8 Worst Fast Food Burgers of 2011

Cheese, pickles, ketchup and onions. These four burger toppings have stood the test of time. Why then, in 2011, did we forsake them all? Fast food chains around the world were offering some rebellious variations on the traditional burger, packing them with Fritos and sprinkling them with almonds. While tastes vary by region, no countryman should be subjected to a burger with both pepperoni and salsa. Burger Business, a trade publication for the patty industry, has a roundup of every burger item introduced on fast food menus this year. We went down the list and found some of the worst combinations across the globe.

Prepare to have a patty meltdown.

8. McDonald's McZűri
The Swiss were treated to two new takes on the traditional burger, courtesy of Ronald McD. The first tossed aside beef in favor of a ground veal patty. Instead of cheese, the topping was a thick disc-sized home-fry and instead of ketchup, a creamy mushroom sauce oozed from beyond the bun.

7. McDonald's McGrillschnägg
The other treat for Swiss McDonald's fans came in the form of a curled pork sausage, molded to fit a burger bun and topped with another layer of pig-this time in bacon form.

6. McDonald's McItaly Adagio
In Italy, customers were treated to the worst idea in burgers yet: a patty topped with whipped eggplant mousse. If that wasn't toe-curling enough, there was a sprinkling of almonds just beneath the bun. Why Italy? Why?

5. Burger King MeatMonster
Warning: just reading the ingredients to this sandwich will block your arteries. Served only in Japan, the MeatMonster consists of not one but two hamburger patties, topped with chicken breast, topped with cheese and further topped with bacon. That's three different types of animals folded into one meal, folks.

4. Burger King's Pizza Size Burgers
Another BK invention exclusive to Japan: burgers the size of pizza pies. Available doused in spicy cheese or an entire avocado, you're supposed to share these super-sliders. Come on. Let's be real. You give us a burger, we eat the burger. This is just irresponsible, BK.

3. McDonald's Soho Grande
The Czech Republic was the site of an "I Love New York" campaign for burgers. All the options were named after areas in the city, and were comprised of a melting pot of ethnic cuisines that shouldn't be lumped together. Case in point: the Soho Grande. You've got your grilled beef patty, topped with super spicy pizza-style pepperoni, a little sliced cheese, plus a ladle full of cheese sauce and, inexplicably, Mexican salsa.

2. Stake n Shake's Fritos Chili Cheese
Sticking chips in burgers was a big trend this year, especially in Singapore where Burger King launched three different types of burgers stuffed with nacho corn chips. But nothing compares with Stake N' Shakes dirty hangover food. What you're looking at is fried onions, jalapenos, a healthy serving of chili, two different kinds of melted cheese, two whole steak patties all topped with the saltiest corn chips on the market. This had to be invented in a dorm room, with a hot plate, a mini fridge and $5 in canteen credit.

1. Denny's Mac n' Cheese Patty Melt
We can point fingers at fast food trends in other parts of the world, but this year, the U.S. Had the most shocking interpretation of the burger. A patty on toast with melted cheese went off the rails when it was stuffed with a full serving of macaroni and cheese and drizzled with "frisco sauce" (yeah, nobody really knows what that is). All together, it's what a sandwich looks like when it's frothing at the mouth. At almost 1,700 calories, and the nutritional equivalent of a stick of butter, Denny's invention was a sign of the burger apocalypse. We tipped the scales, we hit the bell, we exploded. Now it's time to pick up the pieces and get back to the basics. Cheese or no cheese.

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