Lumberjack’s burger versus Rival’s burger. Who actually did it better?

• The first is a classic that is a hit every year. The second one is supposed to be a better version of it
• Both burgers have similar ingredients, but differ in a few details. And the price.
• The strongest point of the Rywal burger is the meat. The original sauce also attracts attention
• I love the lumberjack for the roasted onion and bread roll
• I liked both the Lumberjack burger and the Rywal burger very much, but I couldn’t eat them every day. And it’s not just about health issues
• You can find more interesting articles on the Onet home page

I start my test with Rival because I’m tempted by something new. I’m curious if there will actually be a significant difference in taste. The restaurant is a short distance from my house and I go there without any worries. The previous day, my editorial colleague in Warsaw tried to eat Riwal and failed. The demand was so great that there were no more burgers. Fortunately, there is no such problem in Krakow. I breathe a sigh of relief. And I’m going to place an order.

There are a lot of people, but there are no lines at the checkout. However, I am anxiously looking for a vacant place. I don’t want to eat standing or sandwiched between other customers. “We won’t leave here for an hour,” says my companion, pointing to the order board and the full room. — They all came for the same thing as us. Everyone here is waiting for the Rival, he added.

Surprisingly, we don’t have to wait long at all. Your I pick up my meal exactly 12 minutes later. The service works very efficiently. By this time, a place at the table has become available, so we will eat leisurely.

For the Beef and Bacon Rival Set I paid PLN 34.95 at Max Burgers in Krakow. It includes a drink, fries and a beef burger with fried mozzarella, bacon, a sauce based on Swedish blueberries and BBQ dip, with red onion, lettuce and Creole sauce. The cost of the Rival itself is PLN 27.75, medium fries cost PLN 5.60, and a medium drink cost PLN 1.60.

I’m a little surprised that the average drink is a 330ml can. I wonder how much a small drink has then. The portion of fries is appropriate in size. I reach for one to do a taste test. Crunchy, not too salty, quite cool. Let me start by saying that I don’t like French fries and I usually don’t eat them at all, so I can’t claim to be an expert in this matter.

And it was time for the most important point, the Rival. Max Burgers claim they did it better. Is it really?

The meat is very juicy, tasty and there is a lot of it. The cheese is pleasantly chewy. The sauce goes perfectly with other products. A very good burger, closer to restaurant standards than typical fast food. Of course, it’s not a home-cooked dinner either.

The rival is very filling. Halfway through, I feel like I’m already full. I can’t fit the fries. I leave the place with a full belly, a little heavy, but satisfied. My culinary cravings were satisfied. And although it’s not a meal I could eat every day, I’ll happily eat this burger from time to time.

I went to McDonald’s without such emotions. I saw what to expect. The initial buzz about the sandwich being on offer this year had subsided, so there were no queues. Compared to the previous restaurant here there was a lot of empty space, which of course made me happy. I didn’t have to wait for a vacant table, I could just choose which one I wanted to sit at.

Drwala’s burger is a beef cutlet, breaded cheese and bacon with cranberries, lettuce and roasted onion. I paid PLN 35.90 for a set including a drink and fries in Krakow, which is less than a zloty more expensive than the competition. However, it should be noted that the sandwich itself cost only PLN 18.20. Outside the set, it is more expensive and costs PLN 24-28 depending on the location. I paid PLN 8.90 for medium curled fries and PLN 8.80 for a drink.

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Here, the average drink is half a liter and it actually deserves this name. It’s a pity that the portion of fries is small, because I really liked them. The curled ones are different and it’s not about the shape. Normally I don’t like this type of snack, but I didn’t dislike these.

The Woodcutter itself didn’t disappoint me either, even though I had eaten The Rival the night before. I love this combination of stringy cheese and cranberries, and the roasted onion is also a plus. The weakest point of this burger is… the meat. It tastes good, but quite average. Nothing about it captivated me.

Overall, however, I rate the sandwich as good. I ate it with gusto, satisfied my hunger and enjoyed the culinary experience. I don’t regret it, although I am aware that such food has a lot to do with a healthy diet.

Finally, it was time for comparison and verdict. Both sandwiches are quite similar, but they differ in a few details. It’s hard to say which burger is better because it’s a matter of taste. They taste a little different. I can’t pick a favorite because each one has something unique about it. In the case of Drwal, it was roasted onion and bread roll, which I really liked. The rival, however, had much better meat. It doesn’t really matter, but it also looked nicer and more “rich”. The woodcutter looked quite poor in comparison.

I also had the impression that the sandwich at Max Burgers was bigger, but I didn’t eat them at the same time, so it may just be an illusion. However, I finished The Woodcutter without any problems, and by the end of The Rival I was completely full. I missed vegetables in both burgers. This bit of lettuce and onion was probably more for decoration. For me, it was begging to add even more greens and even some tomatoes and cucumbers.

The fact that it is available in a vegetarian version certainly works in favor of Rywal. I believe that McDonald’s lost a lot by forgetting about customers who don’t eat meat with Drwal.

The sandwich from Max Burgers is a bit more expensive, but the one from McDonald’s is not cheap either. If I had to eat them several times a week, I would go with the bags. From time to time, however, I will probably try it again. Knowing me, the next time will be… next year.

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