I have to admit I have a lot of fast food knowledge. Not only did I work at both McDonalds and Burger King during college, but I frequent them as well. Maybe thats why my next product review will be for cellulite creams, but back to the point. Now I have a three year old who loves to stop for happy meals. So let’s see how the McDonald’s Happy meal compares to Burger Kings kids meal.
McDonald’s happy meal comes in a cute little box. A child has the choice of a hamburger, a cheeseburger or a 4 piece chicken nugget meal with a sauce for dipping. McDonald’s has a choice for their sides. Children or their parents can choose from a small order of fries or an order of apple dippers. The apple dippers are slices of apples with a low fat caramel sauce for dipping. The drink choices are soda, low fat white milk, chocolate milk, or apple juice. I like that they have the apple choice as a side and always get this for my son. McDonald’s happy meal also comes with a small toy. Many times the toy is related to the lastest big movie or a popular television show. This week they were giving American Idol themed toys. McDonald’s also has toys available for children younger than three, which are geared towards them to avoid choking hazards.
If a child is a little older McDonald’s now has a mighty meal. The might meal is the same thing as a McDonald happy meal, but has a bit more food with it. The offer of chicken nuggets is increased to 6, and there is an option of a double cheeseburger.
Burger Kings kids meal is similar to McDonald happy meal in some ways. Their meal comes in a bag, not a box. The choices are a hamburger, a cheeseburger, or a 4 piece order of chicken tenders. The side choice includes a small order of fries or an applesauce. Again I like that they have the healthier choice of the apple sauce. Drinks in the Burger King kids meal are the standard soda, apple juice, or milk. They too offer a small toy in each meal, although I have gotten several that the toy was absent. Similar to McDonald’s, Burger King has a kids meal for children with a bigger appetite. The choices are a double hamburger, a double cheeseburger or an order of 6 piece chicken tenders.
Although both fast food restaurants have similar choices in their kids meals there are some differences. McDonald’s fries their burgers and puts onions on them, along with ketchup and pickles. Burger King flame broilers the hamburgers. They put ketchup and pickles on them. Both McDonald’s and Burger King will make the burgers as requested, leaving something off or adding something else to suite your tastes. I like the taste of the flame broiled burgers better, and think it tastes fresher. But my son likes McDonald burgers better, and likes their chicken nuggets better than Burger Kings.
For parents who are concerned about calorie and fat content in fast food, both McDonald’s happy meal and Burger Kings kids meal have similar nutritional value. The amount of calories and fat vary according to the side and drink a person orders. For example at McDonald’s, a chicken nugget happy meal with a side of apple dippers and a low fat white milk contains 360 calories and 10 grams of fat. While if a cheeseburger meal is ordered with an order of fries and a chocolate milk the calories increase to 710 and 28 grams of fat. The same is true for Burger Kings kids meal. I think the portion size is appropriate for kids in both the McDonald’s happy meal and Burger Kings kids meal. They are not too large, like some portions at fast food restaurants. I even think they are a good size for an adult, and when I order for myself I order a kids meal.
Nutritional content is roughly the same, and so is price. The price varies slightly depending on what you order. But all meals were under four dollars. Overall when it comes to McDonald’s happy meal versus Burger Kings kids meal I would say my son likes McDonald better. He likes the way the food tastes and the toy seems to be something he enjoys more then Burger Kings toy. He also likes the little box it comes in. I think they give faster service also. I think McDonald’s apple slices are a better choice as a side that Burger Kings applesauce. With apples instead of fries and a low fat milk its not a bad choice for a quick meal at the end of a work day.
