Culver's (Chain)

There was a brief period of my life after I lived free of the confines of family or school, yet before I could legally acquire alcohol. Attending school at the time in the middle of nowhere, with few amenities and fewer pleasures, meant traveling further afield for what would otherwise be mundane. I took several such sojourns with my roommate, Eric, to the nearest city and the nearest Culver's - a mere half hour's drive away - whenever our other roommate (Garrett) abandoned us for the weekend to spend time with his loving girlfriend. 

Eric is a man of few, strong passions: economics, beer, the Green Bay Packers, and Culver's. As I journeyed the five minutes down the street from my apartment last night to my neighborhood Culver's, my mind hearkened back to simpler times, when the warmth of cheese curds and a butter burger warmed the cockles of my cold, dead heart, giving me some small measure of meaning and purpose in those dark times. I think Eric just liked eating at Culver's.

Here's a review of onion rings from Culver's. 

Presentation and Appearance: (3.5/5)

With the convenience of fast food comes many a sacrifice for other luxuries. Despite the simplicity of the presentation of these onion rings (a small blue and white Culver's branded bag), I find myself oddly charmed. As I assume is taught at culinary schools around the nation, the quantity of onion rings exceeds the immediate space of the bag, spilling out in their circular glory. 

The onion rings themselves are cooked to a crisp, golden brown, with occasional specks of darker brown throughout. They are wildly variate in size, though fairly uniform in thickness. The battering is pockmarked, though this rarely exposes the onion core. As such, they do add a bit of pizzazz to the plate as a whole. 

(Culver's did not provide the plate, that's all me.) 

Taste: (2.5/5) 

The Culver's website, which has long been an authoritative source of information on the questions that wrack men's souls, notes that the onion rings are "salted the second they leave the fryer." True to their word, these onion rings are perfectly salted. There's enough to bring out the flavor of the battle, but not so much that it eclipses all other tastes. Taste-wise, the batter is the highlight of these rings, with other spices subtly mixed in with the salty flavor. 

Unfortunately, the onions fail to live up to the batter's standards. Though they are soft, plump, and juicy, there's next to no onion flavor coming with it. Such onion flavor that exists is pleasant, though skimpy. 

Texture: (3.5/5)

In what I can only assume is a remarkable feat of Wisconsin engineering, the batter was a marvelous mixture of brittle, yet firm. My first bite led the batter to crack and splinter, almost dissolving instantly in my mouth, and yet the rest of the onion ring remained firm. It's as though the batter was chemically designed to collapse after a bite, but only in the exposed areas. The strength of the batter was truly a marvel. 

However, its structural integrity was not matched by the plump onion within. The onions were perhaps a bit too soft, and prone to noodling out from inside the thick salty walls, though full-on slippage was thankfully rare. The onion portions were soft, but seemed at times more slimy than juicy. 

Value: (4/5)

Though somewhat lacking in onion taste, these well-seasoned rings provided a filling snack for a mere $2.99. Though I would be shocked if these onion rings weren't frozen, they were clearly cooked fresh and seasoned with love (which I assume tastes like salt). The batter is a shockingly high quality for mass-produced onion rings, and the quantity was just right. 

Total: (13.5/20)

Chili's (Chain)

I know what you're thinking. Why, after a ten month absence, would I come back with, of all things, Chili's? There are a number of factors that led to its selection, including Season 2, Episode 1 of The Office ("The Dundies," which takes place in a Chili's), Season 2, Episode 7 of The Office ("The Client," which also takes place partially in a Chili's, or "the new golf course" and features an Awesome Blossom), and its unique blend of of ubiquity and mediocrity.

Though a relic of a bygone era, its cultural impact continues to echo throughout the strip malls of American suburbia, all the more relevant in an increasingly urbanized world.

Here's a review of Awesome Blossom Petals from Chili's. Welcome back.

Presentation and Appearance: 4/5

In a twist on the prevailing norm the onion petals arrive in a metal box (or possibly an ineffective cheese grater), which is itself on an oversized square plate. The box is just the right size to contain the volume of the petals, overflowing every so slightly. A delicate sprinkle of what I can only assume to be a proprietary blend of Chili's seasoning coats the top layer, perhaps providing an extra boost of flavor. The accompanying "Blossom sauce" rests in a standard ramekin, albeit with some leakage reaching over the rim.

The petals themselves are fairly evenly coated and with a golden brown crust in appearance. A handful of petals deeper into the basket had bare onion showing, or a blended together batter, but overall, they looked meaty and robust.

