Down with the Double Down (aka KFC's new artery clogging bunless sandwich)

[Dodgerchick]

So... has anyone tried it? I went to get one today and the manager said they sold 263 yesterday and close to 50 today (at 1:45pm Central Time).

Based on 540 calories for the original version, I estimated it to be smaller than a deck of cards. I have one in my hot little hands... pics forthcoming.

[DaddyTorgo]

hmmm

[DaddyTorgo]

KFC's new Double Down sandwich, which hits stores nationwide today, has been buzzed about since its ingredients were revealed. The Double Down is essentially a sandwich with two chicken fillets taking the place of bread slices. In between are two pieces of bacon, melted slices of Monterey Jack and Pepper Jack cheese and a zesty sauce. The sandwich will pack 540 calories, 32 grams of fat and 1,380 milligrams of sodium, according to KFC.

[DaddyTorgo]

color me...grossed out.

[DaddyTorgo]

fyi


We gathered the young, healthy hearts of The Arizona Republic features section to brave the shameless glob of saturated fat known as the Double Down. Here's what those who survived had to say.
Jaimee Rose, reporter - My tongue hurts. Salt burn. This sandwich is 10 years too late to be worshipped in its proper Atkins diet glory. But mostly, sick. And wrong. But good if you scrape off all the cheese and bacon.
Joe Golfen, information specialist/reporter - I seriously think my heart stopped for a second after I ate that. The Double Down is actually an evolutionary step backward . . . the whole point of a sandwich is to avoid having to directly handle all the contents of said sandwich. Otherwise it tasted like any other KFC chicken-like food product.
Scott Craven, features editor - My guess is that what KFC saves on buns with the Double Down it will spend on napkins, because this is one messy sandwich. And in the highly anticipated poultry-pig ratio, it is disappointingly dominated by poultry. The fried chicken overwhelmed the bacon (the cheese comes in as an afterthought) . . . I would have gone bacon-chicken-bacon.
Wendy Killeen, information specialist - Double-down the hatch and fast, chased by a drink to help wash down all that salt. Double thumbs down.
Karen Fernau, reporter - Loaded with salt. Should come with a warning to anyone with high blood pressure: eat at your own risk. The cheese was rubbery and the dressing completely unnecessary. High yuck factor.
Nicole Ethier, intern - I think I'll stick with normal sandwiches. The Double Down wasn't horrible, but I can't imagine eating a whole one. (Unless you like your sandwiches to fall apart on you and leave your hands greasy.) If there is anything I learned from my internship today, it is that deep-fried chicken breasts should be no substitute for bread on a sandwich.
Brian Hernandez, Metromix online producer - Eaten individually, fried chicken, bacon and cheese are my go-to comfort foods, so I had high expectations for the Double Down. I have only one complaint about KFC's tasty, tender sandwich that I'll order again in the future: I wish it was wrapped in paper or foil instead of coming in a box.
Royce Martin, online manager - I appreciate its gusto, the devil-may-care attitude. Indeed, who needs a bun? But, as most things of excess, it has flaws. The salt is subtle as a tongue punch. The sauce should remain a mystery. And (I cannot believe that I am typing this) the bacon may have been a bit much. There is a feeling you get, dear reader, after a hard sprint. Your heart pumps, your endorphins pop and the legs burn. You are alive. The Double Down leaves you with feeling like that, just completely opposite.

[Ksyrup]

And Taco Bell is introducing its version, the Double Over, next week!

[Dr. Sak]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

And Taco Bell is introducing its version, the Double Over, next week!

Chan Ho already tested it and got the diarrhea from it.

[Logan]

Works better in between biscuits.

KFC’s Double Down is Perfect on Biscuits (Yes, We Go There) | Midtown Lunch - Finding Lunch in the Food Wasteland of NYC's Midtown Manhattan

[Ksyrup]

Ha! They offer it with the grilled chicken, too!

[Dodgerchick]

It was pretty good. I loved the cheese, sauce and bacon, but the original "bun" on top of everything else made it too salty for me. I drank 24 oz. of water and still feel the salt on my tongue and lips.

