I ate similar meals at McDonald's and Carl's Jr. and saw why one is the dominant burger chain

What happens to a brand when it's forced to change its identity?

Sure, there's that little golden star. But what Carl's Jr. is often known for is its controversial 2000s advertising strategy, which relied on skimpily clad supermodels taking big, suggestive bites of oversized burgers.

But after sex-sells advertising went out of fashion, Carl's Jr. never really found a new identity. Meanwhile McDonald's, its biggest competitor in the fast-food world, successfully rebounded from the damage its reputation suffered from "Fast Food Nation" and "Supersize Me."

So what makes McDonald's the burger of the world and Carl's Jr. just another fast-food burger chain? I set out to find out by eating similar meals at both chains. Here's what I found:

I stopped by a Carls Jr. in LAX on a flight from Los Angeles to New York.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Irene Jiang / Business Insider

The interior was mostly dark grey with red accents and stark lighting. I felt like I was in "Battlestar Galactica."

BusinessInsider USA Images

Irene Jiang / Business Insider

The menu is full of intense names like "The Big Carl" and "Western Bacon Cheeseburger."

BusinessInsider USA Images

Irene Jiang / Business Insider

But Carls Jr. was also one of the first fast-food chains to roll out a plant-based "meat" option nationwide.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Irene Jiang / Business Insider

"We gotta have a sense of humor around here," my cashier told me.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Irene Jiang / Business Insider

My meal arrived shortly. Id ordered a Famous Star combo with fries and a drink ($8.19).

BusinessInsider USA Images

Irene Jiang / Business Insider

The price is accurate to the LAX location of Carl's Jr. that I went to.

I started with my Famous Star burger, which was hot and heavy.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Irene Jiang / Business Insider

It wasnt as tall as In-n-Outs perky Double Double or as wide as Burger Kings Whopper.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Irene Jiang / Business Insider

My first bite revealed that the burger was thick in all the wrong places.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Irene Jiang / Business Insider

It tasted like a milder version of a Whopper, and the beef was just kind of ... there. The vegetables were fine, but they didnt add much other than volume.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Irene Jiang / Business Insider

Sadly, the most dominant flavor was mayo and ketchup.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Irene Jiang / Business Insider

A diner can tell the difference between a burger thats actually juicy and one thats juiced up.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Irene Jiang / Business Insider

It was time for my favorite kind of break: a fry break.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Irene Jiang / Business Insider

And these fries were exactly what I was looking for: crispy outside, molten inside. Carls Jr.s fries hit the spot.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Irene Jiang / Business Insider

They tasted like a better version of Wendys fries. There was no metallic aftertaste. They just tasted like fried potato.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Irene Jiang / Business Insider

These tasted how I wish In-N-Outs fries tasted.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Irene Jiang / Business Insider

This wasnt a bad burger. In fact, it was a pretty good burger.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Irene Jiang / Business Insider

But everything about it was just not as good as it could have been.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Irene Jiang / Business Insider

As far as burgers go, this one falls squarely into the "average" category. There wasnt anything wrong with it, per se, but there wasnt much that was good about it.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Irene Jiang / Business Insider

There just wasnt anything about the burger that would make me remember it and crave it later.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Irene Jiang / Business Insider

I found myself reaching for the fries more often than the burger. They were good fries.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Irene Jiang / Business Insider

But if someone asked me what makes Carls Jr. food "Carls Jr.", Id be at a loss for descriptors. Its just ... fine.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Irene Jiang / Business Insider

After I returned to New York, I went to the McDonalds restaurant across the street from BIs Manhattan office.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Irene Jiang / Business Insider

Surprisingly, this McDonalds had a similar dystopic vibe to Carls Jr.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Irene Jiang / Business Insider

It was decked out in the same dark grey and piercing red that made Carls Jr. feel like a battleship from the future.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Irene Jiang / Business Insider

Whatever happened to the fun, cheery colors of fast-food days gone by?

BusinessInsider USA Images

Irene Jiang / Business Insider

I picked up my order when my number was called and headed upstairs with a brown bag full of goodies.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Irene Jiang / Business Insider

Id ordered a Big Mac meal ($9.79), which comes with a medium side of fries and a drink.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Irene Jiang / Business Insider

The price is accurate to the New York City location of McDonald's that I went to.

Its even the namesake of the "Big Mac index," which measures the cost of living in various countries.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Irene Jiang / Business Insider

So whats so iconic about a pile of bun, beef, and special sauce?