Taste: 1.5/5 

In a perfect metaphor for the Chili's experience, and many of the dominant chain restaurants around the nation, the strong appearance of the onion petals served only to mask the lifeless chunks of onion hiding within a bland batter. Though the petals are thick, they lack onion juice. Though the batter is brown and all encompassing, its thickness masks a moist and bland interior. Though greasy, there's no hint of onion taste, leaving me to marvel in horror at its source.

The bits of Chili's proprietary seasoning blend were only sprinkled on the top few petals, and served to add little more than a bare hint of flavor, tricking me for a brief moment into thinking there was flavor.

The sauce is the closest thing to a highlight in this dish. Rather than the standard sides of Southwestern sauce or ranch, the Blossom sauce has a strong taste of horseradish. Unfortunately, as is always the case with bland onion rings and related products, the petals serve as nothing more than a vehicle to shovel the sauce into my mouth, eschewing even further the concept of nutritional value or satisfaction.

Texture: 1/5

Though my foray into the world of onion rings has taken a brief leave of absence throughout the bulk of 2019, the issues have not changed. Slippage, my mortal foe, has been hiding deep in the weeds, waiting for my eventual return to strike. And strike it did, with a vengeance. On nearly every bite of every petal I ate, the onions squeezed out from the batter like a greasy, oversized sunflower seed, leaving an unappealing shell in its wake.

The onion interior is too big, and the batter, though thick, can't seem to contain it. There's hardly a hint of a crisp in the batter, and the mouthfeel is more like an onion cake, sweetened with sawdust and bound with earwig honey.

Value: 1.5/5

For my metal box of onion petals, I paid $6.99. For the sheer quantity of onion flesh, lessened substantially by the pivot of a petal rather than a ring shape, it's hideously overpriced. In every possible sense, these Awesome Blossom Petals are a perfect metaphor for Chili's. Through strong in appearance and presentation, they are bland, tasteless, overpriced, and poorly executed. The closest they approach flavor is through the dipping sauce, which serves only to mask the deficiencies of every other part of the dish.

Total: 8/20

Whataburger (Chain)

At long last, I conclude my travelogue of dipping my toes into the vast culinary world of Austin, Texas. Of course, by that I mean sampling a variety of onion rings to gauge restaurant quality. The nobility of my calling, and the esteem that comes with it, is often lacking. Many fail to understand my crucial role in the culinary ecosystem, and I must work in the shadows, skulking about with those precious few who know the power of the Onion Ring Standard. 

Here's a review of onion rings from Whataburger, at a location in Austin, Texas. Thanks to my brother, Zach, for driving and joining me. 

Presentation and Appearance: 3/5

The carton shape that serves as a delivery mechanism for the onion rings from Whataburger is unique among the various fast food onion rings I've reviewed. It's neither roughly cylindrical, nor roughly cubic, as is the norm, but a mysterious combination of angles, in what I assume to be a unique Texan geometry. It's intriguing, though somewhat confusing. 

The odd shape of the carton makes it difficult to see all of the onion rings at first glance. From my vantage point, I can clearly see at least one exposed onion ring, showing its hidden ivory interior to the world around it. The breading is colored on the darker side of golden brown, and I suspect they're fairly overdone. These rings are, in short, a mixed carton characterized by creative presentation and lackluster attention to detail. 

Taste: 3/5

Unsurprisingly, given the geographic location of these onion rings, and the chain of Whataburger at large, they are heavily flavored with grease. The grease serves as a flavor delivery mechanism for the onion juices, derived from the somewhat overdone onion rings, and is the highlight of the taste of the dish. These juices deliver a strong and more than sufficient onion flavor of the rings, though this taste is inconsistently applied over the rings. 

The batter, on the other hand, is largely flavorless. There's a vague hint of seasoning, probably no more than a dash of salt, but the juices meld with the batter on occasion to deliver a soft, buttery bite. 

Texture: 1.5/5

An onion ring fried for a good length is a delicate balancing act. The longer cook time tends to generate an excess of onion grease, and additional flavor, but at the cost of yielding a mushy onion texture. This was demonstrably the case for these onion rings, as the onions fell prey to this unfortunate tendency. Though several were soft and smooth, and approaching a fine onion paste, a number of them slid further still into the unquenchable heat of the fryer, resulting in blackened and scarred crunchy remnants of what was once an onion. 

