Bun on bun and other quarantine food finds

A one-on-one between the burgers of two fast food staples in the country, as well as other noteworthy food items you should order

The restrictive conditions imposed upon seniors and the general public because of the pandemic have resulted in many good things, particularly in food and the way we eat.

Many, quarantined, have been forced to resort to takeout or food deliveries and have realized that sometimes they are cheaper and more convenient than homecooked food.

Fast food meals eliminate the need to wash dishes, making life simpler for those in isolation.

A family discovered fast food burgers, which are surprisingly cheaper meals than carinderia food. Both Jollibee and McDo offer burgers for ₱35 and cheeseburgers for ₱45. Considering their size and quality, they are good bargains.

A careful comparison of the two brands gives one a more detailed picture of the products. The Jollibee burger is less tender and juicy and uses hardly any mayonnaise or sandwich spread. The burger patty is thin and dry and much smaller than the bun. McDo, on the other hand, uses a bigger and thicker bun with the burger patty almost the same size as the bread.

The burgers of both brands sell for ₱35, but a better bargain is their cheeseburger at ₱45 to ₱49. The cheeseburgers come in buns that are slightly bigger and thicker, with patties that cover the size of the bread. Jollibee uses more sandwich spread on their cheeseburger than on the plain burger. McDo is very generous with its spread and even adds sliced pickle, which provides a much welcome crunch and sweetness to the sandwich.

Jollibee cheeseburger uses cheese that almost disappears when it melts. McDo has a thick slice of orange cheddar that remains visible and flavorful even as it melts. Both brands keep well in the refrigerator and reheat nicely in the microwave.

For variety, McDo has fried chicken sandwiches that use thick chicken breast fillets, lightly breaded, spiced, and fried until golden brown. The chicken fillet is served in burger buns for a satisfying protein-rich meal that costs only ₱45. McDo’s crispy chicken fillet is also available paired with steamed rice and gravy for only ₱59, a real bargain considering that carinderia meat dishes sell for ₱60 without rice.

Another Jollibee bestseller is pancit palabok for only ₱80. The noodle dish comes in big servings of thin bihon noodles topped with thick shrimp sauce, sprinkled with shrimp and bits of crisp fried pork. To increase volume and nutrients, some diners add sliced hardboiled eggs.

The two fast food joints provide individual catsup sachets for the sandwiches. Jollibee has sweet banana catsup while McDo uses real tomato catsup. Neither provides hot sauce.

Many, quarantined, have been forced to resort to takeout or food deliveries and have realized that sometimes they are cheaper and more convenient than homecooked food. Fast food meals eliminate the need to wash dishes, making life simpler for those in isolation.