Doubling Down

"I just had my first KFC Double Down Chicken Sandwich.  I feel like I doubled down and lost." - Kid Dynamite, May 14th, 2010

I'm not a big fast food guy.  I like the Wendy's Junior CheeseBurger Deluxe and Spicy Chicken Sandwich, but I've eaten at Burger King less than 5 times in my entire life, and at McDonalds only when stopping at rest stops when I'm driving between NYC and Boston.  I think I went to Taco Bell once about 8 years ago, and  I had Popeye's a few times a year when I was in New York, but I can't remember the last time I was at KFC.

So, it was relatively unusual that I found myself making a special trip to KFC to sample their new Double Down Chicken Sandwich.  You know that feeling you get when you're playing blackjack and you get dealt an eleven against the dealer's six?  Excitement... anticipation... DOUBLE DOWN!!!  That's how I felt as I drove to KFC in Concord today.  The result, however, was just like spiking a deuce on your doubled down eleven and then watching as the dealer snaps himself off a 4 card 19 - disappointment.  Pain.  Stomach ache.

This sandwich isn't much like the one you see in the commercial, which shows two long, thin, golden brown crisp chicken patties.  Mine was a soggy, pale yellow specimen, which was short and stubby.  If you watch the commercial clip above, you'll be fooled by the few inches of foil wrapper that the guys are holding the sandwich in.  Guess what - if you push the sandwich to the bottom of the foil wrapper, it barely sticks out above the opening.  Which isn't to say that you won't be getting your calories worth with this baby -  I was actually somewhat surprised to find that it contains "only" 540 calories and 32 grams of fat.  Of course, I washed it down with a DIET Pepsi.

I'll leave you with a few reviews from other sources about this sandwich:

"The chicken is watery within its soft casing of "crust," the cheese familiar to anyone who has eaten food prepared by the United States government, the bacon chemical in its smokiness, the mayonnaise sauce tangy, salty, and sweet, all at once...It is, in all, a disgusting meal, a must-to-avoid. -- Diner's Journal, New York Times"

"God clearly did not mean for humans to eat chicken, bacon, and low-quality, gelatinous cheese at the same time...Each bite became a grueling endurance test, as the cheese and grease began to override the chicken breasts, and the sandwich grew more revolting-looking with each bite. -- The AV Club"

Amen to that.  At least KFC's potato wedges were an excellent side dish...

-KD