The batter is worse. The hint of a cracked batter I saw early on reared its ugly head further in, with cracked batter running amok on more than half of the onion rings in the carton. The batter was attached by a thin membrane, weak as a spider's web and half as tasty. A major problem was likely in the thin cut of the onions, making them unable to withstand the crucible of grease and oil. In short, the texture was a crumpled and wicked mess. 

Value: 3.5/5

This carton of bruised and frayed onion rings cost a mere $2.39. Though lacking in cohesive texture, they did deliver a strong onion flavor, with a substantial quantity, at a more than reasonable price point. 

Total: 11/20

Outback Steakhouse (Everywhere)

A year ago, I made the momentous decision to expand Sola Cepa beyond onion rings alone, to encompass any sort of breaded and fried onion concoction that the world could throw at me. This decision has had dramatic ramifications on the entire review process, and radically expanded the possible world of restaurants I could review.

The famed Bloomin' Onion, from what I can only assume is a vigorously-researched replication of a traditional Australian recipe, comes from Outback Steakhouse. I had long endeavored to sample this delicacy, but found it difficulty to justify ordering and consuming almost 2,000 Calories of an onion based dish on my own. Thankfully, the occasion arose to go with others. Thanks to Mike, Kelsey, Chris, and Keely for joining me on this quest, and a special thanks to Kelsey (for providing me with the paper I needed to write this review down as my phone was dead) and Chris (for providing the pen).

Presentation and Appearance: 2.5/5

The Bloomin' Onion, as a culinary concoction, is designed for spectacle, much like the ancient Greek theater. A mere ring is not enough for Outback Steakhouse. No, indeed, they need a bloom, perhaps trying to get diners to associate the greasy mass with a delicate rose. It's an interesting, and bold, concept.

Unfortunately, this Bloomin' Onion was not fully in bloom. While there was an attempt at a delicate fan around the ramekin of "spicy signature bloom sauce," which as far as I can tell was just a completely standard zesty sauce with a bit more seasoning poured in, it failed to fully encompass it. Some petals fell to the plate, wilted, as though defeated by the fryer.

The outer shell of breading was inconsistently coated, leading the the cracked, white husk of the onion interior to shine through. Not only was this flower not fully in bloom, it was scarred and damaged. The breading is a remarkably dark brown, and almost certainly overdone. By contrast, the onion seems raw and underdone, a bizarre and concerning mixture of appearances that does not bode well for this dish.

Taste: 3.5/5

My initial suspicion as to the breading was confirmed on my first bite, as it was badly overdone and crunchy, bordering in some cases on burnt. However, the unique blend of spices and seasoning, which I can only assume is derived from authentic and traditional Australian cuisine, packs a delightful punch. While it doesn't quite make up for the other deficiencies of the breading, it helps a good deal.

The onion taste is likewise remarkably strong. According to a card on the wall in the waiting area, which I read approximately ten times as we waited, and waited, and waited to be seated, the onion was a unique delicacy known as a "spicy" onion. In my years of onion ring reviewing, I've never heard of this exotic crop. I can only assume it is another Australian contribution delivered by the 100% authentic Outback Steakhouse. Spicy though it may be, it is, as I predicted, undercooked.

Though I'm hesitant that their Bloomin' Onion sauce is as signature as they claim, it did deliver a strong complementary flavor to the Bloomin' Onion itself.

Texture: 1/5

Again much like ancient Greek theater, the hubris of the Bloomin' Onion was the source of its own demise. The ambitious plating and presentation, if executed well, showed great potential, but alas.

The onions, as mentioned before, were horrendously underdone, and bordering on raw. I suspect the sheer size of the Bloomin' Onion makes it difficult to get a consistent cook each time. The batter was bizarrely overcooked at the same time, leading to a horrendously unique texture I've never encountered before now.

This mish-mash of texture was responsible for turning the Bloomin' Onion into a wilted rose, if you're feeling poetic, or a collapsed heap, if you're not. With each successive hack of another petal off of the bloom, it disintegrated to a greater and great extent. By the end of it, I was reduced to eating a pile of raw "spicy" onions next to a similar pile of overdone, though flavorful, batter.


Value: 3.5/5

Though the price tag of $8.99 would be steep for a standard order of onion rings, the audacious size of the Bloomin' Onion led to it being a more than filling appetizer for the four who consumed it. Though the execution, and the quality of the taste, was certainly lacking, it was a good amount of food. $8.99 for a bloomin, but it was a sufficient appetizer for four people. Quality was lacking, but it was a decent amount of food.