Probably not something I'll have again, but, now I can say I did it!



Lengthwise, exactly a deck of cards

[Dodgerchick]

dola,

trying to figure out if I should have the "healthier" grilled version. Hmmm...

[DaddyTorgo]

grilled version has even more sodium!

[Dodgerchick]

No way, seriously? damn! I still wanna try it, but not until next week.

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by Dodgerchick

No way, seriously? damn! I still wanna try it, but not until next week.

1430mg vs. 1380mg

[Subby]

Eat to live, don't live to eat.

[SportsDino]

Put it on a bun and its just fine. Of course its going to kill you, isn't that the point of fast food (e.g. the Health Care thread)?

It is just messy though, triggers my OCD hand cleaning tendencies, which is annoying. Maybe if you get it to go and slap two slices of bread around it, would be fine. Salty... and greasy, etc... maybe too salty... but its not terrible if you can get around the greasefingers problem.

[DaddyTorgo]

maybe if you got it to go and cut it in half and split with someone on a couple slices of bread so it was half the calories and half the salt and everything...

[stevew]

The chicken breasts are pretty good. I probably won't order it again, as it's too messy to eat. I ditched the Colonel's sauce too...that stuff is farts.

[JediKooter]

Just got back from KFC. Ordered one of the original recipe Double Downs and one of the grilled Double Downs. Taste: the original recipe wins by a wide margin. The saltiness comes from the sauce it appears. The bacon was nice and smokey and the breasts, nice and tender and juicy. I think the weakest part of either sandwich is the sauce.

The taste of the grilled chicken just didn't match too well with the other flavors of the bacon, cheese and sauce.

A pain in the ass to eat. Someone from Carl's Jr (Hardee's for some) must have designed the sandwich, which would explain its messiness and pain in the assiness to eat.

Two sandwiches were way too much for me to eat and I couldn't even come close to finishing the second sandwich, so I feel kind of bad for wasting food like that, but, there's just no way I could have finished it, besides, it was the grilled version and there was really no incentive to finish it anyway.

Would I get the original recipe again? Yes, but, only just every once in a while as I think just getting a regular 'ol leg or breast tastes better.

[RainMaker]

The commentary from people is hilarious. The grilled version is actually one of the healthiest things on their menu. Yeah it's high in sodium, but so is all fast food. It's better for you than the bread that is filled with sugar.

[flere-imsaho]

The amount of sodium being quoted is ridiculous. In fact, it's probably worse than the fat, since the point of the sodium is basically to mask that it's lousy meat, and also to preserve said lousy meat.

[BYU 14]

Originally Posted by flere-imsaho

The amount of sodium being quoted is ridiculous. In fact, it's probably worse than the fat, since the point of the sodium is basically to mask that it's lousy meat, and also to preserve said lousy meat.

+1, I like my blood pressure at normal levels

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by DaddyTorgo

maybe if you got it to go and cut it in half and split with someone on a couple slices of bread so it was half the calories and half the salt and everything...

Each slice of bread has about 100 calories so you really aren't saving much on empty calories.

There is so much wrong with this sandwich...

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by Lathum

Each slice of bread has about 100 calories so you really aren't saving much on empty calories.

There is son much wrong with this sandwich...

good point. but the bread is a bit healthier (fiber, etc) than the fried chicken

[Apathetic Lurker]

Hmmm....

1300+mg salt...check
fatty cheese....check
high calories.....check
bacon.............check
mystery sauce..check

Being post quad bypass+ raging diabetic I am truly thinking this could kill me...but thinking this might just be worth it if it didnt have so much salt content.....but then again, salt can be a useful staple of a diet...decisions , decisions.....

I wonder what a self induced coma feels like......because that is what I face with this monstrosity....

[larrymcg421]

If anything it was too "healthy" for me. Get this white meat shit away from me. I can get a 4 pc dark individual meal for cheaper.

[MJ4H]

Didn't I see that it was only 450 calories somewhere? That's not very high at all for a sandwich. Particularly one of this nature.

