We are on the search for the best burger in Topeka. Here is how we rate the burger joints that we will review. First we put heavy emphasis on where the joint is headquartered, Local (Topeka) will garner an automatic 10 bonus points. Kansas owned chains (headquartered in Lawrence, Wichita, etc) an automatic 5 bonus points and National chains (those headquartered outside the state) will garner an automatic 0 bonus points. The ten categories that we will use in our search for the best burger in Topeka will be 1.Burger Patties Quality, 2. Bun Quality, 3. Customer Service, 4. Garnish Quality, 5. Fries Quality, 6. Atmosphere, 7. Order Accuracy, 8. Cleanliness (Restrooms, Dinning area, Entrance, etc), 9. Building Accessibility and 10. Price. All categories will earn a score between 1 and 10, with 10 being the highest and 1 being the poorest.
Bonus Points: 5
1.Burger Patties Quality 7
The burgers were thin, but cooked through. However, I would hope so as thin as the single burgers were. Taste was edible, but have tasted much better with Coke™ rather then Pepsi™ (which tastes like flat watered down Coke™ to me). Aside from the amount of meat (or lack thereof) the Pepsi™ was the biggest thing to bring down the rating in burger quality.
2. Bun Quality 8
The buns seemed fresh and were buttered. They didn't appear to be toasted which would of made the bun quality even better. Kudo's to them for at least buttering the bun, but a toasted bun would have been so much better.
3. Customer Service 7
Ordering was very fast and efficient, as was receiving our food. However, they did not explain that lettuce and pickles do not come standard on their burgers. They just tacked on an extra 15 cents for each of these garnishes. As first time visitors to this restaurant this left a bad taste in our mouth. Which meant as both a customer and a reviewer we were not happy.
4. Garnish Quality 7
While all the vegetables and condiments were very good and fresh. Which would of earned them the highest marks in this category, the fact they charged extra for pickles and lettuce without even alerting us to this atrocious extra charge, brought the ranking down a few points.
5. Fries Quality 7
I am not a fan of shoe string fries. As it leaves me want to shout, "Where's the potatoes?" I like my potatoes, no scratch that I love my potatoes and when I eat a fry, I want to taste the potato not air. So on this category, I have to again give lower marks, even thought they were hot and fresh tasting.
6. Atmosphere 7
While I am a fan of oldies music, it seems a little tacky to hear an oldies radio station rather the Muzak®. Especially when the first thing I heard when I set down with my food was a commercial for a competitor (also headquartered in the same city as Freddy's™).
7. Order Accuracy 5
We ordered two steak burger combo's. What we received was one combo (burger, fries and drink), One burger and one drink. We had to return to ask about the fries. The problem was completely in the kitchen, as our receipt clearly showed the cashier had rung it up as we had ordered. The kitchen tried to tell us that their monitor only said one combo was ordered. If they had been honest and not lied about it, I would have given higher marks, but because they lied to try cover up their own mistake, I gave them a five rather then the seven that they could have received with the same mistake. Accidents happen, and I understand, but I hate lying.
8. Cleanliness (Restrooms, Dinning area, Entrance, etc) 2
Of all the restaurant reviews I have done for this blog and another blog, this is the poorest ranking I have given for cleanliness, but that is because it was the dirtiest. After using the restroom, we extremely considered taking Dr. Oz's advice and walk out without ordering anything. However, we needed to write this review. So we persevered.
So what did we find objectionable in terms of cleanliness at this national fast food chain
Trash on the floor of both restrooms.
Chrome on the the bottom of the restroom doors (and kitchen doors) looked like they hadn't been cleaned in days if not weeks (as I tried to photograph in the picture to the right).
Numerous fingerprints on kitchen and restroom doors.
Front windows were dirty
The only thing positive was that the dinning room floor and tables appeared to be clean, and that an employee was seen cleaning the tables as the handful of customers left.
9. Building Accessibility 10
This building having been built only a few years ago, had been constructed in a manner that was easily accessible from the three handicapped parking stalls in the parking lot.
