I ordered the same meal at both chains to compare their signature cheeseburger and fries.
I don't think there's a clear budget-friendly option anymore, so the patty ruled the results.
When I was in high school, I hung out at Red Robin on the weekends. But now, I find myself driving under McDonald's golden arches because I think of the chain as quicker and more budget-friendly.
As fast-food prices continued to creep up after the start of the pandemic, though, I started to question whether I was actually getting the best value. Is the difference in quality really equal to the difference in price?
McDonald’s isn't as cheap as I remember it being.My McDonald's meal cost a little over $11.
Meredith Schneider
I started my culinary adventure by pulling up to McDonald's drive-thru.
I wanted to expect a cheaper price tag, but in this economy, I was hardly shocked when my Quarter Pounder With Cheese Deluxe cost $11.28. The meal came with a cheeseburger, a medium fry, and a drink.
This brings me to the one big benefit of the McDonald's meal: It includes a drink. Red Robin's does not.
Red Robin was only a little more expensive.My meal at Red Robin cost about $15.
Meredith Schneider
Going into the test, I expected my meal at Red Robin to be more expensive. The vibe of the chain reminds me more of a sit-down restaurant.
My meal — which came with a cheeseburger and seasoned steak fries — was just about $15.
I wanted to keep the taste test fair, so I enjoyed my meals in similar environments (I took my Red Robin burger to go). If I had eaten the meal in the restaurant, I definitely would've gotten more bang for my buck because the chain offers bottomless refills on fries.
I made sure to keep this in mind as I compared the chains.
My Quarter Pounder wasn't low-quality by any means.McDonald's Quarter Pounders are classic.
Meredith Schneider
McDonald's may not be gourmet, but it is reliable. I found the patty a little salty and thin. But the bun and fixings were flavorful and made for a pretty great burger.
McDonald's is historically touted as a car-friendly meal, but this burger simply was not.
It had a lot of condiments, so the layers were sliding around. The cheese and sauces started falling off before I even took my first bite.
Plus, when was the last time you reached into a McDonald's bag in the car and didn't end up flinging a fry into the abyss underneath your seat? In other words, I'd prefer to eat this in a proper dining environment.
Red Robin’s burger tasted elevated.The flavors of Red Robin's gourmet cheeseburger really shined.
Meredith Schneider
The Red Robin bun was fluffy, the patty was thick and juicy, and the fresh lettuce snapped when I bit into it. This burger is, without a doubt, gourmet.
Although size was not a determining factor in my taste test, it was a bit heftier than the McDonald's option.
The burger also held its integrity throughout my meal — it was wrapped perfectly to enjoy in the car, mess-free. It even came with a convenient, travel-friendly tray.
I would actually encourage ordering it over McDonald's during a road trip, which surprised me.
McDonald’s fries have a short shelf life.McDonald's fries are best when they're fresh.
Meredith Schneider
Even though McDonald's thin, crispy fries appeal to a broad audience, I think they can only show off when they're fresh.
After about 30 minutes, I've found that they tend to shrivel up a little, making them lose their stand-out qualities.
I'm a sucker for a Red Robin steak fry.I would've preferred Red Robin's dine-in bottomless fries, but these were still good.
Meredith Schneider
A huge reason I used to go to Red Robin as a high schooler was that the chain's bottomless steak fries were great for a pretty nonexistent dining-out budget.
My to-go order had far fewer fries than I'm used to getting at the restaurant, and I also found them to be a little underseasoned. But overall, they're still incredibly delicious and have a really fun crunch at the edges.
Overall, Red Robin came out on top.Red Robin's burger is better than McDonald's and not much more expensive.
Meredith Schneider
At the end of the day, Red Robin had the better burger. It tasted gourmet, had a good heft, and was easy to eat on the go.
The extra $4 really doesn't hurt my wallet, either.
That said, I'd never turn down a McDonald's cheeseburger. It's classic for a reason and came with a drink, which isn't nothing.
