THE STANDARD: McDonald’s $5 Value Meal
What’s in the bag: McChicken or McDouble plus 4-piece chicken nuggets and a 12-ounce drink.
The location I visited in Pasadena only offered the McChicken. I appreciated that they didn’t shy away from the mayonnaise, properly lubricating the sandwich and tossing on a good amount of shredded lettuce.
The chicken itself is like a giant nugget, though looser in texture and not as tightly pressed — like a round of packaging foam breaded and fried to look like chicken, crispy in parts and well seasoned with salt and pepper.
3 Better Choices
BETTER: Burger King $5 Your Way Meal
What’s in the bag: Whopper Jr., Bacon Cheeseburger or Chicken Jr. plus fries, four-piece chicken nuggets and a 12-ounce drink.
The sesame seed bun tastes vaguely of the plastic bag it arrived in. The burger patty, thin, overcooked and with faint grill marks across the top, is smaller than the bun. It’s dressed generously with a slice of tomato, raw onions, pickles, ketchup and mayonnaise.
BETTER STILL: Wendy’s $5 Biggie Bag
What’s in the bag: Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger, four-piece spicy or regular chicken nuggets, fries and a 16-ounce drink.
The miniature sandwich felt more appropriate for a kids meal or someone feeling peckish. Despite the size, the bun was the softest and best of the bunch that I tried. The bacon was actually crispy.
Both the slice of tomato and the leaf of iceberg lettuce were fresh. The patty was on the drier side, but the mayonnaise saved it.
BEST: Carl’s Jr. $5 All Star Meal
What’s in the bag: Charbroiled double cheeseburger or spicy chicken sandwich plus four-piece chicken stars, fries and a drink.
Both the double cheeseburger and spicy chicken sandwich appeared to be full-size versions of each sandwich, the chicken patty and ground beef matching the circumference of their respective buns.
The cheeseburger was the favorite …
