I got the same meal at Culver's and McDonald's. The Midwestern chain dominated almost every category. (2024)

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I spent a little more at Culver's for the same amount of food.

For a fair comparison, I kept my orders at Culver's and McDonald's as close as possible.

At Culver's, I ordered a deluxe ButterBurger, a medium fry, a medium Diet co*ke, two chicken strips, and a peanut-butter Concrete Mixer. The meal came out to $18.52.

At McDonald's, I got a double cheeseburger, medium fry, medium Diet co*ke, four chicken nuggets, and an Oreo McFlurry for $14.68.

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The McDonald’s menu was more limited than I'd expected.

I'd planned to order Chicken Selects at McDonald's because they would have been closer to Culver's chicken strips, but tragedy struck when I learned the chain had discontinued them.

In a panic, I got an order of four chicken nuggets instead — not quite the same, but I figured they'd be close enough.

The hits kept coming at McDonald's, though. My childhood was filled with (what I remember as) endless flavor choices of McFlurries, but there were only two options on the menu this time around: M&M or Oreo.

I'd already had a peanut-butter Concrete Mixer at Culver's, so my dessert comparison would be less direct. But I'd still be eating crushed Oreos and ice cream, so I couldn't complain too much.

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The Culver's ButterBurger was top notch.

Culver's has made a name for itself with its ButterBurger, named after its buttered and toasted buns.

The burger itself was flavorful and tasted like it came fresh off the grill. The toppings were also fresh — crunchy lettuce, a ripe tomato, potent onions, sour pickles, and a slathering of condiments.

But the flavorful bun was the main attraction.

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The McDonald's double cheeseburger paled in comparison.

The McDonald's bun had none of the flavor of the one at Culver's. It was also soft, so it mashed in my grip.

The burger patty was thin, there was way too much ketchup, and I could eat the whole thing in about four big bites.

The double cheeseburger's saving grace was the cheese: It was perfectly melted on the burger, while Culver's was more like a cold slice added during the final assembly.

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I don't need to eat the fries at Culver's ever again.

I was underwhelmed when I tried the french fries at Culver's during my first experience, and nothing changed this time.

Though I give Culver's points for the fun shape of its crinkle-cut fries, the potatoes were bland.

Of course, Culver's offers salt and ketchup, but I expect fast-food fries to come at least lightly salted already.

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The fries at McDonald's are still undefeated.

Mickey D's may have disappointed me with its burger, but I knew the fries would satisfy me.

Its fries have the perfect amount of salt, and they're always cooked wonderfully — some are crispy and some (my favorite) are soggy.

The golden-brown potatoes have no rival. They're the only fast-food fries I'd happily eat without ketchup.

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The Culver's chicken strips weren't my favorite.

Culver's is known for its burgers, custard, and cheese curds — and it does all those things well. But chicken is not the chain's strong suit.

The texture of Culver's two-piece chicken strips was strangely mushy inside. That wasn't exactly what I was craving.

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The McDonald’s chicken nuggets didn't fare any better.

There isn't anything inherently bad about McDonald's chicken nuggets. I just don't think they're tasty enough to warrant ordering again.

Like the poultry at Culver's, the consistency on the inside was a little mushy. They reminded me of the frozen chicken nuggets I'd throw in the microwave in college when I was too lazy (or hungry) to bake them.

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Frozen custard makes dessert at Culver's superior.

Culver's sells delicious frozen treats that remind me of Dairy Queen's Blizzards. But they're made with frozen custard instead of ice cream.

Frozen custard adds egg yolks to the typical ice-cream ingredients, which makes for a creamier and thicker texture. That's what makes it so gosh darn delicious.

I got a Concrete Mixer with vanilla custard, peanut-butter sauce, and Reese's mixed in.

It was so creamy and peanut buttery — I'd return to Culver's just for dessert.

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My McFlurry didn't seem properly mixed.

My dessert from McDonald's, on the other hand, left a lot to be desired. It tasted good — it's hard to mess up ice cream. But the Oreo McFlurry didn't seem very flurried.

There were a lot of Oreo pieces on top, but once I got about halfway down, I mostly found plain vanilla ice cream.

Since it was just soft serve and not thick custard, it wasn't my favorite of the two.

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Ultimately, I'd choose Culver's over McDonald's whenever possible.

Culver's locations are few and far between where I live, and McDonald's dots every highway exit. The food at Mickey D's is also cheaper and usually comes out faster.

But Culver's is well worth it if you're willing to drive a couple of extra miles, dig a little deeper in your pocket, and wait a little longer for your food.