McDonald’s Big Mac Vs Burger King’s Whopper: We Found The Better Burger

Certain foods fall into and out of fashion all the time. Remember ambrosia salad? Me neither. One thing that will never never go the way of ambrosia salad and tuna casserole and all those other things no one eats anymore is the fast food hamburger. The fast food hamburger is eternal. I bet when you think of it you picture one of two items: the Big Mac or the Whopper.

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Between these two mainstays in the world of hamburgers, which one is objectively better? We tried both and judged them fairly, without bias, to determine which is the better option when you can’t decide which classic fast food meal to chow down on. Here, we settle the age-old debate once and for all.

The Big Mac  

Pros: The best thing about the Big Mac is the Big Mac sauce. It certainly trumps BK’s sandwich in the condiment arena. It’s creamy, tangy, and makes the burger taste unique while still keeping things classic. The meat is seasoned nicely with a little punch of saltiness which pairs well with the thick slice of American cheese. The pickles are plentiful, which is always appreciated on a fast food burger, since you can always take any you don’t want off—but people who like pickles really like pickles.

Cons: The biggest downfall of the Big Mac is the bread. All it really adds is aesthetic value—it makes every bite taste primarily like bland white bread, leaving you to search for the other (much more significant) burger components. And the search is a strenuous one, since the burger patties are paper-thin and provide no juicy, satisfying bite. The lettuce also isn’t doing this sandwich any favors. It’s so sparse that it might as well not be there, and what meager strands of lettuce did bother to show up are usually grossly warm and wilted. No thanks. 

The Whopper

Pros: It looks like a typical American burger: a juicy patty, a nice ratio of fixings, and no awkward third layer of bread to mess up the balance. The quarter-pound patty means this big boy can hold its own against a burger from a full-service restaurant. It’s juicy and seasoned well and its hint of saltiness pairs nicely with the crispy veggies that didn’t just show up, but brought their A-game. The onions add some much-needed umami and the pickles balance it out with a sweet tang. 

Cons: The Whopper comes sans cheese, which is a little disappointing. Still, it doesn’t require it, but it would act as the finishing touch on a great fast food burger. But our biggest complaint about the Whopper is its condiments—just mayo and ketchup? It’s classic, sure, but a proper burger sauce would really do this fast food icon justice. The bun is pretty bland, but we don’t mind too much—it lets the other ingredients do the talking.

Our Final Verdict

The Whopper is pure Americana. Meanwhile, the Big Mac is riding on its reputation and not even trying. Honestly, it’s not even close to our favorite sandwich at McDonald’s—get a classic cheeseburger if you simply have to get a burger from Micky D’s. Between these two fast food classics, the Whopper wins every time.