KFC Double Down: Hype Meets Reality

The dream (left) meets reality (right, courtesy Always Hungry).

As you may have heard, today KFC rolls out a new food product, The Double Down. It is a sandwich with two chicken fillets instead of bread slices; in between you will find two pieces of bacon, melted slices of Monterey Jack and Pepper Jack cheese and the Colonel's sauce (which is akin to mayo). The Double Down also comes with 540 calories, 32 grams of fat, 1,380 milligrams of sodium, and definitively wipes away any remaining crumbs of moderation or dignity left on the American bib. But does it live up to the hype?

The intrepid eaters at Always Hungry put their lives on the line to try the new product this morning, reporting that [SPOILER!] "you feel fat while eating it. But as out-there as the sandwich is supposed to be, it would have done better to go further. Each fried chicken breast (crisp on the edges, a softer fry elsewhere), is almost ¾ of an inch thick. That’s a lot of chicken—the bacon and cheese kind of get lost. KFC would do better to double the cheese and the bacon; more crunchy bacon, more gooey, drippy cheese coming out the sides of the fried chicken. If you’re going to go there, might as well really go there."

And New York Times chief dining critic Sam Sifton also filed on the Double Down. You get the sense that if it were possible to give out negative stars (black holes?) the Double Down would be minus four. Sifton deems it "a new low: a greasy entree dish of chicken with bacon and cheese on it, slathered in sauce, that the company asks customers to eat with their hands. 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." But The Awl's David Cho raves, "America, we did it! We, like the Double Down, are pretty much exactly what people think we are." Liberators!

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By John Del Signore in Food on April 12, 2010 2:25 PM

Comments [rss]

feelandtriple

it's got nothing on this paula deen gem: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zv8yEMRDe_w

Steve

It doesn't matter if it's grilled or not, it's still far too many calories for one meal. Nevertheless, this is what America wants. We are moving away from the carb counting craze of the 2000's and back to our fatty roots. http://www.weltbranding.com/blog/ has a good look at it. I agree with their description that nobody wants to go to fast food and eat healthy. Also, I like their progression of how foods are reverting back to the unhealthy nature, because after all, we are a fat nation. It's science.

LB

Are you in my body ? If so then you would know how eating fast food makes me feel . Gassy, and Bloated ! While I'm not going to quote medical logs , I believe that a lifestyle of heavy, greasy foods, and sugars will lead you straight into the awaiting arms of a heart attack, stroke, Or seizure . Take your chances if you want but I'm erring on the side of what I think will afford me a long healthy life style .

Kymus

There's a distinct difference between "fast food" and "fatty food". I stopped eating fast food years ago and the last time I tried eating it, it gave me a nasty stomach ache. It's not the burger that was the culprit, but the unknown quality and additives in the food.

I work as a Health Coach, so keeping up with studies is my job. In this case, I'm referring to the meta-analysis published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition back in January. A review of all the available studies conclusively proves that saturated fats are perfectly healthy.

LB

Thanks you for the advice and educating me on some health facts sir . You opinon will be applied to my "food thinking" .

blmninc

my cousin ate two of them today for lunch and heres video proof

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBtGv1NiZm0

Ragingsemi

Step one: Invent & market something gross, and profoundly American.

Step two: Watch as Asian kids everywhere upload videos of themselves with said product.

Step three: Repeat.

LB

Uhhhh ! My boobs are hurting me just looking at that ! All that artery clogging fat !

Kymus

There is no good evidence to suggest that saturated fat clogs arteries. It was just one diet fad scam amongst many that have been repeated over and over for the past 60 years.

sol havemeyer

i am glad they left the bread of that thing. too much bread is really bad for you.

Guest

ahh... reminds me of the good ol' turducken:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turducken

ps i never had it. i don't think i ever intend to.

Guest

and in england, there's "a three-bird roast: a duck stuffed with chicken stuffed with a pigeon, with sage and apple stuffing."

yes, a pigeon. a fucking pigeon.

...

matty

It's called squab and is pretty common in european cooking. I doubt they're NYC street pigeons. heh.

Guest

thanks for clarifying. other sites call them pheasants. now i can eat dinner.

Spirit of 76

Pheasant is a whole different bird unrelated to pigeons. It's usually hunted as game in the wild, unlike squab, which are farm-raised. Although "accomplished hunters" like Dick Cheney like to go to private game preserves where farm-raised pheasants are released for them to shoot.

NannyState

We need healthier options, like deep-fried sushi or deep-fried fresh fruits and vegetables.

Spirit of 76

Hey, that gives me an idea. Take the Luther burger and substitute the beef patty with a deep-fried chicken breast to get the crispy texture along with the sweetness. Mmmmmm...

gagneur

I want my country back!

schwee

i had a preview of said product on saturday in philly! it was delicious, although they definitely need to rig it with some grease-resistant sling or drink sleeve to avoid too much grease transfer. i mean, don't get me wrong, my hands are still smelling pretty potent.