Scott Hardie | April 21, 2010
It's the food craze that America won't stfu about!

So.... Have you had one?

I like Nate Silver's charts, which establish the sandwich as a new food unit, showing that Wendy's Triple Baconator is 2.45DD, for instance.

Since my diet is focused on calories, I've been skeptical of the talk about how very bad the sandwich is for you, since it's only ~500 calories. That's a pretty small amount for a fast-food sandwich these days, especially one touted as a new landmark in gluttony. But Kelly has been saying from the start that it's 500 calories of pure junk food with little redeeming nutritional value, and I have no doubt that she's right. We plan to split one when we get the chance, just to see what it's like.

Ryan Dunn | April 21, 2010
I had one. I felt like I just had to. Tasted great going down, but left me feeling physically and emotionally drained for the rest of the day.

Mike Eberhart | April 21, 2010
It looks just plain disgusting to me. I just saw an ad for it last night and it didn't look good....

Steve West | April 21, 2010
I refuse to even consider it on general principles. It would give me the same feeling as eating pork rinds or fatback - like eating a spoonful of lard.

Ryan Dunn | April 21, 2010
Where's your sense of adventure? I mean...it's a bacon/cheese sandwich that replaces bread with fried chicken...

...in theory it's a thing of beauty.

Lori Lancaster | April 21, 2010
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Erik Bates | April 21, 2010
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Tony Peters | April 21, 2010
I still love the Bacon Explosion yes it's 5000 calories but only if you eat the whole damn thing and I can't we sliced it about 1/2" thick and served it on a bun with a mustard slaw....tasty

Scott Hardie | April 22, 2010
Since my diet is focused on calories, I've been skeptical of the talk about how very bad the sandwich is for you, since it's only ~500 calories.

I've been getting some messages about this comment, so let me clarify:

1) The hype that has been building around this sandwich for more than a year makes it seem like one of the worst fast-food creations ever unleashed upon gluttonous America. I expected it to be in the 1200-2000 calorie range based on the hype, like a lot of fast-food items are, and I was surprised to discover that it was only ~500 calories. That momentary surprise made the hype seem hollow, which is what I was trying to get across.

2) I know that the Double Down is very bad for you. No good will come of putting this thing inside your body; it has no defensible value as a food product. I have no doubt about its danger, as I said.

3) That I want to try a few bites has nothing to do with the sandwich itself, and everything to do with participating in a cultural phenomenon. It's the same reason that I listened to that Ke$ha song and watched the Betty White Snickers commercial; I want to sample popular trends to know what I'm missing. (I probably still won't play Farmville or join the Tea Party, sorry.) If the sandwich came along quietly like any other menu item, I probably wouldn't even notice it, let alone order it. I think I've had KFC twice in the last six years.

4) As far as my diet goes, I'm well aware that eating healthy and being healthy is about a lot more than just calories. I'm focusing on calories because I've utterly failed at all other attempts to eat healthy, and I know that I can be successful in at least losing weight if I focus on that one thing. This is about getting my enormous weight down first, and will become about being healthy second.

I do appreciate the kind comments and concerns. Thank you.

Kelly Lee | April 22, 2010
I once tried this. Took me a day to eat. Yummy and disgusting.

Steve West | April 22, 2010
I think that sandwich is called the Big MacCoronary.

Erik Bates | April 22, 2010
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Amy Austin | April 22, 2010
I'm hungry.

Scott Hardie | April 22, 2010
It's all good. I liked the blog article. :-)

People get pretty creative with McDonald's food. Then again, people get pretty creative with lots of food.

Samir Mehta | April 22, 2010
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Aaron Shurtleff | April 27, 2010
HEY!! That is not right!


...I love that Ke$ha song.

Scott Hardie | June 8, 2010
I had a few bites of a double down. It's ok. I'm now writing this message from the afterlife, which is the same as regular life but I have $7 less.

Amy Austin | June 9, 2010
LOL... that figures.

Lori Lancaster | June 9, 2010
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Kelly Lee | June 12, 2010
Update:
The afterlife is apparently indistinguishable from life. Thank you, double down, for easing that transition for Scott and I.

Scott Hardie | July 12, 2010
On the list of disgusting foods that cannot be good for me but I'd try anyway for the novelty value, add Cheeseburger in a Can and Candwich. Apparently the investors behind the latter can use the money.

Steve West | August 2, 2010

Steve West | August 13, 2010


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