Burger King Versus In-and-Out Burger

I must admit, I have a weakness for cheeseburgers. The best cheeseburgers are the big, homemade ones my husband makes but I'll settle for a fast-food version anytime.

Burger King is well known across America as a basic fast-food burger joint where you can get it your way. It's a fairly typical place with a variety of specialty choices, combo meals, kids meals, and burgers of all sizes.

In California, one of the most popular chains is the In-and-Out Burger chain. The menu is simple: burgers, fries, milkshakes, and soda. You can get fancy and add cheese or grilled onions but that's about it. For those in the know, you can order off their "secret menu" which includes a low-carb option which is a cheeseburger wrapped in lettuce instead of a bun and a grilled cheese sandwich for the kids.

Burger King is nearby, fast, and fairly inexpensive. I always order the same thing: a Whopper with cheese and French fries. In-and-Out Burger is further away, usually packed because it's so popular, and about the same price. I always order the Double Double with raw onions and French fries. The Double Double is double meat, double cheese.

Burger King's patty is larger than In-and-Out Burger's patty so the double meat patties equal to about the same sized meal. If I'm craving a cheeseburger, it's usually the flavor of In-and-Out Burger I'm after but I'll often settle for Burger King because its closer and the burger usually satisfies my craving.

The quality of the food is far superior at In-and-Out Burger with their fresh ingredients put together on the premises. While the cooks at Burger King resort to their freezer and empty boxes of pre-cut fries into the fryer, the cooks at In-and-Out Burger use fresh ingredients and cut them on site. You can watch them as they place whole potatoes into a neat little gizmo that slices off perfect sticks of French fries complete with the skin on.