Taste Test – 7-Eleven Cheeseburger

The label calls it “chopped beef steak with cheese on a bun”. This is one of 7-Eleven’s in-house offerings under their label “The Deli Market.” There is no indication on the package who manufactures this item for 7-Eleven, nor could I find any reference to it online. May well be that it comes from Lufthansa, like their sandwiches, of which I have opined on previously.

Instructions on the package merely say “Keep refrigerated” and “Heat on Button 3.” Roh Roh. I’m doing this at home. Hey, 7-Eleven, what about home instructions on the package for those of us not eating in our car? Just a thought.

The package says the net weight is 6.4 oz, and my scale says the patty weighs in at 4.1 oz with the slice of cheese. I can’t say this is “pre-cooked weight” as the burger is already cooked. So that’s a plus. All of the ingredients on the label were pretty straightforward, I saw nothing to give me pause; the bun had far more additives than the meat or cheese.

Since this a refrigerated, and not frozen product, I chose not to nuke the bun, but let it warm on the counter. I guessed at the time for the burger patty, chose 45 seconds, and at that precise second in the cycle, the cheese slice started to bubble, so I took that as a sign my guess was spot on.

I dressed the burger with mustard, onion, and pickle, took a bite, first taste was a creamy American “cheese food” sensation, very Velveeta-ish, which I didn’t find unpleasant, the burger patty itself was firm, and had a tinge of smoke flavor embedded in it, which I also didn’t take offense to.

All in all, I found the burger to be as good as any fast-food quarter pounder, but your experience might entirely depend on the variety and freshness of the condiments ar the 7-Eleven you stop at. Some of the stores do a great job, some not so great.  It’s equal or better to another C-Store burger, previously tested,  the Big Az.

I was able to construct my own “value meal” of sorts, with the burger, 7-Eleven brand chips, and a 24 oz Shasta coming in at a respectable $4.24. I have often wondered why more C-stores don’t carry budget soft drinks, apparently now they do, or at least until Coke or Pepsi says “hey, wait a sec….”.