BusinessInsider USA Images

Irene Jiang / Business Insider

In the end, not too much. The Big Mac doesnt taste like a real burger in the way the Famous Star does.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Irene Jiang / Business Insider

It feels a little too dry, a little too constructed for that. But it does taste memorable.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Irene Jiang / Business Insider

If you took a blind bite out of a burger, youd be able to tell if it was a Big Mac.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Irene Jiang / Business Insider

Because even if it isnt the best burger in the world, its certainly distinct.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Irene Jiang / Business Insider

The special mac sauce adds an addictively creamy tang, while the layers of dry bun and middling beef respectfully do their jobs.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Irene Jiang / Business Insider

McDonalds golden starches are the golden standard for many a fast-food fan.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Irene Jiang / Business Insider

Theyre the fries that made the world love fries, but personally, I think the world can do better.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Irene Jiang / Business Insider

When theyre fresh, they are crispy, salty, and pretty tasty. But they always leave me feeling a little empty.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Irene Jiang / Business Insider

Unlike Carls Jr.s fries, these feel thin, flimsy, and ultimately unsatisfying.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Irene Jiang / Business Insider

So if Carls Jr. makes a slightly better burger and a much better fry, why is it so far behind its biggest competitor?

BusinessInsider USA Images

Irene Jiang / Business Insider

After all, the Big Mac is no big deal.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Irene Jiang / Business Insider

What makes it the "Big Mac index" and not the "Famous Star index" if the Famous Star is a better burger?

BusinessInsider USA Images

Irene Jiang / Business Insider

In this case, its not about which makes a better burger, but about which makes a better brand. And at brand-building, the golden arches beats out the smiling star.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Irene Jiang / Business Insider

I ate similar meals at McDonald's and Carl's Jr. and saw why one is the dominant burger chain

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I stopped by a Carls Jr. in LAX on a flight from Los Angeles to New York.

The interior was mostly dark grey with red accents and stark lighting. I felt like I was in "Battlestar Galactica."

The menu is full of intense names like "The Big Carl" and "Western Bacon Cheeseburger."

But Carls Jr. was also one of the first fast-food chains to roll out a plant-based "meat" option nationwide.

"We gotta have a sense of humor around here," my cashier told me.

My meal arrived shortly. Id ordered a Famous Star combo with fries and a drink ($8.19).

I started with my Famous Star burger, which was hot and heavy.

It wasnt as tall as In-n-Outs perky Double Double or as wide as Burger Kings Whopper.

My first bite revealed that the burger was thick in all the wrong places.

It tasted like a milder version of a Whopper, and the beef was just kind of ... there. The vegetables were fine, but they didnt add much other than volume.

Sadly, the most dominant flavor was mayo and ketchup.

A diner can tell the difference between a burger thats actually juicy and one thats juiced up.

It was time for my favorite kind of break: a fry break.

And these fries were exactly what I was looking for: crispy outside, molten inside. Carls Jr.s fries hit the spot.

They tasted like a better version of Wendys fries. There was no metallic aftertaste. They just tasted like fried potato.

These tasted how I wish In-N-Outs fries tasted.

This wasnt a bad burger. In fact, it was a pretty good burger.

But everything about it was just not as good as it could have been.

As far as burgers go, this one falls squarely into the "average" category. There wasnt anything wrong with it, per se, but there wasnt much that was good about it.

There just wasnt anything about the burger that would make me remember it and crave it later.

I found myself reaching for the fries more often than the burger. They were good fries.

But if someone asked me what makes Carls Jr. food "Carls Jr.", Id be at a loss for descriptors. Its just ... fine.

After I returned to New York, I went to the McDonalds restaurant across the street from BIs Manhattan office.

Surprisingly, this McDonalds had a similar dystopic vibe to Carls Jr.

It was decked out in the same dark grey and piercing red that made Carls Jr. feel like a battleship from the future.

Whatever happened to the fun, cheery colors of fast-food days gone by?

I picked up my order when my number was called and headed upstairs with a brown bag full of goodies.

Id ordered a Big Mac meal ($9.79), which comes with a medium side of fries and a drink.

Its even the namesake of the "Big Mac index," which measures the cost of living in various countries.

So whats so iconic about a pile of bun, beef, and special sauce?

In the end, not too much. The Big Mac doesnt taste like a real burger in the way the Famous Star does.

It feels a little too dry, a little too constructed for that. But it does taste memorable.

If you took a blind bite out of a burger, youd be able to tell if it was a Big Mac.

Because even if it isnt the best burger in the world, its certainly distinct.

The special mac sauce adds an addictively creamy tang, while the layers of dry bun and middling beef respectfully do their jobs.

McDonalds golden starches are the golden standard for many a fast-food fan.

Theyre the fries that made the world love fries, but personally, I think the world can do better.

When theyre fresh, they are crispy, salty, and pretty tasty. But they always leave me feeling a little empty.

Unlike Carls Jr.s fries, these feel thin, flimsy, and ultimately unsatisfying.

So if Carls Jr. makes a slightly better burger and a much better fry, why is it so far behind its biggest competitor?

After all, the Big Mac is no big deal.

What makes it the "Big Mac index" and not the "Famous Star index" if the Famous Star is a better burger?

In this case, its not about which makes a better burger, but about which makes a better brand. And at brand-building, the golden arches beats out the smiling star.

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