@texas blues: Funny. I'm actually heading to TX in the near future and may have to finally pop my Whataburger cherry, so to speak.

@samurai jenn: Faaaascinating. Yep, I'm seeing references online to the onion rings taking a pre-fry bath in "vanilla ice milk." Wow. Can't say I've ever heard of that technique before.

@edritch: *The Best Ice*? Well, I guess that's a niche.

@beersnob: It's almost universally a true drive-in, as @chascates points out. A very select few of the 3,500+ apparently have indoor seating, but I've never personally seen one.

@deglazer & @littlemrslarge: It's a tough thing. I think most of us who do this would love to make multiple visits over a long period of time before forming and sharing an opinion. But that's a luxury we don't always have, for a variety of reasons. (Personally, I've made many a return trip to eat something again when one element or another seemed anomalous. This review of Sonic came about because so many people were convinced that my April onion ring samples were flawed.) But the flip side of that argument is that the layperson very often makes a go/no-go decision on a restaurant or meal or menu item based on one try only. So first impressions have to be considered valid, too. I like to think that most readers understand that they're getting a blow-by-blow account of a singular experience only, that there are almost an infinite number of variables at play, and that the end result can vary from town to town, store to store, day to day, cook to cook, etc.

When I concocted this Cinco de Mayo experiment, I was faced with a big decision right off the bat. Do I go with a newish, upper-tier, hipster/foodie sort of taqueria... or a cliche strip mall-esque Mexican dive? I opted for the latter because I felt like that was probably closer to what "going out for Cinco de Mayo" means for most people. Of the 12 trillion or so options in Atlanta, La Parrilla is not my Mexican dive of choice, but it happened to be the one with rumors of a good burger attached. Sad to say, those rumors proved to be false... at least the night I went.

@ Matthew F: Yeah, PURE is definitely top-notch and falls squarely into the former category. Although I didn't even realize they had a burger, I'll definitely add it to my list. (Based on that description, I may not even wait until 5/5/13...)

***UPDATE***
In an email I received this evening, Lori McDowell denies that Dino ever worked at Antico, despite the pending lawsuit's claim that he did. Lori also wishes to make it clear that Fuoco di Napoli is NOT an affiliate of Antico Pizza Napoletana or any other restaurant. I am grateful to Lori for taking the time to clarify these points.

As I was writing this post, Robyn and I knew it would inevitably turn into a Krystal-versus-White-Castle discussion. (Just 2 comments to get there!) But it is really hard to talk about one without at least mentioning the other.

@Mike N., the two chains overlap in just Kentucky and Tennessee, and actually in just a handful of towns within those two states. I did do a side-by-side taste test back in 2010 when I was writing for *ahem* another burger blog. I found an intersection in Nashville where rival storefronts actually face each other; it's where I believe the two chains are geographically closer together than anywhere else on earth. It was a (mostly) fun experiment; thanks to Garvey for linking to it.

In that story, as Jamileigh17 also points out here, I submit that your preferences will generally fall with whichever chain you grew up frequenting or were exposed to first. (Although based on taste alone, this native Midwesterner actually has a slight preference for Krystal.)

Whichever slider you favor, I'm not sure I lump them into the same category as other burgers, or even other fast food burgers, really. To me, they both occupy a very situational-specific niche: only truly good for when the late hour, lack of other options, your blood alcohol level, and/or your gastronomic self-destructional whims dictate.

@JadedBeauty: True, "they do what they have to do to lower costs," but torn bacon ends tell me that someone in the kitchen is just careless. I'd be willing to bet they don't come that way. You'll note that the bacon in my re-do burger from the store across town looks the way bacon is supposed to look. It's perhaps no coincidence that the shop that has a habit of burning the beef (6 of the last 6 burgers I purchased there) also can't manage to separate the strips of bacon without leaving them mangled. Commercial-grade ingredients and rapid prep time is one thing; sloppily-handled product is inexcusable at any price.

@mitsyforest: The address is correct, as per their website and menu. But you're right, too. When you click on the "map" link, Google Maps seems to be a couple blocks south of the actual location. Just look for the big red truck; it's well worth the effort.

@TXCraig1: I was not seated at a table where I could keep an eye on the pies. I did ask the pizzaiolo on the way out, when I stopped to get oven photos. Alas, English was clearly not his first language, and he had no idea what I was asking.

@BillyZoom: Good catch. I meant to swap that out with a better word choice. It's fixed. (Now if only Wendy's would go back and fix those fries...)

Those animal style frites...

Great googly moogly.

@unpocojmoney: Absolutely! We're using Meetup just to help get an approximate headcount for planning purposes, but anyone who wants to drop in is more than welcome to join us!

Just to clarify, no one is calling Burger Tap's burgers "sliders." I made the reference in this article only to point out their unusual appearance. When they were first presented to me, my first thought was that they nearly resemble the mini-burger appetizers that many places mistakenly refer to as "sliders." And while it's true that a quarter-pounder is certainly a common and acceptable burger weight, the unorthodox 2" x 4" measurements only reinforced (to me, at least) that Burger Tap's burgers- while tasty- feel small.

@Evelynlucille: I had no real expectations going in, as is my M.O. for just about any review. I can't speak for other SE contributors or reviewers, but I don't select the places I write about because I necessarily think they'll have a spectacular burger; I try to sample a wide variety of places (fancypants bistro, dive bar, high-end steakhouse, neighborhood pub, etc.) and simply report on the state of the burger as it exists at each establishment- good, bad, or indifferent. My Manuel's experience seems to fall in line with the previous commenters; it's a place that's more about atmosphere than awesome food. Based on what you and others have said here, I'm sure that if I went for pancakes at brunch or a Reuben during a presidential election, I'd have a much different experience to share.

@DZ: You know, for all the inevitable comparisons, I find it really hard to do a true Pepsi Challenge with the two. (Although that would be fun. Next time you're in ATL, let's hit both places, order one of each, and do a blind taste test.)

H&F's bun is seedless, and they add onion slices. Their beef blend is also slightly different- 50/50 chuck and brisket, if I'm not mistaken.

But I honestly believe that a huge part of the love for H&F's burger is the gimmickry surrounding it: only at 10pm, only 24 per night, only after "Burger Time" is announced on the bullhorn, only after you've scouted your table way early and given your server sufficient heads-up. It's like getting into an exclusive club; it's easy to put that burger on a pedestal because it's so damn hard for the average carnivore to get. Yes, the Holeman & Finch burger is also on the Sunday brunch menu, but I'd argue that if it were always available at lunch and dinner (like Bocado's), it goes from some mythic urban legend to just a dynamite burger... much like Bocado's.