Total: 9.5/20

Carl's Jr. (Everywhere)

I have always intended Sola Cepa to be a project of national scope, criss-crossing the United States in search of onion ring perfection. While on vacation to visit my girlfriend and her family in Colorado Springs, I saw a perfect opportunity to dramatically expand the geographic diversity and scope of Sola Cepa, and immediately set about on a plan of attack and engagement with a number of eateries in the region who had onion rings.

I did, however, start small. Here's a review of onion rings from Carl's Jr. from a Colorado Springs location. Thank you to Jack Shannon for the suggestion.

Presentation and Appearance: 2/5

While I haven't reviewed any fast-food onion rings in many moons, I'm familiar enough with the scene to know the standard protocol, and the presentation for the onion rings from Carl's Jr. fits the bill. A haphazardly filled and strewn cardboard container, resting atop a plastic tray, is literally overflowing with the onion rings. The plating is characteristically rushed, and undertaken without great care, but, again, I know what the standard for fast food places are. 

The appearance of the onion rings is a mixed bag. Most onion rings in the box have some deformity or another, typically a cracked of fraying batter, with pale shadows of onions shining from deep within the recesses of the box. Their structural integrity, even at this cursory glance, seems to be clearly unstable. A handful of rings were solid, consistent, and not cracked, but this was not the norm. 

Taste: 3/5

The breading for onion rings is often a tricky thing to get right, particularly in terms of flavor and seasoning. Many restaurants throw in the towel and substitute flavor for copious amounts of grease, desperately masquerading as the flavor that onion ring lovers so badly need.

Not so with Carl's Jr. The batter on these onion rings had extraordinary seasoning, characterized by bold and daring flavor. With nary a hint of excessive grease (which did make the onion rings more than a little dry), my first bite revealed healthy doses of salt, pepper, and hints of something greater and more elaborate. This coating was among the finest seasoned onion rings I've had the pleasure to sample, which is a mark in its favor.

Unfortunately, the onion didn't measure up with the strength of the batter. As I could already tell from the cracked batter, the onions were paper-thin, nearly translucent, and with a weak ,underwhelming flavor to match. For all the flavor of the breading, I failed to detect hardly a hint of onion flavor within.

The accompanying ranch sauce perks up the onion rings more than a bit, with the cooler ranch flavors serving as a fitting complement to the bold spices of the onion rings. Anecdotally, I'm almost certain that this is the exact recipe of ranch dipping sauce that Wendy's used one or two iterations of ranch sauce ago, but I can't be certain. 

Texture: 2.5/5

As with taste, the texture is a bizarrely mixed bag. The breading had a robust and satisfying crunch, which was maintained under heavy scrutiny (and chewing). Unfortunately, this is the high-mark of the texture. 

The mostly non-existent onions had a weak texture, as would be expected. Most rings had barely a sliver of onion in tem, and those that did fell prey to an impressive amount of slippage, facilitated by the already half-disintegrated onion ring batter. I occasionally got bites of onions that were tough and yellowed, as though fried to so great an extent that they passed the overcooked and mushy stage of the onion all the way into sheer petrification. 

Value: 4/5

For $2.99, my girlfriend and I dined on an overflowing carton of onion rings as a sufficiently filling side for our $5 box. There was a fairly large quantity of decently sized onion rings, at a more than fair price. 

Total: 11.5/20

Big Boy (Everywhere)

As I sat at my desk today, working diligently on one project or another, a colleague plopped a large paper bag on my desk, saying it was a gift. Curious, I unraveled the greasy paper only to find a massive carton of onion rings! There are few times in life where man can truly say he is completely satisfied with his work. Today was one of them. Here's a review of onion rings from Big Boy's downtown Grand Rapids location (courtesy of David Welch and Charles Roelofs).

Presentation and Appearance: 1.5/5

I'm always a bit more generous with the presentation of take-out onion rings. Look, I get it. You don't have the time, inclination, or ability to prepare an appetizing presentation. That said, the presentation is pretty consistent with takeout onion rings. A large carton, made just small enough that the onion rings overflow out the top. Accompanying dipping sauce in a plastic container. It's as basic as it gets.

No, the real reason these onion rings are docked in this category is for the appearance. It's hard to tell from the picture, but practically every onion ring in the box was irregularly breaded, cracked, broken, and bruised. The perfection and wholeness of an onion ring was replaced by cracked and broken dreams, pale facades of the union that could have been.

