‘McDonald’s could never’: Woman tries the new smashburger from Chili’s. Is it really cheaper than McDonald’s?

On April 29, Chili’s released a new burger called the Big Smasher Burger. The smash burger consists of Thousand Island sauce, American cheese, diced red onions, pickles, and lettuce. A popular food TikToker tried out the burger in a video, and viewers are lauding the bang for the buck of the meal, claiming that it's more affordable than most fast-food places.

TikTok user Shay (@shayclick) has amassed 239,000 followers by sharing food reviews. In a video with 1.6 million views, she tries the smash burger from inside her car.

“Chili's just came out with a new smash burger. So, we’re gonna try it together today,” she says. “So, the smash burger is a part of their ‘3 for Me’ menu, which comes with a drink, an appetizer, burger, and fries for $10.99,” she adds, showing off each item.

“We’re gonna try the smash burger first. That’s what we came for,” she says before sinking her teeth into it. “It’s nice and char, like a smash patty would be.”

“I’m not mad at it. It’s fabulous. The bun is grilled, it’s soft on both sides of the bun. I love the traditional toppings," she adds.

Her only slight criticism is that the patty isn't as smashed and thin as the typical smash patty is.

“Even though this isn’t smashed down heavily, it’s still very, very juicy,” she raves. “The bun is soft, has Thousand Island, which I love on my burger.”

“I just wish the patty was cut in half horizontally, make two smash patties, so they’re really thin,” she says.

But overall, the content creator gives the burger a 7.5 out of 10. “This isn’t the best [smash burger], but it’s still good,” she says.

Next, she samples the fries. “Fries are giving soggy and like they’ve been sitting there for a minute. Not hot at all,” she criticizes. “They’re probably good when they’re fresh but mine aren’t. So, they get a 2 out of 10.”

Shay's food is in a to-go container, so it's likely that he perspiration from the container being enclosed made her fries soggy.

She then tries the chicken enchilada soup. “Very good soup. The chicken has a very nice texture,” she compliments. “Soup is very flavorful, a little creamy, spice very well. I’m gonna give this a 7.5.”

All in all, Shay enjoyed the meal. “I’ll be back again for this deal,” she concludes.

@shayclick

Trying Chili’s ✨NEW✨ Smasher Burger ????

♬ original sound - Shay

The Daily Dot reached out to Shay via TikTok comment and direct message as well as to both Chili's and McDonald's via email.

In the comments section, viewers applauded the deal and compared it with fast-food places.

“That’s cheaper than a fast food meal!!” one user stated.

“McDonald’s could never,” a second remarked.

"Chilis prices with lunch specials and 3 for me are comparable to fast food places now," another said.

"Surprisingly more and cheaper than a Big Mac meal from McDonald’s," a fourth viewer claimed.

Is the Chili's smash burger really cheaper than McDonald’s?

This is not the first time consumers have claimed that Chili's is cheaper than McDonald's. Several Chili's customers, like TikTokers Eason Trbojevic (@easontrbojevic) and Angel Johnstone (@confidenceiscatchy), after enjoying the 3 for Me deal, have separately made that claim. “Chili’s has a 3 for Me for $10.99, where you get your drink, your little chips, your cheeseburger, and your french fries. You can’t go to McDonald’s and spend 10.99 [and get that]," Trbojevic says in his video.

In her video, Johnstone lauds how much bang for your buck you can get with the 3 for Me deal. "We all left, like, roly-poly full—not just a little full, like, ”Oh my god, I stuffed myself. And I brought food home,'" she says.

For many years, McDonald’s was thought of as the most affordable fast-food place. However, that is no longer the case. According to Business Insider, the fast-food joint’s prices have increased by 168% over a decade. Now, the average McDonald’s meal costs $10.99 to $11.99. Many consumers have spoken out about the cost of menu items there.

The 3 for Me deal offers customers a sit-down restaurant experience for the same price. And many argue that the food at Chili's is higher quality. However, when you factor tips into the total bill, McDonald's comes out cheaper.

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