As restaurant review guides like the Michelin Guide and Zagat struggle to survive during the pandemic, it seems like they’re getting a little creative when it comes to adapting: as Business Insider reports, Michelin sent two reviewers to Burger King restaurants in Luxembourg and Belgium to determine whether the fast-food burger joints are worthy of one of its famous stars.
According to the publication, the two reviewers both ordered a full meal that contained Burger King’s Master Angus burger and remained anonymous to ensure they didn’t receive any preferential treatment. They then wrote up their reports based on Michelin’s five criteria: product quality, mastery of cooking techniques, the personality of the chef in their cuisine, harmony of flavors and consistency between visits.
The inspections come after Burger King launched a Change.org petition last month to get a Michelin star for its Master Angus burger. “We know very well that ‘Burger King’ and ‘Michelin star restaurant’ don’t mix,” Burger King Belgium CEO Kevin Derycke wrote in the petition, before asking Michelin to end “the tension that has been going on for 66 years” by awarding the fast-food chain a star.
He’ll have to wait until Nov. 1 to find out if his plea was successful — that’s when Michelin will announce which restaurants made the cut for the latest edition of its Belgium and Luxembourg guide.
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