The breading on these onion rings, besides being poorly done and irregular, is uniquely grainy. Almost like it was washed in an onion flavored sand.

Taste: 2.5/5

My first bite reveals a surprising amount of seasoning. The grainy batter, cracked and creaking though it may be, packs a tremendous amount of flavor on what parts of the onion they've stuck to. It's well salted without being overpowering, and the flavor stays with you as you eat the breading and the onion together.

Unfortunately, the onion taste leaves much to be desired. Were it not for the appearance (and my infinite wisdom of all things Onion Ring), I'm not sure if I'd know there was any onion in it by taste alone. The onions are likely tremendously undercooked, and somehow lacking in both raw and sauteed onion flavor.

The accompanying dipping sauce was unique, and hard to place. It was similar to the nigh ubiquitous "zesty" sauce that typically comes with onion rings, but without a lot of zest. Probably the same base, but with a different blend of herbs and seasonings mixed in. It complemented the seasoned breading well, without overpowering it.

Texture: 3/5

The grainy breading truly shines in the texture. One would expect the cracked, crumbly breading to disintegrate on the first bite, but that's a rarity. Though mildly greasy, it is not to an excess. The breading alone gives a soft crunch, without being too hard or overpowering. It goes down smooth and easy.

The texture of the onion itself, as indicated above, is almost certainly undercooked. They avoid the problem of mushiness that plagues so many onion rings, but seem to go the exact opposite way. The onion is firm almost to the point of rawness, but it does contribute to the solid crunchy bites.

All in all, the texture added greatly to both the mouthfeel and the pleasure of eating.

Value: 3/5

While I technically didn't pay for (or, indeed, ask for) these onion rings, I felt they were a solid value. As best as I can gather, the menu price for this (assuming it was a full order) was $4.29. For a modest sum, I got an overflowing carton of alright onion rings. They're certainly nothing worth writing home about, but they served as an adequate, and filling, lunch.

Total: 10/20

Buffalo Wild Wings (Everywhere)

Dusk. The city streets of downtown Grand Rapids darken and are filled with all the hustle and bustle one would expect from a Monday evening in March (not very much.) As the evening progresses, I am called by my never-ending quest towards onion ring perfection. Thanks to the suggestion of regular Sola Cepa reader Kyle Hanby, Buffalo Wild Wings had been on my hit-list for some time. That Monday night, the rings and I finally met. 

Presentation and Appearance: 4/5

The plating and presentation of these onion rings is nothing revolutionary. Heaped into a mass and sitting atop some paper in a basket, they're not breaking any new ground. That's not a bad thing. I appreciate a restaurant that's willing to stick with what works rather than pointlessly concoct crazy new plating designs for the sake of being different. It's fitting and it works.

The appearance of the onion rings themselves is similar. Nothing groundbreaking, they're in a general pub style. Irregularly sized and somewhat loosely breaded and battered. This means there are a few hobs and gnarls on the otherwise smooth surface of the onion rings themselves, but this does make them a bit more interesting to look at. Otherwise, they're fairly consistent in color and covering.

Taste: 1.5/5

I don't even know where to begin. I'll start with picking one up. Immediately, my fingers become coated in a thin layer of grease, which covers the whole of the onion ring. They almost seem to glisten in the dim interior of Buffalo Wild Wings. The coating is at least a little seasoned, but I didn't get a lot of flavor from it.

Frankly, if it weren't for the shape and name, I don't think I would have known these were onion rings. The actual onion interior was cut extremely thin, and they somehow managed to sap all of the onion flavor out of it. This was mostly a circle of greasy, crispy bread that kind of smelled like an onion.

For all the faults of the onion ring itself, the grease DID make the food taste better (which I think is the entire point of grease,) and the accompanying zesty dipping sauce (which the menu calls Southwestern Ranch) was outstanding. However, the greasy crispy bread that kind of smelled like an onion (aka the Buffalo Wild Wings onion rings) merely served as a vehicle for the delicious sauce.

Texture: 3.5/5

Though the taste was severely lacking, these onion rings (aka the greasy crispy bread that kind of smelled like an onion) had a satisfying crunch on consumption. The firmness was nearly perfect. Not so hard and overcooked as to be difficult to bite through, but firm enough to substantially hold its own shape.

The onion itself, however, lacks any texture whatsoever. Possibly because there's basically no onion at all.

Value: 2.5/5

For the price (a little over $5), you get a decent sized starter/side basket of onion rings. They go will with their trademark wings, but leave something to be desired on their own. I've docked this category a bit simply because the onion taste is not there. Largely tasteless, the greasy crispy bread is at the very least filling, and would probably be a bit better with a beer or two.

