If there's one factor that we will universally agree on, it is that the comfort of fast-food is typically much more tempting than spending time cooking
We have all been there - it has been a late day on the workplace otherwise you're simply not within the temper for cooking and the considered popping into your native fast-food chain simply sounds extra interesting.
The parents up right here in Aberdeen will not be precisely wanting alternative if that's precisely what they're within the temper for, whether or not or not it's Taco Bell, McDonald's or a KFC.
Like many issues in life, a few of these locations have higher opinions than others, relying on who you converse to.
For instance, The Queens Hyperlinks Leisure Park department, which is subsequent to the seaside boulevard, is "fairly abysmal", in accordance with TripAdvisor.
The burger department presently solely has a 2.5 star ranking based mostly on a complete of 76 opinions.
As of Might 11, 28 ranked it as horrible, 9 ranked it as poor and 15 ranked the place as common. 9 folks ranked it as excellent and an additional 15 ranked it as wonderful. So, I suppose it balances it out.
The explanation for the horrible opinions? Nicely, it turns on the market are fairly just a few causes, primarily being mediocre meals and horrible service.
An unflattering assessment from final week mentioned: "Restaurant wasn't very busy, 4ish within the afternoon on a Wednesday, however the queue was lengthy and with only one younger man taking the orders and making up the trays, the wait was very, very lengthy.
"Not adequate! The restaurant was not very clear and the bathrooms even worse. Add to this the meals was extraordinarily common. The Whopper, which was once the one purpose I might go to, was fairly poor. Sorry, however we is not going to return, ever."
Whereas one other mentioned: "Very poor meals burger horrible chips chilly and bland worth extortionate for items served. Was good now horrible.
A 3rd unfavourable assessment mentioned: "The meals horrible. the cook dinner ought to go to highschool first. By no means by no means once more. costs too excessive for what they serve."
The feedback part was flooded with unfavourable assessment after unfavourable assessment. Contemplating most of them have been pretty prolonged, I will not put up all of them right here, however a lot of the criticism was aimed toward flawed orders, chilly meals, service and cleanliness.
However, is it as dangerous as everybody says? I beforehand visited considered one of Aberdeen's worst rated KFC's, which I discovered to be poorly judged by the general public, so was this going to be the identical challenge?
Nicely, there was just one option to really discover out. Armed with nothing greater than my starvation and my purse, I headed to considered one of Aberdeen's 'worst rated' Burger King's to search out out.
Setting
Out of my entire eight years of dwelling in Aberdeen, I can truthfully admit that I've by no means as soon as visited the Burger King department subsequent to the seaside. I do know, its scandalous.
So, I headed there with a literal clean slate on what to anticipate. Nicely, aside from the Tripadvisor opinions, however I'm at all times open to altering folks's minds.
I made a decision to go there after work at round 6pm, as I assumed it might be a bit simpler, somewhat than having to take care of the lunchtime rush.
And I wasn't flawed. There have been only a few automobiles parked up and there have been even much less going by way of the drive-thru. Even once I walked into the restaurant itself there have been only a few diners, and I solely noticed one group of youngsters and some different couples or solo diners. The remainder have been empty tables and a variety of silence. Like, a variety of silence.
Eerie vacancy apart, the subsequent factor I did discover was that it regarded pretty clear and tidy for a fast-food department. There was a employees member cleansing, no bins have been overflowing and there was no meals left on the tables or on the ground.
There was just one member of employees serving clients, so I did discover that I used to be ready fairly some time earlier than my order was taken.
However all in all, I discovered the restaurant to be clear, tidy and properly organised. So far as first impressions go, it wasn't the worst.
Customer support
Now, contemplating the opinions on Tripadvisor taking intention on the "abysmal service", you will must forgive me for going into this just a bit cautious.
From lengthy waits to impolite employees members, the department constantly ranks low within the service division, which is sufficient to make anybody hesitant.
And I can verify that these opinions are solely half appropriate.
As beforehand talked about, there was just one member of employees taking buyer orders and, contemplating it was pretty quiet, this initially did not strike me as a foul factor.