[Greyroofoo]

Originally Posted by MJ4H

Didn't I see that it was only 450 calories somewhere? That's not very high at all for a sandwich. Particularly one of this nature.

I think thats the calorie count for the grilled chicken one.

And remember bread often has a lot of calories.

[Samdari]

Originally Posted by MJ4H

Didn't I see that it was only 450 calories somewhere? That's not very high at all for a sandwich. Particularly one of this nature.

Its 540.

And cardiologists will tell you that its terrible because most of the calories are from fat.

Adkins adherents will tell you the cardiologists are nuts, this is the perfect sandwich because none of the calories are from carbs.

Use your judgement. Mine was to stop at 1

[path12]

I'm having a hard time getting worked up over this.

Hell, cut that shit up and toss it on some lettuce and you've got an Applebee's salad.

Nice marketing for KFC I'd say.

[Logan]

Fair point. I'm amazed at what passes for a salad these days.

That being said, Chilis' Quesadilla Explosion salad is amazing. I just know I'm not eating a salad when I eat it.

[terpkristin]

So.....

After a horrible afternoon at the doc's office followed by an even more horrible time trying to get a scrip filled, I decided to stop at KFC and make a late lunch of the Double Down.

I felt some silly irony ordering it with a diet Pepsi.

All in all, it was OK, but nothing I'd get again. Though I can see how some would like the sauce, the flavor of it wasn't for me. Also, I'm not a huge fan of bacon, and the bacon was chewy.

But. I tried it...and survived. Next on the list is the Krispy Kreme burger, which will be Friday night. Throwing a KK burger party, actually...

/tk

[DanGarion]

Cordon Blue meats Fast Food...

[saldana]

had this for lunch today. it was so greasy that it hit my empty stomach like a ton of bricks.

that said, i will probably go back next week for another one.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by DanGarion

Cordon Blue meats Fast Food...

Arby's had that on SportsDigs years ago.

[RainMaker]

The funny thing is they took the unhealthiest part of the sandwich (the bread) and added the healthiest part to it (more chicken). And people are making it seem like they made this thing worse.

The grilled version is one of the healthiest thing on their menu guys. This is healthier than any sandwich you can buy at any fast food place (including Subway).

[BYU 14]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

The funny thing is they took the unhealthiest part of the sandwich (the bread) and added the healthiest part to it (more chicken). And people are making it seem like they made this thing worse.

The grilled version is one of the healthiest thing on their menu guys. This is healthier than any sandwich you can buy at any fast food place (including Subway).

Ah, sodium....

[MJ4H]

Yeah that sodium total is ludicrous. Pretty sure you aren't getting anywhere near that sodium on a ham and cheese from Subway.

[BYU 14]

Originally Posted by MJ4H

Yeah that sodium total is ludicrous. Pretty sure you aren't getting anywhere near that sodium on a ham and cheese from Subway.

Was surprised a few subway sandwiches came close, but there are definitely some better options.

7 Under 6 Sandwiches	Calories	Fat	Carbs	Fiber	Cholesterol	Sodium	Protein
	6" Ham	288	5	46	4	25	1270	18
	6" Roast Beef	293	5	45	4	20	910	19
	6" Roasted Chicken Breast	318	5	47	5	46	1000	23
	6" SUBWAY Club	323	6	46	4	33	1300	24
	6" Turkey Breast	281	4.5	46	4	20	1010	18
	6" Turkey Breast & Ham	293	5	46	4	26	1220	20
	6" Veggie Delite	226	3	44	4	0	510	9
	Deli Sandwiches	Calories	Fat	Carbs	Fiber	Cholesterol	Sodium	Protein
	Ham	210	4	35	3	12	770	11
	Roast Beef	223	4.5	35	3	13	660	13
	Tuna	325	16	36	3	26	830	13
	Turkey Breast	215	3.5	36	3	13	730	13

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by BYU 14

Ah, sodium....

Will take that over sugar anyday.

[BYU 14]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

Will take that over sugar anyday.

