The Signature Crafted Sandwiches – AKA McDonald’s identity crisis. After years of catering to the busy worker, the mom with a car full of hungry kids, and the broke college student, the fast food joint noticed a loss of profit. The cause? A lagging demographic from no one other than the infamous generation of Millennials (who’s surprised?).
With aging Millennials came Instagram celebrities, ridesharing, and the outlandish desire to ditch the grease-soaked fast food and opt for fresher, higher quality options. What was a burger restaurant to do? Offer something so different, so Insta-worthy, and so delicious that the young generation would have to try it out (and SnapChat about it).
Enter the Maple Bacon Dijon Signature Crafted Sandwiches.
What’s So Great About ‘Em?
Their sophisticated, daring flavor combination, of course. With maple, bacon, and Dijon, the sandwiches were introduced on the market last year, offered in three variations: Buttermilk Crispy Chicken, Artisan Grilled Chicken, and a 100% Beef quarter-pound patty. You even get to choose your bread: a classic Sesame Seed Bun or an “Artisan Roll.” The sweet ’n’ savory sandwich is piled with thick-cut Applewood smoked bacon with sweet maple seasoning, grilled onions, white cheddar cheese, Dijon sauce, and lettuce. Does anything shout “Millennial” more than words like “artisan” and “crafted?” We think not.
Taste Test – Take 1
However – we were skeptical of the Maple Bacon Dijon. Very few McDonald’s menu items carry such a hefty price tag. But resolving these uncertainties for you is our job, so the $5.19 a pop was worth it.
You must be wondering – did the Maple Bacon Dijon pass muster with our taste testers? The general consensus was that the Maple Bacon Dijon sandwiches are not bad at all. A couple of us thought they were actually pretty good. The bacon was rather fatty in all three sandwiches, but the smoky-sweet maple flavor was delicious. Someone pointed out that the fatty bites of bacon had the same texture as the onions, so if you pretend that’s what you’re chewing on, it’s much more palatable. (When it comes to fast food, oblivion is always the way to go.)
The Dijon sauce was a sweet, earthy concoction that was a little overly tangy. But combined with the meat, bread, and piled-up fixins, we found it quite pleasant overall – with just enough heat and sweet.
And The Prize Goes To….
The Buttermilk Crispy Chicken!
The Buttermilk Crispy Chicken was, by far, the favorite sandwich. It’s nothing like the molded (sometimes rubbery) patty used in the McChicken – but it’s tender, juicy, and fried to light, crispy perfection. Where has McDonald’s been hiding this chicken all these years?
As usual, quality fast food comes with a price. With the highest calorie count out of all the Signature Crafted Sandwiches, the Buttermilk Crispy Chicken has 740 calories, 35 grams of fat, and 69 grams of carbs. Add fries and a soda, and you’ve pretty much hit your daily calorie limit with just one meal. That didn’t sit well with us, but it also wouldn’t keep us from ordering another one.
Artisan Grilled Chicken and 100% Beef, Not So Much
While it was a valiant effort, the other two Signature Crafted Sandwiches didn’t have the same effect. The Grilled Chicken paled in comparison to the Buttermilk Crispy Chicken, lacking moisture and flavor. The 100% Beef patty, on the other hand, didn’t lack flavor – but its flavors didn’t seem cohesive. It tasted like a confused Quarter Pounder.
As for the Maple Bacon – we’d gladly offer the Buttermilk Crispy Chicken a B, the Artisan Grilled Chicken a C, and the 100% Beef a D.
What’s The Latest From Signature Crafted Sandwiches?
Since two out of the three Maple Bacon Dijon sandwiches were a flop, McDonald’s figured they would try again. Their newest creation: The Bacon Smokehouse, a rendition of sandwiches with bacon onion sauce, thick cut Applewood smoked bacon, fried onion strings, sharp white cheddar cheese, and sweet mustard sauce. Offered on a burger, grilled chicken patty, or crispy chicken patty, will these Signature Crafted Sandwiches outshine the Maple Bacon Dijon recipe?
Only time will tell. Go give ‘em a shot yourself, and let us know what YOU think.
mcdonalds burger is good but to small