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| Classic Grilled Hot Dogs from Burger King |
I'll say this much about Burger King... They get an A for effort. BK has tried just about every trick in the book to catch up to fast-food juggernaut McDonald's; but each attempt seems to fall (way) short of expectations. Need proof? Look no further than BK's latest addition... Hot Dogs. On paper, they sound promising, "100% beef flame-grilled hot dogs, served on a fluffy baked bun." But you can't eat promises... no matter how well-intentioned they are. I stopped by yesterday, coupon in hand, and tried them for myself. The results? Not good.
I take no pride in picking on BK. After all, they hold an almost 5% share of the global fast-food industry (compared to McD's near 19% share, according to IBISWorld.) That's downright impressive, but no excuse for poor quality food. I redeemed my coupon for 2 Classic Grilled Dogs with 2 Small Fries for $5, without any confusion/difficulty. Customer service was downright friendly; and I was told that my hot dogs were being prepared fresh (off the grill) for me. Give BK a solid B for customer service (on this occasion.)
My order took almost 10 minutes to complete, but at no point did my food sit on the tray; so I assumed my food would be hot (or at least very warm) when I sat downstairs, a minute later. Fat chance. The fries were lukewarm at best, leaning closer to cold. That said, they still tasted pretty good. Unfortunately, both dogs (served in open trays, inside a brown bag) were practically ice cold. Keep in mind, they were cooked fresh for me, only a few minutes ago. There wasn't a grill mark to be found, and the dogs were thinner than the ones you find at 7-Eleven. To make matters worse, even the bun was cold, sans grill marks (of course.)
One positive... BK's dogs are definitely 100% beef, and taste as such. Not juicy mind you, but beefy. Too bad they're overpriced, poorly prepared (grilled, my a*s) and undersized. I'd love to see a bigger dog with visible grill marks, tucked inside a toasted bun. I thought Burger King wanted that too. Evidently not.