Guess you pick your poison there, but sugar you can burn. I have been fortunate to avoid my families curse of hypertension over 40, but if I didn't watch sodium that will not last, no matter how much I exercise.

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

The grilled version is one of the healthiest thing on their menu guys. This is healthier than any sandwich you can buy at any fast food place (including Subway).

well that's one way to put lipstick on a pig

[cuervo72]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

Will take that over sugar anyday.

Me too. At least if you have normal blood pressure.

Shaking Up Conventional Thinking About Sodium and Hypertension | ThirdAge Articles

The advice that people with high blood pressure reduce their sodium intake has never really been in dispute. But somewhere along the way, the distinctions between prevention and treatment grew blurry. In what is now considered the origin of the "sodium hypothesis," Dr. Lewis K. Dahl theorized that there was a direct correlation between the sodium intake of a population and the subsequent development of hypertension. As the result of well-placed advocacy efforts, physicians suddenly began prescribing low-salt diets for all their patients, not just those with documented high blood pressure.

Over time, the sodium hypothesis grew to mammoth proportions and was accepted as fact. In the 1970s and 1980s, however, skepticism began to inch forward with the realization that the assumptions about sodium and hypertension were not supported by scientific evidence.

I'm not saying you should add salt willy-nilly to foods - certainly not if you already have hypertension - but I don't think 1500mg on occasion will kill you.

Personally, I'd worry about these just as much if not more:

What Causes High Blood Pressure?

The exact causes of high blood pressure are not known. Several factors and conditions may play a role in its development, including:

* Smoking
* Being overweight or obese
* Lack of physical activity
* Too much salt in the diet
* Too much alcohol consumption (more than 1 to 2 drinks per day)
* Stress
* Older age
* Genetics
* Family history of high blood pressure
* Chronic kidney disease
* Adrenal and thyroid disorders

Causes of High Blood Pressure

I'd guess that many salty foods also tend to be fatty, which doesn't help with the second bullet point there.

[stevew]

you can just get the grilled chicken breast in a wrapper.

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by cuervo72

Me too. At least if you have normal blood pressure.

Shaking Up Conventional Thinking About Sodium and Hypertension | ThirdAge Articles

I'm not saying you should add salt willy-nilly to foods - certainly not if you already have hypertension - but I don't think 1500mg on occasion will kill you.

Personally, I'd worry about these just as much if not more:

Causes of High Blood Pressure

I'd guess that many salty foods also tend to be fatty, which doesn't help with the second bullet point there.

Sugar will make you fat as it's typically high calorie for small amounts. Sodium can be found in just about everything and an item being high in it doesn't mean it's high in fat. It's more a sign that the food was processed and/or frozen. Sodium can also be offset with increased water intake and adding potassium to your diet.

Sugar will make you fat. I can list all the negatives of obesity but I'm sure we all know. Like I said, I will take my chances with sodium than with excess sugar.

[Drake]

The perfect solution to the messiness would have been to wrap the whole thing up in a tortilla so you could eat it like a burrito.

[cuervo72]

Originally Posted by Drake

The perfect solution to the messiness would have been to wrap the whole thing up in a tortilla so you could eat it like a burrito.

Well, if it's a combination KFC and Taco Bell you could order the chicken bacon ranch tortada...


Side note: I'm still very pleased that McD's is offering the Mac Wrap. I'd asked for "double cheesburgers made as wraps" well before these were available. I guess I wasn't the only one.

[Dodgerchick]

Originally Posted by Drake

The perfect solution to the messiness would have been to wrap the whole thing up in a tortilla so you could eat it like a burrito.

haha, reminded me of this skit

[Drake]

Finally tried one yesterday. Basic reaction: underwhelmed. The chicken part was fine. I even liked the cheese, but the bacon was more like a tease than anything else.

Overall, not bad, but also not particularly memorable. Seems like a missed opportunity more than anything else.

[terpkristin]

Pics from tonight's Krispy Kreme festivities: Krispy Kreme Burger - a set on Flickr

/tk