Shortly after Arby’s introduced its line of appetizers, Burger King added similar fare to their 99¢ menu. Since I’m mainly interested in spicy foods, this article concentrates on one item these menus have in common. Arby’s calls theirs Jalapeño Bites while Burger King uses the more common name of Jalapeño Poppers. Ironically, it’s the Arby’s offering that more closely resembles the Poppers seen in restaurants and bars.Burger King’s Poppers are shaped much like their French Toast sticks and consist of a cheddar cheese sauce with diced bits of jalapeño pepper. Four deep fried sticks cost 99¢. Arby’s Jalapeño Bites are the more familiar acorn shape, with a jalapeño slice in sour cream, deep fried. You get ten for $3.99 or five for $2.99. Yes, the Arby’s jalapeño appetizers cost more, but they are definitely superior. The Burger King poppers taste all right and have a nice burn, but the Arby’s Bites successfully capture the taste with which most Poppers fans are familiar.
Verdict:
Burger King = ★★ (satisfactory, but could be better)
Arby’s = ★★★★ (excellent effort, could be even spicier)
Note: chew carefully if eating the Arby’s Bites in your car — the hot sour cream can spew.
