Bowie Restaurant Project: (12) Burger King

For an explanation of the Bowie Restaurant Project, look here.

For a collection of all the Bowie Restaurant Project entries, look here.

Burger King, 6980 Laurel Bowie Road
Most Recent Foursquare Check-in: 7/27/2011
Total Foursquare Check-ins: 1
Pre-Foursquare Visits: No
Rating: 1 1/2 out of 5 stars

It's a Burger King. On our way to pre-settlement inspection of our house, I was running late, hungry and driving right by here, so it made the perfect opportunity to try this place for review. I have made it my habit to order the chicken at Burger King, but since this was a review and, you know, the place was called Burger King, I got a Whopper.


In awarding stars, I really only had one question. I have referred to Wendy's as "a cut above McDonald's" and awarded it two stars. Is Burger King in that category (main argument: hey, onion rings), or is a notch below that and deserving of only 1 1/2 stars?


This has caused me to implement a new test -- is it the type of place you can imagine someone swearing off? McDonald's is the prime example of this -- Christina and I have essentially sworn the place off -- I can name each of the times I've been there in the past 4 or 5 years. (Generally emergency sustenance or bathroom use.) Taco Bell is another place people swear off. Wendy's -- not so much. I can imagine someone swearing off fast food in general and including Wendy's, but not a "I'll go to McDonalds or Burger King, but not Wendy's." (I'm sure there are always exceptions, but it would seem odd to me.)


Well, this meal reminded me of why I always get the chicken at Burger King. I won't give you details of my body's reaction to the burger, but it re-affirmed my swearing off of Burger King burgers. That's good enough to knock BK down to 1 1/2 stars. It is saved from 1 star by being the only Burger King in Bowie, and saved from below 1 star by offering a standard-order Burger King experience. Anything below my fairly low set of expectations (e.g., rude or incompetent service) would push things into that territory.