# Which do you eat first: the burger or the fries? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** food-cooking\ **Created:** [April 29, 2021, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-do-you-eat-first-the-burger-or-the-fries/941042 "2021-04-29T16:02:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2021, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-do-you-eat-first-the-burger-or-the-fries/941042/61 "2021-05-02T13:58:09Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > I’m basically stuck with McDonald’s now. I haven’t eaten a McDonald’s burger since i was… five or six. They had mustard and crap on them, and that made them inedible. I tried a “have it your way” burger king burger, but the place close to us was mcdonalds. My mom used to get me a sub from the place across the street, instead. (She was already getting a sub for my father, so it wasn’t an extra stop.) Now that I’m old and my senses of taste and smell are fading, i can enjoy small quantities of mustard, but i still don’t put it on burgers, and still don’t eat McDonald’s burgers. So my image of the plate of bigger and fries was thicker fries, from some random sit-down place, or maybe 5 guys. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2021, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-do-you-eat-first-the-burger-or-the-fries/941042/62 "2021-05-02T15:39:43Z")
Mustard? I’ve never seen Mustard on a McDonald’s burger in the US. I’ve only seen that in the UK. ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2021, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-do-you-eat-first-the-burger-or-the-fries/941042/63 "2021-05-02T15:43:31Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Fries first, always. The reasons have been stated above. The only variation from that routine would be at [The Hat](https://www.thehat.com/), where any attempt to eat [all the fries](https://ar.pinterest.com/pin/99853316714797700/) first will result in you never eating the burger at all. That fry shot, BTW, is of a _small_ order. OMG, The Hat. I’ve gone to lunch with a bunch of guys, and even they couldn’t finish all the fries…and that’s usually with us only ordering one or two orders for the table. _Great_ place at 1:00 am after a show. If I went to In-n-Out for lunch at work, I’d just go through the drive-thru and take it back to work. But the closest In-n-Out was across the street from Rosemead High and always packed at lunch. And since it wasn’t a quick drive, I’d not have a lot of time. So, I’d eat the fries in the car while they were hot driving back and take the burger to eat at my desk. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2021, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-do-you-eat-first-the-burger-or-the-fries/941042/64 "2021-05-02T15:46:49Z")
I thought they put mustard on the burgers everywhere but New York for some reason. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2021, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-do-you-eat-first-the-burger-or-the-fries/941042/65 "2021-05-02T15:49:10Z")
Really?? Wow, well that’s something I didn’t know. I _am_ in New York. I thought McDonald’s menu was standard across the country. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2021, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-do-you-eat-first-the-burger-or-the-fries/941042/66 "2021-05-02T15:51:45Z")
I’ve seen the same explanation offered many time over the years. [Just one of may sources:](https://nypost.com/2012/12/02/more-burning-questions-about-nyc-answered/) “Unlike most of the rest of the country, mustard is indeed not standard on an NYC McDonald’s burger. A company rep chalked up the absence to “customer preference,” but would not say how or why the company arrived at that conclusion. They simply believe New Yorkers just don’t like mustard on meat. You can ask for it, though, or drive to Jersey.” ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2021, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-do-you-eat-first-the-burger-or-the-fries/941042/67 "2021-05-02T15:54:29Z")
Huh. Interesting. I remember getting McDonald’s once in London and being surprised that they put mustard on it! (Ew, mustard is only for hot dogs!) I just chalked that up to being a UK thing. ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2021, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-do-you-eat-first-the-burger-or-the-fries/941042/68 "2021-05-02T15:56:32Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > I haven’t eaten a McDonald’s burger since i was… five or six. I was probably twelve the last time I had a McD’s burger. I just don’t like them. They don’t even seem like a real burger to me. I got spoiled when I was a little kid because my dad would sometimes take us to _The Patio_ on Wilshire in Santa Monica (next door to Jack LaLanne’s, so you know how long ago this was). They charbroiled the burgers, and they were _perfect_. I still have strong memories about that place, and it’s been gone at least 40 years…probably 50. And don’t get me started on King’s Tropical Inn fried chicken. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2021, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-do-you-eat-first-the-burger-or-the-fries/941042/69 "2021-05-02T16:09:59Z")
Interesting. I’m in Maryland basically right on the DC border and all of the McDonald’s around me put mustard on the smaller, standard burgers, but curiously never on the quarter pounder. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2021, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-do-you-eat-first-the-burger-or-the-fries/941042/70 "2021-05-02T16:11:11Z")