10. Price 8
$4.89 (per Single Steak burger combo meal) x2 Each Combo comes with a Steakburger, Fries and a drink. They also charged us an extra 15 cents for lettuce and another extra 15 cents for pickles. Two things that come standard on most burgers. At least the pickles. The lettuce I might have seen as being an extra charge, if they had politely informed of this. Since they didn't it left us feeling misled.
Over all the score: 7.2
Looking back at our experience with the cleanliness (and charging extra for pickles) as well as the fact they serve Pepsi™, it is unlikely there will be a second visit to this establishment or any other Freddy's™.
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| photo by Kevin Surbaugh |
Bonus Points: 5
1.Burger Patties Quality 7
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| photo by Kevin Surbaugh |
2. Bun Quality 8
The buns seemed fresh and were buttered. They didn't appear to be toasted which would of made the bun quality even better. Kudo's to them for at least buttering the bun, but a toasted bun would have been so much better.
3. Customer Service 7
Ordering was very fast and efficient, as was receiving our food. However, they did not explain that lettuce and pickles do not come standard on their burgers. They just tacked on an extra 15 cents for each of these garnishes. As first time visitors to this restaurant this left a bad taste in our mouth. Which meant as both a customer and a reviewer we were not happy.
4. Garnish Quality 7
While all the vegetables and condiments were very good and fresh. Which would of earned them the highest marks in this category, the fact they charged extra for pickles and lettuce without even alerting us to this atrocious extra charge, brought the ranking down a few points.
5. Fries Quality 7
I am not a fan of shoe string fries. As it leaves me want to shout, "Where's the potatoes?" I like my potatoes, no scratch that I love my potatoes and when I eat a fry, I want to taste the potato not air. So on this category, I have to again give lower marks, even thought they were hot and fresh tasting.
6. Atmosphere 7
While I am a fan of oldies music, it seems a little tacky to hear an oldies radio station rather the Muzak®. Especially when the first thing I heard when I set down with my food was a commercial for a competitor (also headquartered in the same city as Freddy's™).
7. Order Accuracy 5
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| missing fries photo by Kevin Surbaugh |
8. Cleanliness (Restrooms, Dinning area, Entrance, etc) 2
Of all the restaurant reviews I have done for this blog and another blog, this is the poorest ranking I have given for cleanliness, but that is because it was the dirtiest. After using the restroom, we extremely considered taking Dr. Oz's advice and walk out without ordering anything. However, we needed to write this review. So we persevered.
 |
| photo by Kevin Surbaugh |
The only thing positive was that the dinning room floor and tables appeared to be clean, and that an employee was seen cleaning the tables as the handful of customers left.
9. Building Accessibility 10
This building having been built only a few years ago, had been constructed in a manner that was easily accessible from the three handicapped parking stalls in the parking lot.
 |
| photo by Kevin Surbaugh |
10. Price 8
$4.89 (per Single Steak burger combo meal) x2 Each Combo comes with a Steakburger, Fries and a drink. They also charged us an extra 15 cents for lettuce and another extra 15 cents for pickles. Two things that come standard on most burgers. At least the pickles. The lettuce I might have seen as being an extra charge, if they had politely informed of this. Since they didn't it left us feeling misled.
Over all the score: 7.2
Looking back at our experience with the cleanliness (and charging extra for pickles) as well as the fact they serve Pepsi™, it is unlikely there will be a second visit to this establishment or any other Freddy's™.
Hours:
Sunday - Thursday 10:30 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Friday - Saturday 10: 30 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Location:
1050 SW Wanamaker Rd
Topeka, KS 66614
Phone:
785-783-3488
****Update The extra charges were for Lettuce and tomatoes. We misread the receipt. We regret that error. It was an extra 15 cents for tomatoes and extra 15 cents for lettuce. Still feel this was ridiculous. The Franchise operator recently said that next week the prices of their menu items would be going away, and the extra charges for optional tomatoes and lettuce would be eliminated.
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