The Travis Scott Burger is trending on TikTok with over 49.7 million views, and The Linfield Review staffers couldn’t help themselves from seeing what all the hype is about. So, staff members Alexandra Feller, Emma Olson and Emma Inge decided to taste test it at our local McMinnville McDonalds while listening to “Goosebumps” by Travis Scott on repeat.

Olson, opinions editor at The Review, piqued our interests when she read the description of the burger assumingly written by Ronald McDonald himself. 

“Seem like a standard Quarter Pounder with Cheese? Nah, it’s also got shredded lettuce and crispy bacon because that’s how Cactus Jack likes it (straight up!)” The Review can neither confirm nor deny that Mr. McDonald wrote this description, but we prefer to read it in his clown voice.

Next to an over glorified, silver platter style photo of the burger, the description continues, “We recommend getting the whole Travis Scott Meal, because honestly… it slaps.” McDonald’s, we applaud your creativity, but could you be more cringe? 

From the description, we can tell that McDonald’s is trying to target their younger audiences, but their attempts to be relatable do not translate.

The question still remains: out of all the famous celebrities, why Travis Scott? Is McDonald’s losing relevance among younger audiences? If he calls himself Cactus Jack, shouldn’t he be partnering with Jack in the Box?

In an interview with Business Insider, the head of McDonald’s National Advertising Fund said, “It was worth the risk [to partner with Scott] for McDonald’s to stay culturally relevant… The chain knew how excited restaurant employees would be about the deal.”

This sends an interesting message about McDonalds’ popularity. Maybe messages about health risks associated with fast food have motivated young people to find healthier alternatives, thus bringing the end of an era to America’s favorite fast food chain. 

No, McDonald’s will always find a way to reel and hook impressionable audiences– it is wishful thinking to say the chain is going out of style. 

After all, the Travis Scott burger definitely caught our attention. Here’s what we had to say about it.

Emma Olson’s take: The burger is greater than the sum of its parts.

As someone who doesn’t like onions, lettuce, ketchup, mustard, or American cheese, I was pessimistic going into the Travis Scott burger experience. Picking up the burger for the initial bite didn’t change my mind. The toppings fell out immediately, and my Travis Scott burger was soon missing pickles and the majority of its lettuce.

However, actually eating the burger was another story. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that the Travis Scott burger actually tasted pretty good. 

The beef didn’t have the rubbery texture one usually expects from a McDonald’s burger. While the bacon wasn’t “crispy,” as the McDonald’s website promised, it still added an extra flavor that was certainly welcome.

I think, with all the toppings on the burger, there was enough going on to mask the ingredients I don’t like. While this was something I personally appreciated, those who enjoy condiments might be disappointed.

At the end of the day, though, it is just a fast food hamburger. The Travis Scott burger was better than expected. However, it wasn’t necessarily good. On a scale of one to 10, I’d give the Travis Scott burger a solid seven.

Emma Inge’s take: The burger that sorta lives up to the hype. 

After not going to McDonald’s for several years, I was definitely sceptical on the quality of the burger. Although I like almost any type of food, after reading the amenities included in the burger, I was convinced that it was going to be a gut bomb. 

However, after the first bite, I was pleasantly surprised. There was a nice division of flavors between the burger and bacon, the tang of the pickles, mustard and ketchup and the texture change with the lettuce and tomato. The Travis Scott was a pleasant surprise for a McDonald’s burger, with much more than the common two-bite cheeseburger. The burger was good enough that I would maybe consider getting it again.

Alexandra Feller’s take: It seems like just a burger…

Disclaimer, I went into the taste test really hungry. So, the bar was low— I just wanted to eat. I like the occasional hamburger, but they are not really my go to (more of a veggie burger kind of gal). Frankly, I thought the T-shirt logo was cooler than the burger. 

Originally, I had the burger rated as a 7, but after the meal I reconsidered. The official vote: 5.5.