!

AeDitor: Pro tip★ Add extra sauce or lettuce for free at the store or official website to reduce the patty's heaviness!

Choice 3
[McDonald's] Double Quarter Pounder Cheese (769kcal)

The last candidate is McDonald's Double Quarter Pounder Cheese. The single item price is 8,200 won. With a diameter of about 10cm, compared to the other candidates, the price and size correspond proportionally. It contains two beef patties and two slices of cheese. Onions, ketchup, and 2-3 pickles are included, noticeably fewer sauces and vegetables compared to other brands, which is evident visually. Perhaps because of this, it felt somewhat dry. Even more so than the Burger King burger with four patties. Although the bun itself was very soft, it took a long time to swallow. Of course, soda is the classic pairing with burgers, but it felt even more essential with the Double Quarter Pounder Cheese. The lack of fresh vegetables made me wonder, 'Is this what burgers taste like in America?' Still, considering the price, it is less burdensome than the other products.

SunDitor: The typical McDonald's taste, so familiar it’s like that stir-fried glass noodles!

BomDitor: I disliked it because of the sourness from pickles and ketchup, but the patties were so dry that I probably couldn't eat it without those two.

AeDitor: If there had been a bit more sauce to reduce the dryness, it would have been my top pick...

Overall Evaluation

After enjoying the most expensive burgers from each brand, the three editors' discussions continued endlessly. After the discussion-like tasting session, they ranked the burgers based on the following criteria.

▶ Patty tenderness: [Lotteria] > [Burger King] > [McDonald's]

▶ Overall flavor harmony: [Burger King] > [McDonald's] ≥ [Lotteria]

▶ Repurchase intention relative to price: [Burger King] > [McDonald's] = [Lotteria]

The most expensive! The most delicious! Hamburger is?