7 days ago
This Fast Food Chain Makes the Best Burgers (and You're Sleeping on Them)
Jollibee, a fast food restaurant with a cult following, is no doubt most famous for its chicken (and peach mango pies, if you ask me). But the brand recently launched Angus burgers that give the heavyweight chains a run for their money. I, a food editor, headed to the nearest location to try all three of them, plus the standard burgers (which are thinner, smaller and not made with Angus beef), to see if I could taste the difference in quality. Read on for my honest takes, original photos and overall ranking.
(Note: Prices are rounded to the nearest half-dollar. Pricing and item availability may vary by location.)
The 14 Best Fast Food Fries, Ranked by a Food Editor
Taryn Pire
What Is It: Angus beef, smash-seared on the grill and topped with melted cheese, grilled pineapple, crispy bacon, green leaf lettuce and aloha dressing on a butter-toasted bun
Price: $9.50
Full disclosure: I'm not a bacon-on-my-burger type person. (Generally, the simpler the toppings, the better—in my book, anyway.) However, I thought its smoky, salty notes played well with the sweet-and-sour pineapple. There was a brown sugar-y like char on the fruit that offered tasty contrast and an intriguing aroma to the burger, which starred a very crisp patty.
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Taryn Pire
What Is It: Angus beef, smash-seared on the grill and topped with melted cheese, pickles, red onion, Roma tomatoes, green leaf lettuce, ketchup and signature sauce on a butter-toasted bun
Price: $6.50
If you're someone who gets a cheeseburger with all the fixings at places like Friday's or Chili's, the Deluxe is the way to go. With more produce to offer crisp, cool contrast to the meat and cheese, it was balanced, satiating and photogenic. Personally, I think the tomato and lettuce were superfluous, given how tasty the rest of the burger was (more on the sans-veggie version below). But this was as good, if not better than, any fast casual or chain resto.
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Taryn Pire
What Is It: Angus beef, smash-seared on the grill and topped with melted cheese, pickles, red onion, ketchup and signature sauce on a butter-toasted bun
Price: $6
This was basically the perfect smash burger, complete with crisp, craggy edges and an all-around sear. I didn't love the slightly neon color of the burger sauce, but I enjoyed its tangy, mustardy flavor. The Angus patties were thicker than the standard burgers (read on for details) and very beefy, savory and rich. I loved the range of textures between the crisp onion, the crunchy, sour pickles and the luscious cheese-topped beef. The sauces also brought plenty of tang to the party.
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Taryn Pire
What Is It: beef patty with melted cheese and signature sauce on a bun
Price: $5
Don't get it twisted: The Angus burgers are a step up in quality, but the beef in Jollibee's Yumburgers is genuinely scrumptious. It has an oniony, sweet-and-savory quality that may conjure memories of Salisbury steak or meatloaf. With cheese, the consistency is super creamy and rich. Think backyard burger, minus the char, on a soft, fluffy bun.
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Taryn Pire
What Is It: beef patty with signature sauce on a bun
Price: $4.50
I've never ordered a cheese-less burger in my life. But alas, duty called—and I was very pleasantly surprised. The sauce's slightly sweet edge played beautifully with the seasoned beef, which was tender and surprisingly juicy throughout. The TLDR? You can't go wrong with a Jollibee burger, Angus or not.
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