WATCH OUT mickey d's
'I Tried Chili's New Big Smasher Burger And Thought It Was Far Superior To A Big Mac'
Chili's just came out with its first new burger in three years in the hopes of competing with fast-food chains like McDonald's.
The burger, which launched on April 29, has similar ingredients to a Big Mac but twice the meat.
Business Insider's Erin McDowell tried the burger for the first time at Chili's headquarters in Dallas a few weeks before its official launch. After it landed in restaurants nationwide, she tried it again at her local Chili's.
Here's what McDowell thought of Chili's new Big Smasher burger.
[The Big Smasher at Chili's headquarters. Erin McDowell/Business Insider]
McDowell was invited to Chili's headquarters to try the brand's newest burger and other new menu items in development.
She made the burger myself, hand-smashing the half-pound patty with a large iron and arranging the toppings on the freshly buttered bun.
McDowell was really impressed by the juicy yet crispy burger when she tried it in the company's test kitchen, but wanted to see if she'd be just as blown away trying it in an actual restaurant, like any other customer.
[The Chili's menu opened to the 3 For Me section. Erin McDowell/Business Insider]
The Big Smasher starts at around $12.99 on its own, but the price differs slightly by location. At McDowell's local Chili's, the burger cost $14.39, excluding tax.
This meant that ordering the burger as part of the 3 For Me was a no-brainer because the deal starts at $10.99, excluding tax.
[Chili's Big Smasher burger. Erin McDowell/Business Insider]
McDowell went with fries as her side, but you can also choose from options like mashed potatoes, rice, and steamed broccoli.
The ingredients burger are similar to a Big Mac, but McDowell admittedly has never been a fan of the iconic fast-food burger. She finds it too bready, and the patties too thin. So she was excited to see if this similar burger would correct those personal qualms she's had with the fast-food staple.
[Chili's Big Smasher burger. Erin McDowell/Business Insider]
The star of the show truly was the burger patty.
The burger was juicy and slightly pink, but it had a delicious char on the outside. The cheese was perfectly melted onto the patty, but it didn't drip from the burger.
To read the rest of McDonnell's review on Chili's latest burger, head to Business Insider.