I had a burger and fries for lunch yesterday. I’ll admit, I alternated between burger and fries. But: I was with someone, so we were talking a lot; it was Red Robin, so they were steak fries; with steak fries I prefer mayo as a dipping sauce. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2021, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-do-you-eat-first-the-burger-or-the-fries/941042/71 "2021-05-02T18:27:27Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Fries first, always. The reasons have been stated above. The only variation from that routine would be at [The Hat](https://www.thehat.com/), That place looks amazing. It’s hard to get good pastrami around here. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2021, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-do-you-eat-first-the-burger-or-the-fries/941042/72 "2021-05-02T18:28:58Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > Interesting. I’m in Maryland basically right on the DC border and all of the McDonald’s around me put mustard on the smaller, standard burgers, but curiously never on the quarter pounder. I think there’s always ketchup and mustard but the individual cooks aren’t consistent with respect to how much they apply. Sometimes the mustard is undetectable unless you open it up and look at it ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2021, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-do-you-eat-first-the-burger-or-the-fries/941042/73 "2021-05-02T18:30:28Z")
> [@carrps](#): > > I was probably twelve the last time I had a McD’s burger. I just don’t like them. They don’t even seem like a real burger to me. McDonald’s burgers are the worst. But they’re also the most easily obtained ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2021, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-do-you-eat-first-the-burger-or-the-fries/941042/74 "2021-05-02T18:36:34Z")
Yep. Cold fries are nasty. Eat them first. The meat in the burger is protected by a bun, etc. I also try to get some 100o island dressing to dip the fries in. This is why: > [@BigT](#): > > Fries tend to only be good hot. Burgers can cool down a bit. Plus burgers reheat better if you get too full from the fries and refrigerate the burger for later. ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2021, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-do-you-eat-first-the-burger-or-the-fries/941042/75 "2021-05-02T18:37:47Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > But they’re also the most easily obtained If you’re on the road, yeah. But I go with filet-o-fish before a burger. At home I have an embarrassment of burger riches, so I don’t need McD. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2021, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-do-you-eat-first-the-burger-or-the-fries/941042/76 "2021-05-02T18:42:08Z")
Yeah, I often get to steal half of my wife’s fries as she is a eat both type. And she never finishes her fries anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Die\_Capacitrix](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/die_capacitrix/32/9_2.png) [@Die\_Capacitrix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Die_Capacitrix)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2021, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-do-you-eat-first-the-burger-or-the-fries/941042/77 "2021-05-02T18:45:50Z")
If I get fries, it’s because I’m at McDonalds (most often), Burger King or Five Guys (very rare, since they’re 3 hours away). For McDonalds and Burger King, I finish my portion of fries before I start on the burger. For Five Guys, I eat about the same amount of fries, and then eat my burger. I might eat more fries afterwards, but if I get a shake, I might not get fries at all. In a Red Robin, or some other restaurant where I might get a burger, I might switch it up. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2021, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-do-you-eat-first-the-burger-or-the-fries/941042/78 "2021-05-02T18:48:49Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > The vast majority of fries are mediocre. And, in fact, I once ran a poll declaring that McDonald’s fries are the absolutely worst fries of any kind—a lot of people had the bad taste to disagree with that. They used to be Very Good. Now, they are Adequate. Carls are OK, but In&out, my fave burger- I do not care for their fries. Unless you ask for extra crispy, in that case- OK. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2021, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-do-you-eat-first-the-burger-or-the-fries/941042/79 "2021-05-02T18:52:31Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > I haven’t eaten a McDonald’s burger since i was… five or six. They had mustard and crap on them, and that made them inedible. I tried a “have it your way” burger king burger, but the place close to us was mcdonalds. My mom used to get me a sub from the place across the street, instead. (She was already getting a sub for my father, so it wasn’t an extra stop.) > > Now that I’m old and my senses of taste and smell are fading, i can enjoy small quantities of mustard, but i still don’t put it on burgers, and still don’t eat McDonald’s burgers. The Big Mac has 1000 island dressing (or McD’s version) instead. I rate it “OK but not great”. Maybe due to the amount of HFCS in the bread I get a bloated feeling after eating one. The original cheeseburger is kinda proustian to me. Like Kraft Mac & Cheese. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2021, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-do-you-eat-first-the-burger-or-the-fries/941042/80 "2021-05-02T18:53:27Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > They used to be Very Good. Now, they are Adequate. IMHO, they were excellent until they removed the beef tallow. They have been meh ever since. I sometimes get a filet-o-fish at McDonald’s, and if I’m not very hungry, I’ll get a side of fries to go with it. (If I’m hungry, i get two sandwiches.) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-do-you-eat-first-the-burger-or-the-fries/941042.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-do-you-eat-first-the-burger-or-the-fries/941042.md?page=5)