Friendly's Grilled Cheese BurgerMelt Taste Test

by Slashfood Editor, Posted Jun 23rd 2010 @ 1:00PM

Photo: Sarah De Heer

After reporting yesterday on KFC's Double's Down newest rival, Friendly's Grilled Cheese BurgerMelt, we had to try one for ourselves. This glorified patty melt consists of a Friendly's Big Beef burger with lettuce, tomato, and mayo and, instead of a bun, two grilled cheese sandwiches -- we can't make this stuff up.

The complete review after the jump.

Friendly's Grilled Cheese BurgerMelt
Grade: B+
Nutritional Info: 1500 calories, 97 grams fat, 2090 mgs sodium

While completely over the top, this sandwich is also pure genius. Yes, it's higher in calories, fat and sodium than the Double Down, but the ingredients in this sandwich are more harmonious, making it an embarrassingly pleasurable eating experience. (As one of our readers recently commented, "...at its heart, all this is is a cheeseburger on buttered toast.")

The grilled cheese "buns" were buttery, oozing with just the right amount of cheese and just the right amount of greasiness. True, the burger could have been more plump and juicy but it was the right amount of beef to balance out the two grilled cheese sandwiches. The only thing we'd do differently is skip the lettuce. Watery, shredded lettuce did not pair well with the grilled cheese.

The verdict: Considering the nutritional facts, it's going to be hard to eat another one of these without feeling significant guilt and remorse. However, we applaud Friendly's for the invention; they've guaranteed that cardiologists around the world will not be short of business.

We're starting to nervously wonder what crazy concoction will be thought up of next, and kindly ask fast-food establishments from around the country to go easy on us.

Filed Under: Taste Test, Fast Food, Reviews
Tags: double down, friendlys, grilled cheese burgermelt, kfc

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Reader comments (Page 4 of 6)

6-23-2010 @4:49PM chef said... its actually a copy cat there is a place called The Vortex in Atlanta, GA with a burger like this that is much better, with ham and a fried egg and it has has been around longer than this sorry friendly's version. dont try it it looks like fast food thrown on a plate in that picture they have for this article.
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6-23-2010 @4:52PM chef said... Yeah. It's called The Vortex.
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6-23-2010 @4:58PM cathy said... I must say the picture makes it look amazing. But, I get the feeling that after eating it, it would feel like a lead weight in my gut. http://newsy1.wordpress.com
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6-23-2010 @5:08PM REIN said... ID LIKE THE WHOLE THIG DEEP FRIED AND W/ PEANUT BUTTER &BANANASTHANKS ILL HAVE TWO &CORNORY BYPASS W/THAT
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6-23-2010 @5:13PM Fran Amos Cook said... LOOK'S GOOD TO ME. EVEN THOUGH IT'S HIGH IN FAT, SODIUM AND CALORIES, YOU COULD EAT ONE AND JUST HAVE FRUIT AND SALAD THE REST OF THE DAY AND BE GOOD TO GO.
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6-23-2010 @7:06PM Gail Miller said... I HATE TO TELL YOU THEY ARE NOT THE FIRST TO MAKE THIS SIDELINES IN TOLEDO OHIO HAS BEEN MAKING THIS EXSACT BURGER FOR A LONG TIME SO FRIENDLY'S YOU DIDNT INVENT THIS YOUR TAKING SOMEONE ELSE'S IDEA AND SELLING IT AS YOURS
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6-23-2010 @5:26PM hugh said... that is not invented by friendly's.... Nalu's in Dewey Beach Delaware has that burger on their menu and has had for years
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6-23-2010 @5:37PM Terry said... Just reading the calorie count, fat grams and the sodium miligrams is enough to make me puke. Does anyone wonder why we are a country of over-weight and obese citizens? If we could learn to eat in moderation and be more selective about what we put in our mouths, it would make a big difference in the weight and the health of those who choose to eat regularly at fast food joints. With "death" sandwiches like this one, you better be glad we have a new health care system developing. We're going to need it for the cardiac and diabetic patients.
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6-23-2010 @5:49PM Helen said... Nothing new here, My father owned a restaurant and if he ran out of buns he served cheeseburger deluxe same way ! I grew up on these!!Maybe they add a sauce or something?? we just had ketchup!(catsup) with ours.
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6-23-2010 @5:51PM H said...
Dear Slashfood Staff,
While I do watch my calorie, fat and salt intake as well as few other "negetives". I would also be interested in knowing the PROTEIN content of the foods you test/tryout.
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6-23-2010 @10:10PM Roger said... Sort of like a heart attack on toast!
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6-23-2010 @10:38PM Paul said... And the government wonders why there are so many overweight people in America??? This is a perfect example of why we have the obese problem we have in our country!! There are enougfh calories to take care of over 1/2 of most people's calorie intake in just one meal...then enough fat to cause a stroke and enough salt to float in....wow....this is one item I think I will pass up on....I am now 225 pounds down from 295 pounds and enough of those babies and I would be right back where I started....wake up America.....stop killing yourself with junk food like this!!!! There is nothing good about this sandwich!!!
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6-23-2010 @6:03PM RREDTAG said... We have been cooking these on the outside grill for years.
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6-23-2010 @6:18PM bailey said... Hey, didn't you know??? Half the population is below average mentality. Give them a break.
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6-23-2010 @6:14PM Grill Cook said... I work at Friendly's as a cook and (like most of the food) this thing is a crime against your insides. 4 slices of bread, 6 slices of cheese, double the butter because your grilling 4 surfaces instead of 2. The ironic thing is they took the colossal burger off the menu because they were trying to be more "health aware" then they added this.
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6-23-2010 @6:21PM Tom said... Don't go there at all cause I love ice cream too much ! Found myself there with the grand kids . They had ice cream , I had the SANDWICH . Should have had ICE CREAM !
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6-23-2010 @6:28PM Lynnz said... This is why it is fast food's fault . If you do not go on a websit to check, you have know idea the calories in anything.. A salad can go over 1000 calories

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6-23-2010 @6:25PM alice said... anyone can make the grilled cheese burger. It is alot cheeper if you make it yourself and you can control of what you put on it. you can make it yourself and it is half the cost.
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6-23-2010 @6:31PM Silvia said... Gosh, I could never eat one of those monsters! 1500 CALORIES??? That's more than I eat in an entire DAY! Hey, if you are young go for it...just don't make it a habit because it WILL catch up with you eventually....weight gain, high cholesteral, etc. It sort of grosses me out just to look at the thing...it's like a heart attack on a bun!
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