Boy, was I flawed.
The one folks that have been in entrance of me have been a bunch of youngsters and a few of them had already had their orders taken, so why I ended up standing for 10 minutes is a bit of past me.
There have been just a few different members of employees working for the drive-thru and placing orders collectively, which made me assume that considered one of them might need jumped on one other until because the queue behind me began to construct up.
I did attempt to get the servers consideration, however I need to admit that I did not need to appear impolite. I did see an indication saying "assortment" and never "orders", which made me initially assume that you simply needed to order earlier than you go in.
At one stage, I turned to a buyer behind me to verify that we may order within the restaurant, and he agreed that it was taken some time.
As soon as I used to be ultimately referred to as over to take my order - a bacon double cheeseburger meal, if you wish to know - I need to admit that the employees member was pleasant and well mannered. I do know it does not make up for the lengthy wait, however a minimum of I can verify that the employees have been good and by no means as soon as have been they impolite.
The meals
As talked about, the order of the day was a medium bacon double cheeseburger meal, and on the whole worth of £6.49, I've some ideas.
I am going to begin with a little bit of constructive for Burger King. Upon selecting up my order, I discovered that no objects have been lacking and that every part regarded in place - nothing just like the opinions that have been left.
The chips have been piping sizzling, that means I will need to have had a contemporary batch. I think about that an absolute win, as a result of I stand by the truth that Burger King has the most effective chips out of each single fast-food chain. It is a hill that I'll completely die on.
Nonetheless, that is have been the positives finish, I am afraid.
So, for the primary time shortly, I made a decision to be adventurous by ordering a hamburger for the very first time. I've beforehand talked about that in former opinions that I have a tendency to stay to hen dishes at fast-food joints - and I want that I had by no means branched out of my consolation zone.
Presentation smart - it was high quality and properly put collectively. Nonetheless, I discovered that the burger was really fairly chilly, the bacon was a bit of bit stringy and all of it simply felt a bit of...unhappy. Truly, the burger did look a bit of unhappy and deflated.
I additionally simply anticipated it to be a lot extra. Contemplating Burger King is called being the place for premium fast-food burgers, I anticipated it to have the well-known "flame grilled style", nevertheless it was simply barely bland.
It was additionally a bit of burnt spherical the sides, making some elements extremely chewy. So not appetising.
Look, I respect that I used to be not in a Michelin star restaurant and that you simply get what you pay for, however as an organization that's well-known for its burgers, it would need to do some bit extra work into them.
Even the juice had some points - to not the fault of the employees in any respect. It seems that, on this department, it's important to pour your individual juice from the drinks station. I went in for my regular Sprite order and out poured some cola earlier than switching to what I needed, which was...bizarre.
All in all, the chips have been the saving grace of this meal. As talked about, for a spot famed for his or her burgers, that is probably not good now, is it?
General verdict
So, after heading to Queens Hyperlinks Leisure Park Burger King filled with worry based mostly on the 76 opinions from Tripadvisor, what did I discovered?
Nicely, that typically Tripadvisor can sometimes get it proper, so it appears.
There have been just a few positives. Primarily that the department was comparatively clear and tidy, the employees have been respectable and the chips proceed to be the king - get it? - of fast-food joints.
I've positively visited worst institutions in my time by way of hygiene.
That being mentioned, there have been just a few downfalls.
On this case, the opinions have been appropriate in sure areas.
The employees - as nice as they have been - took fairly some time to get spherical to taking my order, regardless of there being not many individuals in-store.
The burger itself - which ought to have lived as much as potential - was barely unhappy and bland, leaving it somewhat unappetising.
Regardless of costing simply £6.49, I can not assist however really feel barely robbed. As talked about, I primarily keep on with hen nuggets or hen burgers, and I really feel like being adventurous with a bacon double cheeseburger did not repay. I used to be robbed of a flame-grilled burger and I ought to have caught with a Rooster Royale.
Would which have made a distinction? Who is aware of.
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