Hardee’s fast food containers.

Big Mac (McDonald's) vs. Big Hardee (Hardee's). Regrettably, we are still without a "public" option for cheeseburgers.

I read about Big Hardee, Hardee’s answer to McDonald’s Big Mac, in the St. Louis Business Journal yesterday and decided to give it a try.

A short review: The biggest difference besides the price (Big Mac: $3.19; Big Hardee: $2.29), was the intensity of the meat and cheese flavor in Big Hardee (it has three beef patties to Big Mac’s two, and lacks the extra middle layer of bread). The Big Mac’s flavor is more balanced and the sandwich doesn’t feel as dense.

Although it’s clearly targeted at the Big Mac, Big Hardee is likely part of a retaliatory strike following McDonald’s recent launch of Angus Third Pounders (which are excellent) to compete directly with Hardee’s signature Thickburgers. Hardee’s CEO Andy Puzder remarked to the Business Journal,

If they can come after us, we can come after them… We have more meat, charge less for our meat, and our burgers taste better.

Lately, McDonald’s has been eating their competitors’ lunch (and breakfast, coffee and dinner, for that matter)– whether it’s Starbucks, Hardee’s or Chick Fil-A. It’s satisfying to see them fighting back; the inevitable result is better products and values.

From The Onion, still basically alone in making fun of Obama and company: