For the first battle in our just-launched Budapest Burgerwar™, we decided it was only fitting to visit the place logic might suggest would have the best burger in town: a branch of the local franchise of cheesy American-themed global chain Friday's. For no particular reason, we chose the one on Oktogon, and, given our rule of always opting for the "signature" burger offering, selected the "World-Famous Friday's™ Burger" (Ft 2,390/€9.75). Billed on the restaurant's website as utánozhatatlan ("incomparable") and the print menu as szenzációs ("sensational") it comes ropogós bacon szeletekkel és olvasztott amerikai sajttal (with crispy bacon slices and melted American cheese) and Friday's apparently equally trademarked fries.

Things started off well with this burger, as our waitress actually asked us how we wanted it cooked. (This is still pretty rare in Hungary, pun intended.) Unfortunately, we said "medium" and it came well-done, or thereabouts, which will have to result in some serious demerits in both the "meat" and "service" scores. Otherwise, we can't really complain about much here, burger-wise. Despite some complaints we'd heard about the bun, we found ours nice and firm (but not too firm!), and both the fries and the bacon properly ropogós. But when coupled with the overcooking, we can't help but wonder if this thing can possibly be worth the price, which we rate as 2/10 on our "affordability" index. (And which, just in case you are wondering, works out to $13.45 in its mother country's currency). So it doesn't quite seem to be Friday's day, even though we ate the thing on a Friday. Then again, it was a Friday the 13th…

How It Stacks Up:

Meat: (7/10)
Bun: (8/10)
Trimmings: (8/10)
Service/Setting: (5/10)
Affordability: (2/10)
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Total Score: 6.0/10