Yeah… Woody’s Smorgasburger was the originator to the top your own burgers like Fuddruckers, but even better as they had an open charcoal grill and made their own sauces. Unfortunately, they are gone (as are most Fuddruckers).
What a shame as I really liked both of those spots.
I’m guessing this is because now a days most folks no longer frequent sit down restaurants that specialize in burgers. My observation has been that most burger places here that have a drive-thru have almost empty dining areas all day long. However 5 Guys and Shake Shack are doing well with little to no drive thrus… so go figure.
I don’t know if it’s the juiciness or the sauce, but a Wendy’s double (or presumably a triple) is tremendously messy to eat if you have any problems with tremors or coordination. Basically, they have lubricated the layers and everything slides all over the place, including out of the far side of the bun.
I think that Fuddrucker’s first got slammed in the Great Recession in 2008, and what remained got hammered by Covid. We’ve been through a lot of tough learning experiences in the last 15 years.
I have a sensitivity to sulphites which seem to be in a lot of condiments, so I usually get my cheeseburgers without sauce or condiments at Wendy’s, and the burgers come without sauce or condiments . Probably depends on the employees!
Fuddrucker’s left London, Ontario 30 years ago. I don’t think it lasted more than 5 years, and I never got around to trying it. It was a big deal at the time. There are one or 2 locations still running in Saskatchewan, which have been in business 35ish years.
Breakfast: sausage burrito (2), w/salsa, hash browns. The only things I’ve been to McD’s for in 15 years. Used to get breakfast there regularly and anything was acceptable but I favored the sausage/egg mcmuffin or the big breakfast w/hot cakes, occasionally.
Burger: Quarter pounder w/cheese, fries, diet Coke or Dr Pepper. Never cared for the Big Mac.
Re: Filet o fish - best fish sandwich in these parts is a catfish po’boy and they are widely available. FoF has never stood a chance with me.
Re: Fuddrucker’s - multiple changes of ownership and headquarters location probably didn’t help in the last 20 years or so. What it is now is so different from the earliest one I went to I have to think they lost their way and never really figured out their niche. Going out for a burger is not destination dining for most people. Meat ground daily and buns baked daily was probably a lot bigger draw 45 years ago than now, with all the competition, and 1/2#, 1# patties and build your own are not big draws for everybody.
I was just thinking about that too. I like Filet o Fish more than most of other McDonald burgers, but objectively speaking… this may be because there are vastly more burger competitors and very few fish filet competition.
Maybe I should try quarter pound cheese burger tomorrow. You are not the first person said this.
The law of thermodynamics (or thermogenesis) is undefeated.
Burn off more than you eat, and you will lose weight.
A calorie is a calorie.
But health and weight loss are not necessarily the same thing.
Health is more than just ‘calories in vs. calories out’ - which is why the contents of our calories do matter for health, but not necessarily for weight loss.
Which supports my premise that portion size is often the crux of weight maintenance. American restaurant and recipe portions are too large. DH and I split a BK meal (sandwich and fries) and are stuffed. This meal is offered as an order for one person, but feeds two comfortably. We COULD eat more but certainly don’t NEED more.