Total: 11.5/20

Arby's (Everywhere)

I'm sure some of you are thinking "Man, this guy only reviews cheap onion rings. How can I trust the strength of his palate?" Besides the fact that you're being pretty demanding for a blog that exclusively reviews onion rings, I have a method to my madness. Nationwide chains (like Arby's or Burger King) have the broadest market, and my goal is to help as many onion ring lovers around the world as I can.

So, here's a review of onion rings from Arby's.

Presentation and Appearance - 3/5

Presentation is typical for that of fast food onion rings: jammed into an overflowing carton. The appearance is, in a word, unique. The breading is chunky, and sharp. Though somewhat abnormal for an onion ring (and perhaps not as pleasing pleasing as a smooth, refined breading), it strangely works. The rings themselves are pleasantly large as well. 

The worst part of these rings is the scourge of onion ring lovers everywhere; when the onion slips out of the breading, separating the two essential components of an onion ring. Though it only occurred occasionally, the dreaded slipping onion cheapens the entire eating experience. 

Taste - 3/5

The taste is nothing remarkable, but still pleasant. The initial bite for each onion ring is a burst of flavor, both in the breading and the onion itself. The onion is cooked at almost the exact right amount to create flavor while simultaneously maintaining a firm shape. The breading is pleasantly crunchy, though without a particularly strong seasoning. 

Subsequent bites are a bit of a letdown. The breading does not have a long lasting flavor, but the aftertaste is pleasant in the mouth. A light greasiness permeates the rings throughout, but nothing horrible or excessive. The accompanying ranch sauce complements the onion rings well, enhancing the flavor rather than masking it. 

Texture - 3.5/5

Without a doubt, the texture is the highlight of these onion rings. The breading is irregular and crunchy, with a unique mouth feel. The onions are almost uniformly firm (one in my carton was a bit mushy, but the rest had no issues), and the integrity of the onion ring held together, with a few exceptions. 

Value - 4/5

Though the rings themselves are fairly inexpensive (about $2.50), and relatively good quality, I wish there were more. It's a perfectly appropriate amount for a side dish, but eaten alone, the quantity leaves something to be desired. 

That said, I'd be hard pressed to find onion rings of this quality for the same price anywhere else. The Arby's onion rings are a good value, but probably work best accompanying a sandwich rather than a solo dish. 

Overall: 13.5/20

Burger King (Everywhere)

Sometimes, in my pursuit of onion ring perfection, I arrive at fast food. Convenient, quick, and (often) dirt cheap, how does it weigh up on the onion ring standard? Today, I review Burger King's onion rings. Though I got them at a location in Hillsdale, Michigan, these rings are (obviously) the same at every Burger King franchise.

Presentation and Appearance - 2/5

As might be expected from a $2 box of onion rings, these aren't the prettiest in the world. Small, with irregular breading and even shape, their appearance leaves much to be desired. Presentation is typical for fast food; dramatically overflowing from a small container. That said, it does give one the sense of being overwhelmed by the sheer volume of onion ring.

Besides the previous issues with appearance, many of the rings are broken and crumbled in the box. While this is not an issue for taste, it is not especially pleasing to the eye. The breading is very light, almost too light. The rings themselves practically disintegrate in the face of a light breeze, much less the slight grip one needs to pick them up and eat them.

Taste - 2.5/5 

These are not high end onion rings.The onion taste is hardly there. Almost all of what I'm tasting is the breading, which itself is not that bad, almost a bit spicy. At a certain point, though, it's more like eating fried dough than an onion ring. The accompanying "Zesty" sauce (of which they me gave a generous portion of TWO packs) dramatically improves the taste, but at a certain point, the ring simply becomes a vehicle for the sauce.

Texture - 2/5

On the surface, these onion rings seem to have a good texture. And I mean that literally. The breading is crisp, and shatters with a satisfying crunch as you chew. However, the onion interior is soft and mushy, almost gooey. A good onion ring should have a little give, but there should be enough there to hold the shape of a crunchy ring together. Burger King fails in this regard.

Value - 4.5/5

For all the faults these onion rings may have, they're pretty much on par with what you pay. If I spend $2.44 on a big box of rings, I'm not expecting gourmet quality. So, what you pay is what you get. If anything, they're a little underpriced, if only for the amount of rings in a box.

Overall - 11/20