Drive-Thru Gourmet
Burger King reigns with this classic chicken sourdough sandwich favorite
This week, I reached out for a new, sort of, Sourdough Chicken Club Sandwich at the No. 2 burger barn, Burger King, with 16,750 restaurants 'round the world.
Sort of new because Burger King is picking up on Taco Bell's trick of scrounging the back of the fridge, throwing the same old ingredients in a Yahtzee cup, shaking it up, and, voila!
Something new and completely the same: the Sourdough Chicken Club Sandwich.
Here's the breakdown: a breaded and deep-fried white meat chicken filet, American cheese, thick-cut bacon, lettuce, tomato, and mayo on toasted sourdough bread.
Total calories: 840. Fat grams: 51. Sodium: 1,760 mg. Carbs: 62 g. Dietary fiber: 3 g. Protein: 32 g. Manufacturer's suggested retail price: about $5, your mileage may vary.
Just because Burger King is playing ingredient anagrams — scrambling BK this-and-that — isn't a slam against the Sourdough Chicken Club. It's all good — from the whole meat filet to the salty, meaty bacon, fresh lettuce, and red, ripe tomato.
And sourdough bread? Any sandwich is made 10 times better on sourdough. C'mon, white bread and plain burger buns have been getting away with murder since forever. Sourdough has a unique tangy flavor that enhances whatever's between the two slices. You like French toast? Try it made with sourdough. Breakfast for dinner!
Burger King even toasts the sourdough to make it "be best." The fixins round out a traditional club with a twist — the breaded, deep-fried chicken breast. It works just fine.
(I like the way Burger King's site describes the condiments as "carefully layered" on. Yeah, that's why my sandwich always looks exactly like the photo behind the counter.)
Burger King is all-in on sourdough as summer approaches, bringing back the Sourdough King Burger and introducing a big 'un Sourdough Breakfast King.
These are good times for the King, who seems to be driving the industry bus with its "2 for $6" deal. Wendy's and more are copycatting like crazy, which means BK is onto something big.
Just a suggestion, but if Burger King added this Sourdough Chicken Club to the "2 for $6" menu, well, look out below. Might have to hire a traffic cop for the drive-through.
Note: nobody seems interesting in glomming onto McDonald's "$1-$2-$3" promotion. Sorry, clownie.
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Ken Hoffman reviews a new fast-food restaurant item every Wednesday. Have a suggestion or a drive-thru favorite? Let Ken know in the comments or on Twitter.