Burger King: The healthier version of McDonald’s?
JOBURG - When Burger King finally landed on South African shores, many South Africans were excited because it meant that finally, McDonald’s would have some stiff competition.
And of course, the teasers leading up to their grand opening on 1 February had many licking their lips in anticipation over the kinds of burgers to be sold.
But now that the franchise has officially set up shop in Gauteng, how healthier are their burgers compared to the tried and tested McDonald’s? Will their menu provide a tastier and healthier selection for customers? A quick look at various items on both their menus revealed some interesting facts. We selected similar items on both menus to offer a fair comparison.
The Big King vs The Big Mac
The first comparison is between the Big King from Burger King and the Big Mac from McDonald’s. Both burgers contain two beef patties, fresh lettuce and cheese. The Big King contains 2298.3 kJ while the Big Mac contains 2076 kJ.
Winner = The Big Mac, which has over 100 kJ less than the Big King.
The Burger Cheeseburger vs The McDonald’s Cheeseburger
Both burgers are considered classics at their respective restaurants and contain a beef patty, cheese and pickles. While Burger King’s cheeseburger contains 1345.2 kJ, McDonald’s cheeseburger has 1326 kJ.
Winner = McDonald’s, though by a small margin.
Burger King Crispy Chicken vs McChicken Burger
Added to the test was the chicken burger from McDonald’s vs the Crispy Chicken from Burger King. Chicken is usually a healthier alternative to beef, so the expectation is that both chicken burgers will be vastly better than their beef counterparts. The results say another thing. Burger King’s Crispy came in with 2095 kJ while the McChicken has 1936 kJ.
Winner = Once again McDonald’s trumps Burger King
King Nuggets vs Chicken McNuggets
Last but not least, the King Nuggets were compared to the Chicken McNuggets, with a portion of four pieces each. The portion of Chicken McNuggets contained 746 kJ while the same portion of King Nuggets had 1171.5 kJ.
Winne r= McDonald’s Chicken McNuggets
After an assessment of five items from each restaurant’s menu and a kJ count of each, McDonald’s has proven to be the winner, beating Burger King in every category compared. The comparison, however, also shows that while McDonald’s has a smaller kJ count than Burger King, the margin between the two is quite small which indicates that both contain a similar kJ count, give or take a few kJ.
I don’t believe comparing calories is a proper indication of which is healthier. Let’s look at sodium and preservatives. Time betwee manufacture and consumption. The sources of beef and chicken.