Untitled Document

Place: McDonald’s
Item: Premium Chicken Sandwiches
Price: $3.69-$3.89

We Lunch Guys eat at McDonald’s a lot, but we don’t write about McDonald’s a lot. Why? Unlike Taco Bell, which introduces a new menu item every 10 minutes from reworking the same ingredients, the premier burger chain does something special only a couple times a year, tops.

So the rollout of “New Premium Chicken Sandwiches” is big news. McDonald’s has Club, Ranch BLT and Classic varieties, each available with a fried or grilled chicken filet. We quickly found our favorites, but are these “premium” sandwiches primo?

Chris: Tom, I wanted to love this sandwich. After years of resigning myself to the $1 McChicken because I had a tiny wallet and immature palate, I’m now a Lunch Guy of a certain age who can appreciate and afford the finer things at fast-food places. So I barely blinked at shelling out nearly $4 for an high-class chicken sandwich. Then my eyes did pop out a little when I saw this elliptical wonder that -- could it be? -- looked exactly like the sandwiches in the ads. This grilled Ranch BLT was a can’t-miss: honey-wheat oblong roll, full and moist chicken, lettuce, tomato, rich bacon, slab of Swiss and nature’s perfect condiment, ranch dressing.

But Tom, this sandwich was like a summer Hollywood blockbuster -- lots of hype, slick look, plenty of star power, but sadly, no heart. Sure, it makes for a pleasing lunch for the masses with nothing to object to, yet it wasn’t zinging in my mouth. Rather than Chef Ronald taking a chance on some bold flavors, everything seemed a little watered down so as not to offend the grandmas in Peoria, from the weak ranch glaze to the “wheat bun” that looked white on the inside. It didn’t have that special vigor that’s the hallmark of a blockbuster.

Tom: The world needs another fried chicken sandwich about as much as my waistline does, but both of us (the world and my waistline) can always make room for something this good. The Premium Chicken Crispy Club (note they don’t call it “fried”) I got was a thick and juicy piece of all-white breast meat that was much more substantial than I expected and with the hearty honey-wheat roll, decidingly upscale. But it’s the subtle fried coating that takes it to the top. Nearing Chick-fil-A’s level of perfection, this chicken is lightly dusted with a tasty flour coating that was just noticeable enough to know it wasn’t the grilled version. This chicken looks and tastes as if it just came out of a gourmet’s frying pan rather than a McDonald’s deep fryer.

Complemented with two strips of real bacon, a very nice piece of leafy green lettuce, a slice of Swiss, a full slice of tomato and some mayonnaise, this is all the chicken sandwich you’ll ever need. And Chris, not all successful films need to be blockbusters that wow you with “zingy” special effects. Some prevail because they have the qualities of a classic.

Chris: Yeah, maybe this sandwich is like Cinderella Man – straightforward and solid if not so original (and not such a hit). It’s funny you mention Chick-fil-A. That chain’s Chargrilled Chicken Sandwich is zingy with a true, distinct wheat bun, dill pickle slices and honey BBQ sauce. There’s a blockbuster.

Tom: Since you mentioned a fighting film, my Premium sandwich was the first fried chicken that could compete with the undisputed champ at Chick-fil-a. Your experience with the grilled version just goes to show you what some extra fat and salt can do for a sandwich. As for your McChicken, McDonald’s needs to realize it’s time to kick that bad egg out of the nest.