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