The great list of burger chains

[hollywood]

Nope. Got introduced to the "legendary" White Spot hamburger in Vancouver (I think) in '71, which was pretty good, then found out that the chain kinda fell apart later because of some fairly heavy health problems. Since then I figured that the risk/reward ratio wasn't worth it. Fast Food Nation backed that theory up rather well. If I'm gonna eat shit it had better be tasty shit.

So, what were the health problems associated with White Spot burgers?

[tommy]

If I'm gonna eat shit it had better be tasty shit.

not to sound like my father, but, how do you know you don't like it unless you've tried it?

i think the risk is pretty low, considering the amount of fast food consumed all over the globe every hour, and the number of people getting sick from it.

i had a double whopper today. mmmmmmmm.

[hollywood]

They also do unlimited fountain sodas ...

Doesn't everyone do unlimited fountain sodas? Or is that a regional thing?

Not creamsicle sodas and real vanilla cokes. I think he means fountain in a handmade sense.

[suzilightning]

10

I suck

no you don't -

4 for me from the list

what about dq brazier? i've had their burgers

damn... all this talk is making me hungry. i may have to stop somewhere on the way home.

Edited July 23, 2003 by suzilightning (log)

[hollywood]

not to sound like my father, but, how do you know you don't like it unless you've tried it? 

Hypothesis: one side effect of eating fast food is that you start sounding like your parents.

[jhlurie]

They also do unlimited fountain sodas ...

Doesn't everyone do unlimited fountain sodas? Or is that a regional thing?

Not creamsicle sodas and real vanilla cokes. I think he means fountain in a handmade sense.

True, but even if he was talking about unlimited refills out of a cheap generic soda fountain... its far from a univeral practice in the New York region. A number of fast food chains do it, but not all, and certainly very few "real" restaurants.

I'm getting deja vu. This must have been discussed on eG before.

[hollywood]

I'm getting deja vu.  This must have been discussed on eG before. 

One of the many perks of eGullet: free deja vu.

[britcook]

So, what were the health problems associated with White Spot burgers?

Apparently there was a serious outbreak of food poisoning (although the details are vague at this time and distance). As for burgers, I might as well admit it that I think the burger is vastly overrated. For sure a good burger, a really good burger, is delicious, but then again difficult to find. None of those I've seen (or smelt) in a fast food place look anything like a good burger. Well except the ones in their advertising posters of course.

[tommy]

As for burgers, I might as well admit it that I think the burger is vastly overrated. For sure a good burger, a really good burger, is delicious, but then again difficult to find. None of those I've seen (or smelt) in a fast food place look anything like a good burger. Well except the ones in their advertising posters of course.

you should try the McNuggets and Filet O Fish.

[Marmish]

Culvers has a lot to like:

...

As far as the big chains go, I do not think there is a close second to Culvers.

12 for me. I love Culvers. Unfortunately, they just built one within about 2 miles of my house. Now we go all the time. So much for the diet.

Everything we have tried there has been good, except maybe the pork tenderloin sandwich.

They have a flavor of the day custard which definitely is a great marketing tool. When they first opened by us I was trying to get my husband to go every other night. Fortunately for the waistline, the flavor of the day novelty has somewhat worn off.

[hollywood]

As for burgers, I might as well admit it that I think the burger is vastly overrated. For sure a good burger, a really good burger, is delicious, but then again difficult to find. None of those I've seen (or smelt) in a fast food place look anything like a good burger. Well except the ones in their advertising posters of course.

you should try the McNuggets and Filet O Fish.

Don't you find the Whaler better than the Filet O Fish?

[mcdowell]

Don't you find the Whaler better than the Filet O Fish?

It's hard to tell through all that damned sauce.

This isn't a sandwich that you can eat driving down the road, being thrown hand to hand and you alternate shifting your gears and turning into a curve at high speeds. You need to be sitting down to eat it, where you can let all that tartar sauce drip out.

The Filet-o-Fish is a perfect piece of engineering. Good mouth feel, just the right amount of saucing, that nice gooey slice of American cheese, and, of course, the fish flavor. Oh, and it doesn't drip.

For my money, though, the best fast food fish sandwiches are from What-A-Burger.

Edited July 24, 2003 by mcdowell (log)

[Coop]

So, what were the health problems associated with White Spot burgers?

Botulism (spelling?) This happened at the Georgia street location in the 80's. At almost the same time the extremely toney Five Sails dining room in the Pan Pacific hotel had an outbreak as well, so no one is immune.

Cause at the White Spot was un refidgerated garlic oil. At the Pan Pacific it was an attempt at preserving Chanterelles in oil.

In both cases I believe lives were seriously compromised.

[tommy]

Still, I thought that sodas were freely refilled everywhere.

when the serve-yourself things became ubiquitous, back in my early 20's, i used to make "sproke" all of the time. the novelty has since worn off.

[ExtraMSG]

12.

I think In-n-Out is always packed partially because they're slow relative to other fast food places, though they seem to be well-regarded. I just got back from California where I went to three different locations, one in So. California outside of Anaheim somewhere, one in Auburn, and one in Redding. I have to admit that the experience was much better than my first one a year or two ago. I think that first experience was an anamoly where I got soggy fries for some reason.

However, that said, the burgers are good, nothing spectacular, but good for fast food. I'd still rather have a whopper because it's flame broiled and has a sesame seed bun.

I don't know that I like the fries very much at In-n-Out either. Sure, they're fresh and it's cool to see them cut them right before tossing them in the fryer. But they're rather flavorless and need a lot of salt. I prefer McD's or BK's (the new ones) or Arby's or just about any other fast food restaurant's fries. The only problem with some of these national chains is a chemically aftertaste. But I'd rather that than the very bland flavor of the InO fries. I wish they'd fry them in animal fat.

A couple chains not mentioned that I really like are the local to the PNW Burgerville and a chain that I've been to in Utah called Royal, Regal, or Crown Burger. I think they're all similar but slightly different.

Burgerville has decent burgers, but what's really great about them is the specialty items -- seasonal items like Walla Walla onion rings and blackberry milkshakes, local ingredients like Tillamook cheese, and signature items like the halibut fish and chips. I guess in many ways it's the other side of the spectrum from InO with its tiny menu.

I think the Utah burger places are related. The best of the three was Royal Burger run by Pakistanis in Provo (though I think they've since gone out of business or moved). The burgers were flame broiled, the fries were the best I've ever had, they made a perfect grilled cheese, and an excellent reuben (and would grill it for you). Their special sandwich was the royal burger special for about $2.50. It had a grilled bun, 1/4 lb burger, bacon, cheese, and 1/4 lb of grilled pastrami. Damn it was awesome.