Hong Kong has a funny old relationship with McDonald’s. Back when the fast food giant’s first restaurant opened in Causeway Bay in 1975, it caused pandemonium with Hongkongers fighting to get a taste of American culture. Later have comes stories of people lying dead next to unsuspecting diners and outrage over simplified Chinese appearing on burger boxes.
Still, with outlets all over the city it is our civic duty at TOHK to review all the burgers and to let Hongkongers know ones the Hamburglar is likely to have his eye on and which are best left for Grimace. Let’s stop clowning around and get on with it... By Sam Sinha
But if this is all too much meat for you, try out guide to Hong Kong’s best vegetarian burgers, or maybe you’d prefer something more local?
Ronald, mate, we have some questions. What’s with the name? After all, what’s wrong with McFish as per the standard McFormula? Why is it perfectly square? And why has it got cheese in it? As long as these questions remain unanswered, the Fillet-O-Fish sits bottom of the pile. Not tiniest bit tasty.
Sadly, the chicken in the GCB isn’t breaded, which is disappointing to say the least. Overall, it’s probably best described as dry. One comment we overhear sums it up well: “It’s like a weird chicken thing that looks like it’s been marinated in something.”
Given that the actual pattie is the worst part of a McDonald’s burger – don’t argue, it’s true – you can’t expect from this most bog standard of burgers. It’s quite simple really: Why have a Hamburger when you can have a Cheeseburger? And why have a Cheeseburger when you can have a Double Cheeseburger? There’s just no place for the option in our world.
A shameless attempt to trick Hongkongers into liking Ronald’s burgers by including ham in one of them. Well, we’re not buying it. Go try it elsewhere. Flavour wise this one is pretty mediocre, and can’t really compared to your local cha chaan teng’s style of ham sandwich.
An ‘original’ but not the best. This premium option costs a full $10 more than a Big Mac but fails to impress. The pattie is much thicker than McD’s regular ones but it’s just as grey and dry, so this actually works against it. The fancy brioche bun looks the part but is also dry and disappointing. Overall it looks better than it tastes.
It’s not much of a looker, but the egg and cheese burger was a surprise favourite. There’s salty cheese, a soft bun and an egg covered in ketchup and mayo. We don’t know why but it just works. Don’t ask us how they make the perfectly round egg disc, though. That remains a closely guarded trade secret.
It’s the top 10, so here come the heavy hitters. The cheesburger is undoubtedly an iconic creation, great for a somewhat flavoursome snack on the go and it’s cheap AF. But, as we’ve already said, there’s one problem with it. It’s not a double cheeseburger, so this is as high as it can rank.
If you’re planning a McWedding anytime soon, this luxurious offering could be the perfect choice for the wedding breakfast. The cheesy mushrooms are rich and manage to make up for the lacklustre patty underneath. Retailing at $35, it’s the most expensive burger on the list, so you better start saving now.
You might think that the McSpicy Chicken Filet is exactly the same as the McChicken but you’re wrong. So wrong. There are some key distinctions. According to the official website: the former is ‘bundled up’ in a sesame seed bun while the latter is ‘wrapped up’ in a sesame seed bun. Also, the McSpicy Chicken Filet is actually made of chicken thigh while the McChicken is made from fillet. What they do have in common is they are not in the least bit spicy. McChicken gets the nod for its honesty, which leads us on to...
Considering it costs $11 you really can’t expect much, and in that sense the McChicken really delivers. It’s somewhat crunchy and there’s lots of mayo. Comments like ‘better than I remember’ were among the high praise bestowed by our review panel.
It’s been said – not by us, we assure you – that the best thing about Hong Kong is that you can get an Egg McMuffin at any time of day. We can think of some better things about our city but it’s a point well made. This timeless breakfast classic deserves its place in the top five for the name alone.
What can be said about the Sausage McMuffin that hasn’t already been said about the Egg McMuffin. McNuffin’! We do note, however, that the sausage patties are juicier than the burger patties. Certain smutty remarks about sausages and muffins could be made but they won’t be included.
Another from the Signature range and yet another breaded chicken burger on the menu. The jalapenos look almost fresh and combine well with the big slice of pineapple. Add a tangy tomato relish and ciabatta bun and it’s not a bad burger, overall. It loses points for being hideously expensive, though, costing a whopping $33.
The Big Mac is technically the most popular burger in the world. But it only makes it to number three on our list. How come? Well, in a word: hype. On the menu it’s a tower of meat and bread with strands of crunchy lettuce enticing you in. But the reality is a big floppy mess. It does have that special sauce, however, which pushes it into the top three.
Question: Which McMuffin has more egg than a Sausage McMuffin, and more sausage than an Egg McMuffin? Correct. It’s the Sausage McMuffin with Egg. When it comes to McMuffins, this is the kingpin and its winning combination of congealed egg and mystery meat shoots it straight to number two.
We’ve mentioned it before and here it is, finally. The double cheeseburger delivers everything it promises and is our clear winner. It’s got the pickles, the ketchup and the cheese, without the disappointment. Among the ardour were glowing commendations like ‘it’s alright’ and ‘a bit thinner than I remember’.
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