It's 26 days into 2024, so if your goal was to eat healthy this year, you're probably past that by now, right?
If you're not, well, neither am I because today I've been given the task of trying Two new items on the McDonald's menua place that never shows up positively in someone's New Year's resolutions.
I'm not a McDonald's hater – first of all, for over 20 years, I was an employee of the company and really enjoyed cracking jokes with people in the car. Second, I'm a millennial, and as such, McDonald's has always been considered a “special treat” one could have on a trip with Grandma to the Valley River Center in Eugene. You will never lose the taste of a special treat.
And third, as much as I used to look down on moms who bought Happy Meals at 5 p.m. on a weekday when I was 17 working a drive-thru, now I'm that mom and I know the truth: Happy Meals are very convenient.
So, on Thursday, I went to my local McDonald's and ordered myself a new Double Big Mac, a new Strawberries and Cream Pie, and an extra small can of Coke to wash it all down.
First up, the Double Big Mac.
This sandwich contains 780 calories, which is actually not the most expensive sandwich on the menu. That honor goes to the Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese Deluxe, which has 830 calories.
This new sandwich is similar to a Big Mac but with four patties of beef instead of the measly two. It also comes with pickles, onions, lettuce (healthy?), one slice of American cheese, and three buns.
Look, I'm not the guy who orders a Big Mac at McDonald's. Why get extra cake? Does not make sense. But for the sake of science, and because I was told, I tried this.
Although the burger I got wasn't aesthetically pleasing, it was large. Really too big to fit in my normal sized mouth.
Other issues with this large, oddly flexible sandwich: The cheese wasn't even remotely melty, and why only one slice? I think this should be the standard for a Big Mac, but one slice of cheese doesn't exactly scream “double.”
Finally, somehow, this burger was dry and oozing sauce. How is this possible? I'm not sure.
Here's one thing I know about McDonald's: Sometimes portions add up to something delicious. Sometimes, the same parts add up to something very trivial. I think it comes down to when each individual part is cooked or heated. The fresher the better. I suspect my Double Big Mac was not very fresh and therefore not very good. Don't blame this site for that because I've seen the same thing happen in locations all over the world (I've been to McDonald's in Italy, South Africa and Sweden, and I wouldn't be ashamed).
Next time, I won't get the Double Big Mac. But my standard McDouble would probably be better.
Now, strawberry and cream pie.
I'm not a McDonald's pie girl. I'm a McDonald's hot fudge sundae girl. But heck, I'll try most things once.
This pie, well, it's actually pretty delicious. The flaky crust is fluffy and the strawberries and cream, or “cream”, excuse me, filling is sweet and creamy. Would I get it again? Probably not, when there's the option of getting a hot fudge sundae, but if someone in my car buys one, I'll take a bite when they're not looking.
Want to watch me try these foods in my car? You are lucky. You can watch it now.
—Lizzy Acker
503-221-8052; [email protected]; @lizzzzyacker
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