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Photo: Adam Schweigert/WFIU
Earth Eats obtained (with our own money) 2 Double Down sandwiches from the local KFC.
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Photo: Adam Schweigert/WFIU
We wanted to make sure to get a second opinion, so we had two taste testers instead of just one.
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Photo: Adam Schweigert/WFIU
Earth Eats' news correspondent Megan Meyer (L) and web developer Eoban Binder (R) volunteered to be our testers.
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Photo: Adam Schweigert/WFIU
The "unboxing" of the KFC Double Down sandwich, before Eoban gave it a taste.
After speculation that the KFC’s new Double Down “sandwich” surely had to be an April Fool’s joke, KFC proved us all wrong by unleashing the new menu item to its stores across the country today.
It features what appear to be two kinds of cheese, two strips of bacon and KFC’s signature Colonel’s sauce sandwiched in between two fried chicken patties, serving as substitutes for bread. Because, according to KFC, there’s “so much chicken, there’s no room for a bun!”
For the health conscious (of just the morbidly stat-curious), the original “Double Down” comes in at 540 calories, 32 g of fat and an impressive 1380mg of sodium. There is also the slightly healthier grilled version of the Double Down, and bloggers at Vegansaurus have even come up with a tongue-in-cheek vegan version of the sandwich.
But, being purists, we opted for the original Double Down. In the name of science, brave Earth Eats web developer Eoban Binder and news correspondent Megan Myer took the sandwich for a taste test (so you wouldn’t have to).
Watch: Earth Eats Eats The New KFC Double Down “Sandwich”
Eoban’s Impressions
To me, food works when it has the right balance of ingredients; no matter what way you look at it, a mound of fried chicken, bacon and cheese just doesn’t hit anywhere close.
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Photo: Adam Schweigert/WFIU
"The first thing I noticed about this 'sandwich' is exactly where 540 calories originate. If the Double Down had a bun of some kind, it would probably act as a sponge for at least some of the bacon and chicken grease, but since it doesn't, the grease sort of sits there glistening on the sandwich instead."
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Photo: Adam Schweigert/WFIU
"Honestly, it's not quite as bad as I expected it to be, but the 'cheese' needs some rethinking, and the Colonel's sweet-tangy sauce is more something to tolerate than enjoy."
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Photo: Adam Schweigert/WFIU
"Other than for pure novelty reasons, I can't imagine why anyone would really prefer this menu item over others from KFC."
Megan’s Impressions
I respect the Double-Down’s unabashed fast-foodiness — it is what it is and has nothing to hide. That said, eating one was just shy of a traumatic experience for me.
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Photo: Adam Schweigert/WFIU
"I respect the Double-Down's unabashed fast-foodiness -- it is what it is and has nothing to hide. That said, eating one was just shy of a traumatic experience for me."
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Photo: Adam Schweigert/WFIU
"Its bark was worse than its bite, so the odor raised my threshold of disgust. I expected the Double-Down to be exceptionally salty and greasy, and it delivered."
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Photo: Adam Schweigert/WFIU
"What I did not expect, however, was the floppy bacon and the non-biodegradable texture of the cheese-like mass inside."
Update (4/15): Video added, happy to report that both Megan and Eoban have survived their ordeal (so far…)
